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Home » Popular » Cakes & Cupcakes » Chocolate Chip Ricotta Crumb Cake

Chocolate Chip Ricotta Crumb Cake

By: Rosemary Published: September 9, 2019 Updated on: March 19, 2023

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This Ricotta Cake is a fast and easy Italian crumb cake recipe, with a delicious creamy ricotta and chocolate chip filling. Perfect as a dessert or snack cake. Everyone will love it.

Ricotta crumb cake on a black cake stand.

I have been on a roll with ricotta these days, from an easy and yes better than Potato Ricotta Gnocchi to a simple Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake, to this tasty Lemon Ricotta Cake but this Crumb Cake all delicious.

I love crumb cakes, they are fast and easy to make from a yummy Peach Crumb Cake to a Wild Berry Crumb Cake.

Table of Contents

  • Recipe Ingredients
      • Ricotta Filling
  • How to make Chocolate Chip Ricotta Crumb Cake
      • Never Miss a Recipe!
  • What does ricotta do for baked goods?
  • What is Ricotta Cheese?
  • Pro tip
  • How to make a crumbly mixture
  • Should the Ricotta be drained?
  • How to store the Ricotta Crumb Cake
  • How to freeze the cake
  • More Delicious Recipes with Ricotta
  • Chocolate Chip Ricotta Crumb Cake
    • Equipment
    • Ingredients US CustomaryMetric 1x2x3x
      • FOR THE CRUMB CRUST
      • *I use salted butter, if you use unsalted then add ¼ teaspoon of salt instead of a pinch.
      • RICOTTA FILLING
      • EXTRAS
    • Instructions 
      • FOR THE CRUMB CRUST
      • FOR THE RICOTTA FILLING
    • Notes
    • Nutrition

Recipe Ingredients

  • Flour – all purpose flour
  • Sugar – granulated sugar
  • Baking powder
  • Salt – if you use unsalted butter then add a bit more salt
  • Butter – very cold or even frozen and grated
  • Egg – large

Ricotta Filling

  • Ricotta cheese – if the ricotta is watery then drain before using
  • Sugar – granulated
  • Egg – large egg
  • Mini chocolate chips – I use unsweetened mini chips although you could use regular chips

How to make Chocolate Chip Ricotta Crumb Cake

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Then add the frozen grated butter and mix together with a fork to form a crumbly mixture. Add the egg and continue to mix only until still crumbly.

ricotta crumb cake how to make draining the ricotta, mixing in the egg and adding the butter

Add approximately 2/3 of the crumbly mixture to the cake pan, including the bottom and halfway up the sides, flatten the crumbs with your fingers and palm. Place in the fridge while making the ricotta filling.

making the base and adding it to the pan

In a medium bowl beat the ricotta, (drain the ricotta through a sieve if necessary), sugar and egg until creamy, then fold in the chocolate chips.

ricotta cake making the filling and adding the chips

Remove the crust from the fridge and top with the ricotta filling, sprinkle with the remaining crumb mixture. Then sprinkle with more chocolate chips before baking.

ricotta cake filling on the base and adding the crumb mixture and chips on top
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    Bake until golden on top. Let cool completely before serving. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and or serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.

    What does ricotta do for baked goods?

    Adding ricotta to baked foods gives it a slightly sweet moist texture. Even if you don’t like ricotta on its own it is perfect in baked goods.

    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. 

    Pro tip

    I learned this method from an Italian friend. Line your cake pan with a crumpled wet piece of parchment paper before adding the crumb crust.

    I crumple the paper, wet it then lightly shake out the excess water before lining. No knead to grease it and it works perfectly. Make sure the paper is large enough to overlap the edge by a little more than an inch.

    Cake on a black board with 3 slices cut.

    How to make a crumbly mixture

    The easiest way to make a crumb mixture, is to freeze your butter for about 30 minutes before using.

    Grate the frozen butter directly into your dry mixture and just combine with a fork. There you have a coarse crumb mixture.

    Should the Ricotta be drained?

    I drained the ricotta for this recipe for about 10 minutes,  my ricotta was quite thick so I didn’t really lose much liquid.

    If you find that there is a lot of liquid, then drain the ricotta in a sieve for about 20  minutes before beating with the sugar and egg.

