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A close-up, side-profile shot of a square slice of Italian Love Cake being held on a metal cake server. The slice displays four distinct, horizontal layers: a thin vanilla sponge base, a thick dark chocolate cake layer, a thick pale-yellow ricotta cheese layer, and a top layer of light brown chocolate mousse. The top is finished with smooth frosting and a decorative piped border of dark chocolate buttercream swirls. The background is softly blurred, showing a hint of a beverage and neutral tones.

Italian Love Cake

A magical three-layered dessert featuring chocolate cake, a creamy ricotta cheesecake center, and a light whipped pudding frosting. The layers famously swap places while baking.
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Chilling Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 12 people
Calories: 345kcal
Cost: $15

Equipment

  • 1 Baking dish (9x13 glass)
  • 1 Hand mixer (For smooth layers)
  • 1 Spatula (For spreading)

Ingredients

  • 1 box Chocolate cake mix - Plus ingredients required by box
  • 32 oz Ricotta cheese - Whole milk, drained
  • 4 large Eggs - Room temperature
  • ¾ cup Granulated sugar - White sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract - Pure extract
  • 1 package Instant chocolate pudding mix - 3.9 oz size
  • 1 cup Whole milk - Very cold
  • 8 oz Whipped topping - Thawed

Instructions 

  • Whisk the chocolate cake batter according to the package directions until smooth and uniform.
  • Pour the chocolate batter into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish, smoothing it into the corners.
  • Beat the ricotta, eggs, sugar, and vanilla together until the mixture is creamy and pale.
  • Drop the ricotta mixture onto the raw cake batter and spread gently to cover the surface.
  • Bake at 350°F for 60 minutes until the cake is set and the layers have swapped.
  • Whisk cold milk and pudding mix for two minutes until it begins to thicken significantly.
  • Fold the whipped topping into the pudding and spread it over the completely cooled cake.
  • Chill the cake for 6 hours in the refrigerator before slicing into squares for serving.

Notes

Always use whole milk ricotta and drain it well for the best texture. The cake must chill for at least 6 hours to allow the layers to set properly for slicing.

Nutrition

Serving: 145g | Calories: 345kcal (17%) | Carbohydrates: 48g (16%) | Protein: 8g (16%) | Fat: 14g (22%) | Saturated Fat: 8g (50%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 95mg (32%) | Sodium: 410mg (18%) | Potassium: 210mg (6%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 32g (36%) | Vitamin A: 450IU (9%) | Calcium: 180mg (18%) | Iron: 1.4mg (8%)