Sweet Italian Love Cake Recipe: A Taste of Romance

Desserts have a magical way of expressing deep emotions, and this Italian love cake recipe captures hearts with its rich, velvety layers of pure deliciousness.

Creamy ricotta cheese mingles with decadent chocolate cake, creating a symphony of flavors that dance on your palate.

Each slice tells a story of passion and culinary craftsmanship passed down through generations.

The contrasting textures and unexpected combination make this cake truly special.

Soft, smooth ricotta cream perfectly complements the moist chocolate base, promising a dessert that melts in your mouth.

Bakers who seek to impress will find this recipe a delightful adventure in sweet romance.

Prepare to fall in love with every single bite of this extraordinary cake.

Why Everyone Loves the Italian Love Cake Recipe

• Effortlessly craft a decadent dessert that looks and tastes like it came from a professional bakery, with minimal kitchen skills required.
• Deliver a rich, indulgent treat that brings everyone together, perfect for family gatherings, potlucks, or casual weekend celebrations.
• Experience the delightful surprise of a creamy ricotta layer magically transforming beneath a chocolate cake, creating a stunning two-in-one dessert without complex techniques.
• Prepare this cake in advance and let it chill in the refrigerator, allowing flavors to develop and making meal planning a breeze for busy home cooks.

Must-Have Ingredients for Italian Love Cake

• Chocolate Cake Mix: A convenient base that provides rich chocolate flavor and easy preparation.
• Vegetable Oil: Helps create a moist and tender cake texture.
• Water: Helps bind the cake mix ingredients together.
• Eggs: Adds structure and richness to the cake batter.

• Ricotta Cheese: Creates a creamy, smooth layer with a subtle sweet flavor.
• Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness to the ricotta mixture.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor of the ricotta layer.
• Eggs: Helps bind and stabilize the ricotta mixture.

• Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix, Cold Milk: Combines to create a smooth, creamy chocolate topping.
• Whipped Topping: Adds lightness and extra creaminess to the frosting.

How to Bake Italian Love Cake Easily

Step 1: Warm Up the Oven

Crank the oven to a toasty 350°F.

Grab your 9×13-inch baking dish and give it a generous spray of cooking oil to prevent any sticky situations.

Step 2: Whip Up the Ricotta Mixture

In a mixing bowl, blend ricotta cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until silky smooth.

Crack in the eggs one by one, mixing thoroughly after each addition.

The goal is a creamy, dreamy mixture that looks like clouds of deliciousness.

Step 3: Craft the Chocolate Cake Base

• Chocolate cake mix
• Oil
• Water
• Eggs

Whisk until the batter becomes completely smooth with zero lumps.

Step 4: Layer the Cake

Pour the chocolate batter into the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly.

Gently cascade the ricotta mixture over the top.

Don’t worry if it looks like it’s sinking – that’s part of the magic!

Step 5: Bake to Perfection

Slide the dish into the oven and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

The cake is ready when a toothpick comes out clean.

It might wiggle a bit in the center – that’s totally normal.

Step 6: Cool Down

Remove the cake from the oven and let it chill completely at room temperature.

Step 7: Create the Luscious Frosting

• Instant chocolate pudding mix
• Cold milk

Whisk for 2-3 minutes until the pudding thickens.

Let it rest briefly, then fold in the whipped topping until fully blended.

Step 8: Frost and Chill

Spread the chocolate pudding frosting across the cooled cake.

Cover with plastic wrap or foil, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

This allows all the flavors to get cozy and the frosting to set perfectly.

Tips for the Best Italian Love Cake Results

• Expert Baking Tips
• Drain excess liquid from ricotta cheese to prevent watery layers and ensure a thick, creamy texture.
• Avoid overmixing the ricotta layer and gently pour it over the chocolate batter to maintain distinct layers.
• Let eggs and dairy ingredients reach room temperature before mixing to create smoother, more evenly blended batters.
• Insert toothpick near cake's center, checking for clean removal while understanding slight jiggle is normal for this unique recipe.
• Refrigerate cake for full 4 hours minimum, allowing pudding frosting to set and ingredients to develop deeper, richer taste profiles.

How to Store and Reheat Italian Love Cake

• Store the Italian Love Cake in an airtight container or tightly covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Keep the cake chilled to maintain its creamy texture and prevent spoilage.
• Wrap the cake securely in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
• Warm individual slices in the microwave for 15-20 seconds on low power. For best results, let the slice sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving to restore its soft, creamy consistency.
• Remove the cake from the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before serving to soften slightly and enhance the flavors.