    How to store the Ricotta Crumb Cake

    The cake should be covered in an airtight container or with plastic stored in the fridge. It will keep for up to 3-4 days in the fridge.

    How to freeze the cake

    The cake can also be frozen, be sure to wrap the completely cooled cake well and place in a freezer bag or container. The cake should be eaten within a month. Defrost overnight in the fridge.

    More Delicious Recipes with Ricotta

    • Italian Orange Ricotta Cookies
    • Cassatelle with Ricotta
    • Ricotta Spinach Tarts
    A slice of cake on a black plate with a fork.

    So if you are looking for a tasty Crumb Cake then why not give this Chocolate Chip Ricotta Crumb Cake a try and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

    Ricotta crumb cake on a black cake stand.

    Chocolate Chip Ricotta Crumb Cake

    Rosemary Molloy
    A fast and easy Crumb Cake. This Ricotta Cake has a delicious creamy Ricotta and chocolate chip filling. Perfect as a dessert or snack cake. 
    5 from 50 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Total Time 50 mins
    Course cake, Dessert
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 10 servings
    Calories 436 kcal

    Equipment

    • 8 inch cake pan

    Ingredients
     
     

    FOR THE CRUMB CRUST

    • 2½ cups all purpose flour (325 grams)
    • ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 pinch salt
    • ½ cup butter (frozen and grated)* (100 grams)
    • 1 large egg

    *I use salted butter, if you use unsalted then add ¼ teaspoon of salt instead of a pinch.

      RICOTTA FILLING

      • 1½ cups + 2 tablespoons ricotta (drain 10-20 minutes or more depending on how much excess moisture there is) (400 grams total)
      • ½ cup granulated sugar
      • 1 large egg
      • ½ cup mini chocolate chips

      EXTRAS

      • ¼ – ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips
      • 2-3 tablespoons powdered / icing sugar

      Instructions
       

      • Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C). Line an 8 inch round cake pan with crumpled wet parchment paper. (Cut a large square, crumple it, then wet it and shake out excess water then line the pan).

      FOR THE CRUMB CRUST

      • In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Then add the frozen grated butter and mix together with a fork to form a crumbly mixture. Add the egg and continue to mix only until still crumbly.
      • Add approximately ⅔ of the crumbly mixture to the cake pan, press down on the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan to cover. Place in the fridge while making the ricotta filling.

      FOR THE RICOTTA FILLING

      • In a medium bowl beat the ricotta, sugar and egg until creamy, then fold in the chocolate chips.
      • Remove the crust from the fridge and top with the ricotta filling. Sprinkle with the remaining crumb mixture, then sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.
      • Bake for approximately 30-40 minutes or until golden on top. Let cool completely before serving. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and or serve with vanilla ice cream if desired. Enjoy!

      Notes

      I drained the ricotta for this recipe for about 10 minutes,  my ricotta was quite thick so I didn’t really lose much liquid. If you find that there is a lot of liquid, then drain the ricotta in a sieve for about 20 minutes before beating with the sugar and egg.
      The cake should be covered in an airtight container or with plastic stored in the fridge. It will keep for up to 3-4 days in the fridge.
      The cake can also be frozen, be sure to wrap the completely cooled cake well and place in a freezer bag or container. The cake should be eaten within a month. Defrost overnight in the fridge.

      Nutrition

      Calories: 436kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 8gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 137mgPotassium: 156mgFiber: 1gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 498IUCalcium: 122mgIron: 2mg
      Keyword chocolate chip ricotta cake, Italian cake, ricotta crumb cake
      Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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        1. O’Leen says

          February 10, 2023 at 5:34 am

          Will I not need to use a bigger pan if I increase the recipe 2X or 3x? The recipe still says to use an 8” pan! Won’t it be too much for 8”!? What size should I use if I make bigger versions?

          Reply
          • Rosemary says

            February 10, 2023 at 8:30 am

            O’Leen, yes you will have to increase the size of the pan, the recipe card only shows the amounts doubled not the pan. 🙂

            Reply
        2. Sarah says

          December 30, 2022 at 1:48 am

          5 stars
          This was super tasty!!! I drained my ricotta for about 15 mins. It was very thick to begin with so didn’t have a lot of moisture that came out. I let it cool on the counter for about an hour and then popped it in the fridge for another hour before slicing it. When I sliced it, the ricotta filling did run out quite a bit (had the texture of a custard), but I didn’t mind! The taste is really yummy and love the texture of the crumble.

