Hi, friends! I hope that you all had a great weekend! Today’s recipe for Chocolate Italian Love Cake is such a fun one because my friend Kristin (who you see pictured on the blog regularly) is finally guest posting for The Seasoned Mom!
When she came over with her kids for a play date a couple of months ago, Kristin brought along an Easy Chocolate Italian Love Cake that her kids had made. It was so delicious (and pretty!), that I knew I wanted to share it with all of you. Fortunately, Kristin is here today to give you the full details.
Take it away, Kristin!
When my bestie Blair asked me if I wanted to be a part of her amazing blog, I jumped at the chance! I had passed along a piece of cake the kids and I had made together and the idea for this post was born.
Like Blair, I have 3 children under 6 years old. There is never a dull moment or a clean kitchen in my life! My kiddos love to “help” in the kitchen. As many moms know, it is a constant battle between allowing them to feel useful and protecting my own sanity. I try to remind myself that I will cherish the memories of flour-covered smiles more than I will the stress of the flour-covered floors.
When I found a summer camp that allowed my two older kids to cook in somebody else’s kitchen, we were all thrilled! They had a wonderful time. Not only were they able to taste all of their yummy creations along the way, they also made their own aprons and plates (see the picture below). To cap off the week, they were sent home with their own recipe book!
The kids were not ready to leave camp far behind and insisted that we try the recipes at home. It was a great way to fill up some empty summer days. They were so proud to teach me how to cook! Below is the recipe for the cake I shared with Blair. It was their favorite one from camp!
Easy Chocolate Italian Love Cake
This easy Chocolate Italian Love Cake is the perfect dessert recipe to bake with your kids!
Ingredients
- 1 package chocolate cake mix
- 2 lbs ricotta cheese
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 (3.4 ounce) package of instant chocolate pudding
- 1 cup cold milk
- 16 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed such as Cool Whip
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9x13 inch pan with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together cake mix according to the directions on the box.
- Set aside.
- In another bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour the cake batter into the baking dish. Spread to fill the pan evenly.
- Once the cake batter is in place, carefully pour the cheese mixture evenly over the top of the cake batter. Spread to cover cake as best you can (the layers will switch during baking).
- Bake the cake for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
- To make frosting, mix together pudding mix and milk with a whisk until combined. Carefully fold the cool whip into the pudding until combined.
- Spread mixture on top of cooled cake and cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving.
Recipe Notes
Recipe courtesy of "Little Chefs Camp" at the Virginia Discovery Museum.
I hope that you and your family enjoy this Easy Chocolate Italian Love Cake as much as we have. And I hope you enjoy the joy on your children’s faces as you dig out from under the chaos the baking left behind!
Wow this cake is just stunning! I’m in love with the thick layer of frosting and ricotta cheese. This really is a breeze to hip up. Love it!
Thanks, Gayle!! It was definitely delicious (and gone quickly)!
that cheese! wow, i am so in love with this layering! you are one fab baker!
I can’t take much credit for the baking on this one — it’s all Kristin (and her kids)! But thanks! 🙂
OMG!!!!!! I’m seriously drooling over this. And SO EASY. You amaze me! Pinning this and making it for the next get together I have!
Thanks so much, Chrissa! I hope you get to try it!! It’s awesome. 🙂
So, so in love with this cake! So gorgeous, and so delicious!! 🙂 Pinned!
Thanks, Anna!
This looks delicious!! What size Instant chocolate pudding mix does this call for? The small or large box? Thank you!
Hi, Glenda! If you like a thinner layer of frosting, I would use the 8-ounce container of Cool Whip paired with the smaller box of pudding mix. For a nice thick layer (or some frosting leftover!), go with the 16-ounce container of Cool Whip and the larger box of pudding mix. Hope that helps!!I will edit the recipe to reflect those details. Thanks for the note!! Enjoy!
I’m assuming in the instructions, you mean a small pudding and an 8 ounce cool whip? It still says a small pudding and 16 ounces of cool whip. I don’t want to screw anything his up 😜
I’m assuming in the instructions, you mean a small pudding and an 8 ounce cool whip? It still says a small pudding and 16 ounces of cool whip. I don’t want to screw anything this up 😜
Hi, Kathy! I’m not sure that I understand the question, but I will try to answer. 🙂 You want to use a 3.4 ounce box of instant pudding and a 16-ounce container of Cool Whip (the bigger size). Hope that helps!
3.4 oz pudding is the smaller box. It worked out fine with 16 oz if cool whip but I’m sure if you wanted a thinner layer of frosting you could use the 12 oz cool whip
I did that with one cup of milk and it did not come out well, kept having to add more milk, I think the larger pudding should have more milk. Had problems with that part, it was very lumpy with the larger pudding and I had to keep adding milk to finally get it smoother, but still had lumps.
Do you mix the 4 eggs in with the ricotta cheese??
Hi, Trish! YES! 🙂
Would I be able to bake this in a round springform pan?
Hi, Sabrina! Since the recipe uses a 9 x 13-inch pan, you would need a round pan that is equivalent in size. That would have to be a very large round pan (or you could make two separate smaller pans) because most round pans are about 8 or 9-inches in diameter. If you use one smaller round pan, then you will just need to cut the ingredients in half because you will have twice as much batter, filling, etc. as will fit in the pan.
