Italian Chocolate Ricotta Cake
With rich flavor and a moist texture, this Italian chocolate ricotta cake recipe is both decadent and delicious! It’s easy to make and perfect to have on hand for any occasion from a snack to dessert.
Simple, delicious and with a fudgy dense texture Italian chocolate ricotta cake also known astorta di ricotta al cioccolato is the best Italian inspired dessert recipe! It’s easy to make and requires only simple ingredients.
Adding ricotta cheese to your baked goods creates moist and flavorful cakes that just melt in your mouth. I use ricotta in both my lemon ricotta cake and chocolate chip ricotta cake with mini chocolate chips for the same delicious results.
This ricotta chocolate cake is not overly sweet and is great to have on hand for any holiday, celebration or even just a midday snack! It’s simple yet elegant and even perfect for your next dinner party. You will fall in love with this chocolate cake, it is the best!
Why You’ll Love this Italian Chocolate Cake Recipe
- Ricotta: Ricotta cheese adds moisture.
- Rich chocolate taste: Using a good quality dark chocolate instead of cocoa powder adds a more decadent taste.
- Easy to make: This ricotta chocolate cake is only a one layer cake making it easy to prepare whenever the chocolate craving strikes.
- Scrumptious: It might remind you of a pound cake, a chocolate cake and a cheesecake all in one and after one bite of this baked chocolate and ricotta cake you will fall in love with it!
Ingredients Needed
Chocolate ricotta cake is prepared easily with only a few simple ingredients, a round cake pan or a small bundt cake pan.
- Ricotta cheese: You will need one cup of ricotta cheese. I recommended full fat or whole milk ricotta.
- Dark chocolate: A good quality dark chocolate will provide the best decadent taste.
- Eggs: You will need three large eggs plus one egg yolk brought to room temperature. Eggs add binding and additional moisture.
- Granulated sugar: The perfect amount for a light sweet taste.
- Butter: Salted butter or unsalted butter works.
- Cake flour: Or pastry flour is best as it is lower in protein and will result in a lighter cake texture.
- Baking powder: A leavening agent for rise.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract for best taste.
- Salt: If you have used salted butter add just a pinch of salt. Unsalted butter then add ¼ teaspoon of salt.
Variations
- Chocolate glaze: Use the glaze from my chocolate glazed marble cake for a simple yet decadent topping.
- Layer cake: Double the recipe and frost the layers for a chocolate ricotta layer cake. Use the icing from this chocolate cake with mocha frosting or make a simple buttercream frosting.
- Almond extract: Add almond extract along with vanilla extract for a delicious chocolate almond taste that pairs so well together!
- Espresso powder: Just a small amount adds a depth to the chocolate flavor, ½ -1 teaspoon should be enough.
- Cinnamon: Add up to a ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, it really adds a special layer of flavor and marries so well with the chocolate.
- Marbled: Reserve some plain batter and swirl the batters together for a lovely marbled cake like I do in Italian marble cake.
How to Make Chocolate Ricotta Cake
To start, melt the butter and dark chocolate in either a bain marie or use a microwave and melt in increments.
When the chocolate mixture has cooled down, pour it into the mixing bowl then add the granulated sugar and beat until combined. Add the eggs one at a time and then egg yolk, mixing after each addition.
Add your ricotta cheese, vanilla and salt then continue beating until light and airy.
Sift in your dry ingredients then beat until smooth.
Transfer the batter into prepared cake pan and bake until done.
Test for doneness with a toothpick and if it comes out clean your cake is ready.
Cool for 20 minutes in the pan then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
expert tips
- Using room temperature eggs allows them to mix better with the batter and leads to a better cake rise.
- To make your own homemade cake flour for every cup of all purpose flour remove 2 tablespoons and substitute it with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift it all together to combine and remove any lumps.
- If your ricotta is very moist, drain it first so your cake does not have too much added moisture.
- Cool your chocolate to room temperature after melting it with the butter so your egg doesn’t start to cook when combining the cake batter.
how to serve the chocolate ricotta cake
The great thing about this snack cake is that you can have a slice at breakfast or for dessert! It’s both great with a cup of coffee or a scoop of ice cream.
Chocolate ricotta cake is a delicious dessert that combines the rich flavors of chocolate with the creamy texture of ricotta cheese. This cake is a perfect treat for any occasion. I hope you enjoy it!
More Ricotta Recipes
- Italian ricotta cheesecake
- Italian orange ricotta cookies
- Chocolate chip ricotta crumb cake
- Ricotta cherry crumb pie
- Ricotta castagnole
When you are looking for an Italian Chocolate Cake then I hope you try this Italian Chocolate Ricotta Cake and be sure to let me know how you like it. Enjoy!
Italian Chocolate Ricotta Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 6 ounces dark chocolate good quality ( I use one with 52% cocoa)
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
- ¾ cup + 2 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar (180 grams total, if doubling the recipe then double this amount)
- ½ cup + ½ tablespoon butter (softened) (120 grams total, if doubling the recipe then double this amount)
- 1 cup pastry/cake flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt*
*If you use unsalted butter then add ¼ teaspoon of salt.
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C. Spray or grease and flour an 8 or 9 inch / 20-23 cm round cake pan or 7 inch / 18 cm bundt pan.
- In a bowl melt the butter and chocolate either bain marie or microwave, let cool, then pour into the mixing bowl add the sugar and beat, add the eggs and yolk one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add the ricotta, vanilla and salt beat to combine, sift in the flour and baking powder beat until smooth 2 minutes.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for approximately 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Let cool 20 minutes in the pan then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy!
I am going to bake this today. Can I double recipe and but in a large Bundt pan? If I do any clue how long I would bake? It looks so delicious.
Hi Becky, yes I think that would work, I think 40 minutes, but check before (but after 30 minutes) with a toothpick. I hope you enjoy it. Take care!
Hi Rosemary
I want to make this for a small birthday gathering. If I put half the recipe in a 4 inch pan how long would it take to cook & I’ll make the rest into cupcakes.
Hi Jenny, it would probably take about 18-23 minutes. But be sure to check with a toothpick. I hope you enjoy it. Take care!
Thanks Rosemary. I’m making it tonight and will glaze it with the Chocolate glaze from your Marble cake. Then I’ll use some white chocolate to pipe a message on top. Can wait to try it tomorrow.
Hi Jenny, sounds delicious, I hope you enjoy it. Take care!
Soooo good! Not overly sweet but with a rich chocolate flavor!! Love it! Thanks!
Hi Diane, thanks so much, so glad you enjoy it. Take care!
This cake had a great flavor but was so dry it was very difficult to eat. I really wanted to like it but it was a disappointment! I will not make this again!
Hi Susan, this cake should not be dry, I think you most definitely over baked it. Take care!