          Reply
          • Rosemary says

            December 31, 2022 at 5:20 pm

            Hi Sarah, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. It would probably firm up a bit more if you chill 2-3 hours or even overnight. Take care and Happy New Year!

            Reply
        3. Lex says

          October 5, 2022 at 2:04 am

          5 stars
          I’m looking forward to making this beautiful looking cake. Could I use an 8in. springform pan instead of a cake pan? Thank you

          Reply
          • Rosemary says

            October 5, 2022 at 8:06 am

            Hi Lex, yes you could use a cake pan. I hope you enjoy it. Take care!

            Reply
            • Lex says

              October 7, 2022 at 11:24 pm

              Can I use a springform pan instead of a cake pan.

            • Rosemary says

              October 8, 2022 at 6:27 am

              Hi Lex, yes you can. You might want to line it if you think it might leak. Take care!

        4. Karissa Ellis says

          September 1, 2022 at 3:24 am

          5 stars
          Hi! This is delicious! Just made it tonight and my husband and I love this cake. I was wondering if I should store this in the fridge because of the ricotta? Or is it OK to leave out in room temp for a while?
          Thanks!!

          Reply
        5. Annie says

          August 25, 2022 at 1:55 am

          5 stars
          Super easy to make! Everyone enjoyed it. Thank you. I was wondering could these be made as cupcakes? If so would you wet the paper liners? And how long would you bake for?

          Reply
          • Rosemary says

            August 25, 2022 at 2:25 pm

            Hi Annie, thanks so much, so glad everyone enjoyed it. Yes you can make it as cupcakes. I never wet my paper liners. I don’t think it is necessary. Usually you should 1/3 or 1/2 the amount of time for the cake to the cupcakes. So I would start with 15 minutes and check you might have to go up to 20 minutes. Hope this helps. Let me know. Take care.

            Reply
          • Karissa Ellis says

            September 1, 2022 at 3:30 am

            (Updating my comment)– Sorry, I missed that you had explained how to store this cake on your site.
            Thanks again for the great recipe.

            Reply
            • Rosemary says

              September 1, 2022 at 8:30 am

              Hi Karissa, thanks glad you liked it. Take care!

        6. Natalia says

          July 28, 2022 at 10:57 pm

          5 stars
          Not sure where I went wrong but my ricotta filling came out like water? It didn’t bake?

          Reply
          • Rosemary says

            July 29, 2022 at 10:03 am

            Hi Natalia, if it didn’t bake then the ricotta was too watery to start with and it should be drained for about 20 minutes in a sieve. 🙂

            Reply
        7. Alison says

          June 6, 2022 at 12:12 am

          Could I use fresh fruit in place of the chocolate chips?

          Reply
          • Rosemary says

            June 6, 2022 at 6:38 pm

            Hi Alison, yes that should, make sure the fruit isn’t too wet. Towel dry if needed. Hope you enjoy it. Let me know. Take care.

            Reply
        8. Karen says

          May 13, 2022 at 11:08 pm

          This looks so delicious! I made it to serve guests at dinner this evening.

          Do you have any tips for removing the parchment paper from the bottom of the cake after it is baked?

          Thank you,
          Karen Smith

          Reply
          • Rosemary says

            May 14, 2022 at 8:05 am

            Hi Karen, thanks glad everyone enjoyed it. Try lightly greasing or spraying the paper before adding the batter. That should help. Take care.

            Reply
        9. Rachel says

          March 28, 2022 at 2:02 am

          5 stars
          Made this crumb cake last night for my DnD group. Everyone was raving about it all night. We barely had enough! Delicious recipe that was easy to make. We oved how creamy it was, almost refreshingly so. It was also very mild in sweetness but even with my sweet-tooth, I thought it was perfect.

          Reply
          • Rosemary says

            March 29, 2022 at 8:06 pm

            Hi Rachel, thanks so much, so glad everyone in your group liked it. Take care.

            Reply
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        Hi, I'm Rosemary.

        Living in Italy I learned to cook authentic Italian dishes using whole ingredients, fresh veggies and delicious spices. So take a seat and have a taste! Read More

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