Magical Layered Chocolate Italian Love Cake with Ricotta Filling
I’m Alex, and I want to share this truly special Italian Love Cake recipe with you. This dessert creates distinct layers—a moist chocolate base, a creamy ricotta filling, and a pudding topping—all magically separating as it bakes. It is a decadent, make-ahead dessert perfect for celebrations or romantic occasions.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 50 min
- Total Time: 170 min
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 box (15.25 oz) chocolate cake mix
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1 container (15 oz) whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla or chocolate pudding mix
- 1 cup cold milk
- 1 tub (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed (for frosting)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- In a large bowl, combine the chocolate cake mix, 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and baking soda. Mix well.
- Add the water, oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, beat the 4 egg yolks lightly. Add the yolks to the batter and mix until smooth. Set aside.
- In a clean, dry bowl, beat the 4 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the chocolate batter until no white streaks remain. Pour this batter into the prepared baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon almond extract, and 1/4 cup flour. Mix until the ricotta filling is smooth. Drop spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture evenly over the chocolate batter. Do not spread.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. The cake layers will form on their own during baking. A toothpick inserted near the edge should come out clean.
- While the cake cools completely, prepare the pudding frosting. Whisk the instant pudding mix and 1 cup cold milk together until thickened, about 2 minutes. Gently fold the thickened pudding into the thawed whipped topping.
- Once the cake is completely cool, spread the pudding frosting evenly over the top.
- Chill the cake for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving. This allows the layers to set properly.
Notes
- You can make this decadent chocolate cake a day ahead; chilling improves the texture of the layers.
- For a citrus note, add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to the ricotta filling mixture.
- If you prefer a richer topping, substitute the instant pudding mix with a homemade chocolate custard.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 45g
- Sodium: 310mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 85mg