Description
Italian Love Cake is a rich, layered dessert with a sweet chocolate base, a creamy ricotta filling, and a fluffy chocolate pudding topping. As it bakes, the layers magically flip, creating a stunning and delicious treat that’s perfect for holidays, potlucks, or anytime you want to impress with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box chocolate cake mix (plus ingredients listed on box: eggs, oil, water)
- 2 lbs ricotta cheese
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (5.1 oz) box instant chocolate pudding mix
- 1 cup cold milk
- 8 oz whipped topping (like Cool Whip), thawed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Prepare the chocolate cake batter according to package instructions and pour into the prepared dish.
- In a separate bowl, mix ricotta cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
- Carefully spoon the ricotta mixture over the cake batter. Do not mix – it will switch layers as it bakes.
- Bake for 60–70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely. The ricotta layer will have sunk to the bottom and the cake will have risen to the top.
- In a bowl, whisk together the pudding mix and cold milk until thickened, about 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping.
- Spread the pudding mixture evenly over the cooled cake. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Serve chilled and enjoy!
Notes
- For a twist, try using vanilla or marble cake mix.
- Top with chocolate shavings or mini chocolate chips for extra flair.
- This cake tastes even better the next day after chilling overnight.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Keywords: italian love cake, ricotta cake, chocolate ricotta dessert, layer cake, easy chocolate cake, pudding cake