Delicious Pairings for Italian Love Cake

• Savor Sweet Espresso Harmony: Pair this rich Italian Love Cake with a classic espresso that cuts through its creamy sweetness, creating a perfect Italian dessert experience.
• Complement with Creamy Dessert Wine: Select a moscato d'asti or a sweet marsala wine to enhance the cake's luxurious ricotta texture and chocolate depth, elevating each delightful bite.
• Match with Fresh Berry Contrast: Serve alongside fresh raspberries or strawberries to provide a tart, bright counterpoint to the cake's dense chocolate and creamy ricotta layers, balancing the dessert's richness.
• Enhance with Vanilla Bean Gelato: Top a slice with a small scoop of high-quality vanilla bean gelato, which will melt slightly and create an additional layer of indulgent creaminess that complements the cake's complex flavors.

Italian Love Cake Recipe Variations

• Gluten-Free Delight: Replace the chocolate cake mix with a gluten-free cake mix and ensure all other ingredients are certified gluten-free. This variation caters to those with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease.
• Dairy-Free Option: Substitute ricotta cheese with a dairy-free alternative like cashew cheese or tofu-based ricotta. Use coconut whipped cream instead of traditional whipped topping to create a lactose-free version of the cake.
• Low-Sugar Adaptation: Use a sugar substitute like stevia or monk fruit sweetener in place of granulated sugar. Select a sugar-free instant pudding mix and a low-sugar cake mix to reduce overall sugar content while maintaining the cake's delicious flavor profile.
• Keto-Friendly Modification: Replace the cake mix with an almond flour-based low-carb cake mix. Use a keto-friendly sweetener like erythritol and swap out the pudding mix for a sugar-free chocolate mousse topping made with heavy cream and cocoa powder.

FAQs

The name comes from the traditional Italian ricotta cheese layer, which symbolizes love and creates a unique texture when baked with the chocolate cake batter.

• Can I use a different cake mix flavor?

While chocolate works best, you can experiment with white or yellow cake mix for a different taste profile, but the classic recipe uses chocolate.

• Is the ricotta layer supposed to sink into the cake?

Yes, it’s completely normal. The ricotta mixture will naturally sink during baking, creating a delicious layered effect between the chocolate cake and creamy ricotta.

• How can I tell if the cake is fully baked?

Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean and the cake is slightly jiggly, it’s done. Baking time is typically between 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Italian Love Cake Recipe

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4.7 from 9 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 12 1x

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Description

Sweet layers of ricotta and chocolate mingle in this Italian love cake, creating a romantic dessert that whispers passion with each delicate bite. Creamy textures and rich flavors promise a delightful journey through Italian culinary romance you won’t soon forget.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 1 box (15.25 ounces / 432 grams) chocolate or devils food cake mix
• 1 box (5 ounces / 142 grams) instant chocolate pudding

Dairy Ingredients:

• 2 containers (15 ounces / 425 grams each) ricotta cheese
• 1 container (8 ounces / 227 grams) whipped topping, thawed
• 3 cups cold milk
• 1 cup granulated sugar

Liquid and Binding Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup water

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, ensuring complete coverage to prevent sticking.
2. Craft the ricotta mixture by blending ricotta cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until silky smooth. Incorporate eggs individually, mixing thoroughly after each addition to create a creamy consistency.
3. In a separate bowl, construct the chocolate cake batter by whisking together cake mix, oil, water, and eggs until the mixture achieves a uniform texture with no visible lumps.
4. Gently distribute the chocolate cake batter across the prepared baking dish, creating an even base layer. Delicately cascade the ricotta mixture over the chocolate batter, allowing it to naturally settle and partially sink into the base.
5. Transfer the dish to the preheated oven and bake for 60-70 minutes. Verify doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should emerge clean. The cake might appear slightly wobbly in the middle, which is characteristic of this dessert.
6. Extract the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely at room temperature, giving the layers time to stabilize and set.
7. Prepare the frosting by whisking instant chocolate pudding mix with cold milk until it thickens, approximately 2-3 minutes. Let the mixture rest briefly, then gently fold in the whipped topping until fully integrated and smooth.
8. Once the cake has reached room temperature, generously spread the chocolate pudding frosting across the surface. Seal the cake with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours to enhance flavor melding and frosting set.

Notes

• Ensure ricotta is at room temperature for smoother mixing and better integration with other ingredients.
• Use full-fat ricotta for richer, creamier texture and more authentic Italian cake flavor.
• Check cake doneness carefully since ricotta layer creates unique moisture dynamic during baking.
• For gluten-free version, substitute regular cake mix with gluten-free chocolate cake mix without changing other ingredients.
• Refrigerating cake overnight intensifies flavor blending and allows pudding frosting to set perfectly.
• Use high-quality cocoa powder or dark chocolate pudding mix for deeper, more robust chocolate profile.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 12
• Calories: 417
• Sugar: 30 g
• Sodium: 300 mg
• Fat: 20 g
• Saturated Fat: 6 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 52 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 8 g
• Cholesterol: 95 mg