Easy Italian Breakfast Cake

This Italian Breakfast Cake, is an easy bundt cake recipe. Filled with chocolate chips and made incredibly delicious and moist with the addition of ricotta cheese. So good you will want breakfast more than once a day!

As I have mentioned it before the Italian is happiest when I bake his favourite Simple Cakes, such as a Yogurt Cake , Lemon Cake or this Vanilla Cake, nothing overly frosted or filled, as he says. He loves something homemade in the morning to dunk in his caffe latte, or even in the afternoon with an espresso, and I can’t lie so do I, except for the dunking!

Recipe Ingredients

• Flour – all purpose or cake flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Butter – melted and cooled
• Sugar – granulated sugar
• Eggs – 2 large eggs and 1 egg yolk
• Ricotta Cheese
• Vanilla
• Chocolate chips – I used mini semi sweet, but you could use regular size and semi sweet or even milk or a mixture if you prefer

What does ricotta cheese do in cakes?

Adding some ricotta cheese to a cake can bring out the flavor and the texture, making it a soft moist cake that is perfect anytime.

How to make homemade Cake flour

For every cup of all purpose flour, remove two tablespoons and replace with two tablespoons of corn starch. Be sure to sift the flour and cornstarch together a couple of times, this way it is sure to be properly combined and lump free. Cake flour in cakes will give you a very tender texture and fine crumb, it will also help the cake to rise.

I was going through an old Recipe Book that belonged to my friend’s mother, which she let me borrow. And I found a great recipe for this Italian Breakfast Cake with mini chocolate chips.

How to make a Breakfast Cake

Drain the ricotta in a sieve for about 15-20 minutes. If the ricotta is thick then there really is no need to drain. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

In a medium mixing bowl beat together the melted butter, sugar and eggs for one minute, add the ricotta cheese and beat again for 1 minutes then add the flour mixture and vanilla, beat for one minute. Fold in chocolate chips.

Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake. Let cool, remove from pan, then drizzle with chocolate and or dust with icing sugar if desired.

As with most Italian Cakes there is no buttery frostings or creamy glazes. Just the usual dusting with Icing sugar. I decided to dress it up a bit with a drizzling of dark melted chocolate.

Please don’t say “oh I can’t eat this, I can’t stand Ricotta Cheese”. Well to tell the truth I’m not crazy about it either but for baking, it is amazing, you won’t even notice it. Trust me it is the perfect addition to making a cake deliciously moist.

Breakfast cake or Coffee Cake?

It’s basically the same thing. The French and Italians refer to it as a Breakfast cake and Coffee cake is more American or Canadian. Both are served either at breakfast or even as a snack made to be eaten with a cup of coffee, hence the name Coffee cake.

What do Italians eat for breakfast?

Those who eat breakfast at the local bar usually choose an espresso, plain or macchiato (which is just a little milk added)) or a cappuccino served with a cornetto, also known as a croissant. It can be a simple one, or filled with custard, jam or a chocolate hazelnut filling. 

A typical Italian breakfast at home is usually a caffe latte or espresso along side a cornetto, a few plain cookies, a slice of homemade cake or a few biscottate, which are spread with jam, honey or chocolate hazelnut filling. Cereal, a bowl of yogurt and fresh fruit are becoming more and popular also. 

How to store the cake

The cake can be kept at room temperature, be sure to keep it in an air tight container or in a covered cake dish. It will keep for 2-3 days. Or keep it tightly wrapped or in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for up to 7 days in the fridge.

How to freeze it

This Cake can also be frozen, be sure to wrap the cooled unglazed cake tightly with plastic wrap then wrap again with foil, place in an airtight container or freezer bag. It will last up to 3 months in the freezer.

To thaw the Cake remove it from the container or freezer bag, but still wrapped and let it thaw at room temperature. Should take about 2-3 hours.

Different flavouring

I used vanilla flavouring in this cake but my friend’s mother used orange flavouring, you could also use cinnamon or even lemon or orange zest. Instead of chocolate chips you could add chop a good quality chocolate bar either dark or milk chocolate or even add some nuts if you like. Great for using up any leftover Easter chocolate.

So whichever you choose it really is delicious. The Perfect Chocolate Bundt Cake for breakfast, snack or even dessert. Exactly what Italian Cakes are made for. Enjoy!

More Coffee Cake Recipes

• Crunchy Coffee Cake
• Easy Carrot Coffee Cake
• Cinnamon Walnut Coffee Cake

Updated from January 3, 2018.