Italian Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake
This deliciously moist Homemade Italian Cake is made with ricotta cheese and chocolate chips. The perfect Breakfast, Snack or even Dessert Cake Recipe. A Cake everyone will love.
After living in Italy for over 25 years, I like to think I know this country , the people and the food quite well. Especially the food!
Naturally Pasta and Pizza are my favourites, but needless to say, I also love a good Dessert! I like the fact that Italians love to eat cake for breakfast and no excuse is needed.
And of course Ricotta Cake is one of the most popular Italian Cakes to make. This moist tasty cake, just like most Italian Cakes, needs no icing or glaze. Just a simple dusting of powdered sugar is all it needs.
Recipe Ingredients
- Eggs – large eggs room temperature
- Sugar – granulated sugar
- Vanilla – vanilla extract
- Ricotta – if the ricotta cheese is very liquidy place in a sieve to drain for 1-2 hours
- Flour – all purpose or cake/pastry flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Chocolate chips – unsweetened chocolate chips – I used mini chocolate chips
Why Use Room Temperature Ingredients?
Room temperature ingredients help to produce light tender baked good, in this case a cake. The ingredients will come together smoother with a lump free batter. Room temperature egg whites beat up fluffier. Be sure to remove the ingredients from the fridge 45-60 minutes before baking.
How to make a Ricotta Cake
In a large bowl beat the eggs and sugar for about 3 minutes, then add the vanilla and ricotta and combine. In a medium bowl whisk the flour, salt and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and combine, the batter will be very thick.
Fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon into the prepared cake pan and bake until done, check with a toothpick, if it comes out dry or with a few crumb attached then the cake is done.
Let cool completely then dust with powdered sugar before serving.
What is Ricotta Cheese?
Ricotta is usually referred to as a cheese. Although it is actually a dairy product that is made through a process of reusing whey left over from the processing of other cheese.
The name Ricotta is derived from Latin, and refers to its processing – re-coctus, which means, cooked twice.
Therefore since it is not produced directly from the curd, but from one of its by-products, ricotta cannot be considered a real cheese.
Is it necessary to drain the Ricotta?
I didn’t drain the ricotta for this recipe, but my ricotta was quite thick. If you find that there is a lot of liquid, then drain the ricotta in a sieve for about 10 minutes before adding to the creamed mixture.
How To Make 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.
How to store a Ricotta Cake
The cake can be stored up to two days at room temperature. Make sure it is well wrapped or stored in an airtight container. Keeping it any longer and it should be refrigerated.
Can a Ricotta Cake be frozen?
Yes the cake can be frozen, be sure to wrap well in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container or freezer bag. It can be frozen for up to three months.
Be sure to remove the cake from the freezer bag or container before thawing, although you can leave it wrapped in plastic and thaw in the fridge over night.
How to prevent chocolate chips from sinking in a cake
To prevent the chocolate chips from sinking in your cake is very easy, just toss the chips with a little flour. I use one teaspoon of flour for every half cup of chips.
This little trick works with other additions from sinking too, such as nuts, dried fruits, and fresh berries. Just toss with a little flour before folding them into your cake, cupcake, or even muffin batter before baking.
More Delicious Italian Cakes
Italy, as everyone knows is going through a bit of a hard time, but as my husband says as he was eating a piece of this Ricotta Cake, “well at least we still have the food”. Enjoy!
Italian Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup ricotta room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour or cake/pastry flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips (unsweetened chips, milk chips or a mixture of both)
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
EXTRAS
- 3-4 tablespoons icing/powdered sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350° (180°), grease and flour a 9 inch (22cm) cake pan or 9 1/2 inch (24cm) bundt pan.
- In a large bowl beat the eggs, yolk and sugar until creamy and light about 3-5 minutes. Then add the vanilla and ricotta beat to combine.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Add to the creamed mixture and mix just until combined (batter will be thick), fold in the mini chocolate chips*.
- Spoon into the prepared cake pan and bake for approximately 30-40 minutes, test with a toothpick for doneness. Let cool completely, then remove from the pan and dust with powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy!
*Toss the chocolate chips with one teaspoon of flour before adding, this prevents the chips from sinking in the batter while baking.
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from May 16, 2014.
I made this cake followed recipe to the letter and it was dense and a little dry. What did I do wrong?
Hi Julie, this is an Italian cake which are denser than American, but if it was dry than it was probably over baked. 🙂
Rosemary, we truly enjoyed this cake. I made homemade ravioli’s this weekend and had extra ricotta, so perfect opportunity to try your fabulous recipe! My Mom was an amazing cook and baker from an Italian family and I know she would have enjoyed your recipes so much. I am so thankful we had so many great times in the kitchen together. Thanks again for another wonderful recipe. Best, Doreen
Hi Doreen thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. And happy I could bring back memories of your Mom. Take care.
Excellent recipe. I added candied orange peel
Thanks so much Barbara, great idea. Have a wonderful weekend.
I followed the directions exactly, but my cake turned out very dense. I want to try it again, Can you tell me why it may have been so dense?
Hi Kathy, this cake is a denser Italian cake, try 3/4 cup ricotta and 1/3 cup of milk that could help to make it softer. Let me know if you try it.
Hi, Could I put some Rum Extract in this and put Almonds on the outside?
Thanks 😊
Hi Dottie I am sure you could add a teaspoon or so of rum extract. You may want to soak the almonds for about 10-15 minutes then drain well, this should keep them from burning while baking. Let me know how it goes.
This is an excellent, easy recipe. We made it with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Flour and followed the recipe to the letter. Thanks for a simply delightful cake!
Hi Tammi, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Happy Holidays.
Have you tried this with Blueberries?
Hi Michael, I haven’t tried it with blueberries, but that sounds like a good idea. I would use frozen berries and don’t thaw them. You also might want to toss them with a teaspoon or 2 of flour before folding into the batter, that way they don’t sink. Let me know how it goes.
Can this cake be frozen
Hi Daria, yes it can be frozen. Wrap it well in foil then place it in an airtight bag. It will keep for 2-3 months in the freezer. Let is thaw on the counter before serving. Hope this helps.
This cake is quite dense, but has excellent flavor. I baked mine as mini cupcakes so I could easily share them at work. They only took about 11 minutes to cook.
Hi TyDyMom, yes Italian cakes are denser, glad you enjoyed it.
I followed the recipe exactly and it is extremely dry.
Hi Gillian so it came out dry for you, but I really think you over baked it. Not all oven run the same and yours could run high. Over baking causes a cake to be dry.
Can semi sweet chips be used? Our store does not sell mini in unsweetened or milk chocolate.
Hi Donna, yes semi sweet are perfect. Let me know how it goes.
Use whole or part skim ricotta cheese?
Hi Donna, I think either would work. Let me know how it goes.
Read the instructions again, saw the answer to my question 😑
Hi Karen, haha I know, that happens to me. Because I usually bake with grams there’s always a tablespoon or 2 extra. Have a great Sunday.
Measuring out ingredients to make this cake, what is the extra 1 tablespoon of flour for. I probably missed it in instructions, but read them a number of times.
Can I use king arthur pastry blend flour thank you
Hi Susan, yes that should be fine. Let me know how it goes.