You’ll love my Ricotta Chocolate Chip Cake! It’s a delicious blend of ricotta, mascarpone, and chocolate stuffed between two layers of a buttery crust that will make this the best ricotta cake you’ve ever tasted.
If you’re looking for that extra special dessert, a one-of-a-kind creation, my Ricotta Chocolate Chip Cake is just what the doctor ordered!
It was one of my extended (Italian) family favorites and one I was lucky enough to learn from my adopted Nonna. This delicious “Torta di Ricotta e Cioccolata” was served over the Christmas and Easter holidays. But this cake is too good to serve just at those holidays, perfect for any occasion.
What caught my attention about this torta was the cake itself, I’ve made layer cakes stuffed with cannoli filling before and they were delicious, but they were traditional layer cakes. The difference with this cake was the batter.
What Ingredients do I need to make a Ricotta Chocolate Chip Cake?
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my Ricotta Chocolate. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
How do I make a Ricotta Chocolate Chip Cake?
- In a large bowl mix all of the ingredients for the crust together, except the butter
- Cut the butter into very thin slices and add it to the mixture working it in gently, you don’t want the butter to blend in, the mixture should be chunky.
This cake will seem more like a scone batter, or even a fruit crisp topping than most cake batters you make. But don’t be worried about how it looks before you bake it. You’ll be rewarded with a moist cake, with a delightful crumb and the perfect blend of flavors.
- Mix the ricotta, mascarpone, egg, and sugar using a fork.
- Add the chocolate chips and stir to blend
- Press half of the cake mixture gently into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan that has been greased with butter and dusted with flour. (do not mash it down!)
- Spread the ricotta mixture evenly on top of the first layer of the cake mixture in the springform pan.
- Crumble the remainder of the crust over the ricotta filling. Make sure to cover the ricotta completely.
- Sprinkle pistachios over the top of the cake
Bake in a 350° F preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes.
Allow the cake to cool in the springform pan for 10 minutes before removing the pan. When the cake has fully cooled, add a layer of confectioners sugar to the top of the cake.
*The confectioner’s sugar will basically dissolve if the cake is too hot)
If you’re looking for a delicious new treat to serve your family or take to your next potluck dinner with friends, give my cake a try.
Who knows, it may even become one of your signature desserts!
Wouldn’t you love to sit down to a slice of this delicious ricotta chocolate chip cake?
More Italian Desserts You’ll Love!
Ricotta Chocolate Chip Cake
Ingredients
Cake aka crust
- 2⅓ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 8 oz very cold butter sliced thinly
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon Tuaca or your favorite liquor. Amaretto, Frangelica or Sambucca are good choices.
Ricotta Filling
- 8 oz ricotta
- 8 oz Mascarpone
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Topping
- ¼ cup pistachios Optional
- dust with confectioners sugar Optional
Instructions
Cake
- In a large bowl mix all of the ingredients for the crust together, except the butter
- Cut the butter into very thin slices and add it to the mixture working it in gently, you don’t want the butter to blend in, the mixture should be chunky*
Ricotta Filling
- Mix the ricotta, mascarpone, egg and sugar using a fork.
- Add the chocolate chips and stir to blend
Assembly
- Press half of the cake mixture gently into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan that has been greased with butter and dusted with flour. (do not mash it down!)
- Spread the mixture evenly on top of the crust
- Sprinkle pistachios ver the top of the crust
- Crumble the remainder of the crust over the filling, covering the filling completely*
- Bake in a preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes at 350°*Place a baking sheet on the rack under the pan in case you get any leakage. I have never had a problem but some have reported it.
- Torta is best served at room temperature.
Notes
* put the butter in the freezer for 20 or 30 minutes before slicing it.
*you can press down the crust on top of the filling but be very gentle, the crust forms as the butter melts, giving the cake that rustic look.
Margaret Murphy Tripp
That cake looks moist, delicious and marvelous. I happy to have an excess of ricotta right now, too 🙂 yay!
Kathy
This cake looks fabulous!! Something I would make…ricotta, chocolate and mascarpone…Yum!
Thanks for a great recipe and a great post! Very inspiring! Happy New Year!
Becky
This is excellent advice in such a timely manner, as always. There is much “food” for thought. Thank you for so much for this column, because I learn so much, every time I read it.
I love the rustic look of this cake, and I’m sure that it taste as good as it looks!
Gerry @Foodness Gracious
Excellent advice again Chef! You should compile all of these posts and publish a food bloggers guide book!!
Take care…
Marsha @ The Harried Cook
Happy New Year, Chef Dennis! I’ve been away from blogging for a while, and I look forward to browsing through all your yummy recipes that I’ve missed… this cake looks sooooo good! 🙂
anna
ooo wow, what a gorgeous cake! i love cannolis, but man. if i had to choose, i would probably pick the cake! 🙂
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen
Dennis, that cake looks incredible and I can’t wait to try it out for myself.
Chef D
Thanks Carrie, it was really good! Let me know if you make it
Ann
This is a very timely post – I suppose it’s natural to think of goals this time of year! This is the first year in a while that I’ve actually set myself “goals” and they are all to do with the blog.
Some of them are private and I won’t discuss them, but they are there. There are others that I’m happy to chat about. My BIGGEST goal this year is to have FUN! I’ve been having a blast blogging, but I want to let a little more of ME shine through in my posts. Personal stories, a bit of humor, that sort of thing. I’ve had 4 posts in the New Year and two of them were the most fun I’ve had since I started! …and I’d like to grow – as I suspect everyone would.
As for you wearing your chef coat: If you walked up to me and said, “I’m Chef Dennis”….prepared to be hugged and then I’d grab your arm and introduce you to Honey Bunny….even he knows who you are! Around here? You’re a household name!
torviewtoronto
thank you for being a friend you are already a household name and a good friend to ask and not feel like you asked the wrong thing 🙂
delicious looking filling and cake
Happy new year to you and family
regards Akheela
Chef D
Thank you Akheela, Happy New Year!
Jen
My mom always used to say, “If you don’t believe in you, who else will?” Great advice as always Chef!
Janet@FCTC
Before I even get to the cake part of this (she says as she wipes up drool from the keyboard) let me say that I loved the essay part of this post. Your words are helpful, as always and it’s great to hear form a blogger who has been doing this longer how to keep ones head out of the clouds while still not giving up the idea of being that “household name”.
As for the cake…. ummm… oh my. I am a cannoli FREAK and love using ricotta in both sweet and savory dishes and this sounds just fantastic. I have some ricotta left over from making lasagna and was contemplating what to use it for. Now I know what to use it for 😀
Chef D
Thank Janet, it was a really good cake!
Brooks
Dennis, this ACD segment coud not have come at a better time—especially as we plot a course into a new year. Whether its making new goals or recommitting to existing ones, solid footing begins with the voice and being true to it.
Your cake is fabulous…perhaps you should send one to Ellen! BTW, I’d recognize you without the chef coat OR a ponytail! 😉
Chef D
Thank Brooks! My ponytail days are long behind me….sigh, when I use to have hair!
Janet Rudolph
What’s not to love? This cake has everything I adore.. Can’t wait to make it!
Chef D
Thank you Janet, It was a really tasty cake, a great combination of flavors!
Maggie @MaggieCooks
I really like the “ask Chef Dennis” section! Thank you for your words of wisdom!
and that ricotta cake looks yummy! 🙂
Happy New year!!
Chef D
Thanks Maggie, Happy New Year!
Cucina49
I just wanted to say how much I value your “Ask Chef Dennis” columns. I always look forward to reading them!
Chef D
Thank you so much, it means a lot to me to hear you say that!