I hope that helps!
What kind of flavor does the ricotta have in this cake? I am familiar with the savory ricotta in lasagna, but thinking that it takes on more of a cheesecake like flavor with that many eggs and sugar mixed in. What is the texture like with that many eggs? Thanks!
Hi, Karen! It’s definitely more like a dense layer of cheesecake filling. 🙂
Am trying this recipe today. I have never had a dessert with Ricotta Cheese in it so im skeptical but willing to try it out since it looks Amazing! 🙂
That’s awesome, Lanette! I hope you love it! Ricotta is often used in desserts like cheesecake or even tiramisu, so you can be sure that it will be amazing. 🙂
Hi! Can I make this the day before an event? Will it still taste fresh after a day of sitting in the fridge?
Hey, Kelly! Absolutely! I actually think it gets better after a day or so of sitting in the fridge! 🙂
Don’t use Devils food cake mix.
I made this mistake thinking it would be fine. Not fine. I’m now scrapping burned chocolate off the bottom of my oven and the layers didn’t switch.
Oh, no, Tif! That’s such a mess! I’m so sorry, and I honestly don’t have any idea why the Devils food mix wouldn’t work just as well?! I’ve never tried it, but I could see myself doing the same thing if that’s what I had on hand. I hope that you were able to get your oven clean. 🙁
This cake was very easy to make. I halved the recipe for two. It was delicious but next time I will put more sugar in the ricotta layer. It wasn’t sweet enough.
I’m glad that it worked for you, Kathleen! You’re right — the ricotta layer isn’t very sweet, so more sugar would be a great addition if you prefer a sweeter filling! 🙂 Thanks for your feedback!
I made this cake over Valentine’s Day. It turned out great. Just wanted to know if I need to warm up the milk into the pudding before adding the cool whip. Mine had little crystals into the cool whip topping. I also baked it in a non-stick metal pan. Baking time was a little less.
Hmmmm…I don’t think that you want to warm the milk, Connie. The Cool Whip would melt and deflate if it got too warm, so I wouldn’t try that. I’m not sure why you would have had the crystals in there. Maybe it just needed to be whisked with the milk even more so that the pudding was completely dissolved before folding into the Cool Whip? That’s my best guess. 🙂 Glad that you enjoyed it!
Hi, can I use regular cream cheese instead of ricotta cheese?
Hi, Fatema! I don’t know, because I have never tested the recipe with that substitution. It will definitely lend a different texture, since cream cheese and ricotta are two different textures themselves. I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful. 🙂
I tried this cake for my son’s birthday and the cheesecake layer was a little moist. Maybe it needed more than the 60 mins. I refrigerated it for close to 8 hours and it never really set. The chocolate part was ok. I am just not blown away by this recipe.
Thanks for the feedback, Christine!
A friend made this cake an it is totally yummy, so I had to make it for my family. After an hour in the oven, the cake has alot of movement in the middle. What are your indications that the cake has baked long enough. Bounch back to touch or clean toothpick in the center? I think that my oven temp is good.
For the cake part, you can do either the clean toothpick test or the bounce back to touch test. If you’re worried about whether the cheese filling in the center has cooked, I would try the toothpick test as well, or just give it a little bit of a shake or touch. If it still seems wiggly and soft, it’s not done yet. You want it to be firm (kind of like a cheesecake). Hope that helps! So glad that you are making it! 🙂
Can you use cottage cheese instead of rigcotta?
Hi, Jane! I don’t think so…although I haven’t actually tried that substitution. Ricotta has a different texture than cottage cheese (much thicker and firmer), so I would worry that the inside of the cake wouldn’t set if you use cottage cheese instead.
Looks interesting!
My birthday is this coming Sunday and I am making this for my birthday cake. It looks amazing!!
Awesome! Enjoy, Patti! And happy birthday! 🙂
On what did I do wrong- the cake was overflowing all over the bottom of he oven and was practically raw after an hour 🙁 it’s still baking…
Oh no! I have no idea what went wrong, Dania?! 🙁
I live very close to Colorado Springs and we have a high elevation. Would you recommend any difference in the amount of ingredients or baking
time?
Hi, Melanie! I live in Virginia and I have never done any high elevation baking. I’m actually not much of a baker at all (this recipe came from my friend Kristin)! 🙂 That said, I just googled your question and found this answer: “At high altitudes:
Air pressure is lower, so foods take longer to bake. Temperatures and/or bake times may need to be increased.
Liquids evaporate faster, so amounts of flour, sugar and liquids may need to be changed to prevent batter that is too moist, dry or gummy.
Gases expand more, so doughs rise faster. Leavening agents (baking soda and baking powder) may need to be decreased. Doughs may need shorter rising times and may need to be “punched down” (deflated) twice during the rising process.
There is more detailed information and a substitution chart at the Betty Crocker website here: https://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/tipslibrary/baking-tips/baking-cooking-high-altitudes
Hope that helps!
I decided to make this for my husbands bday and he loved it, however the frosting was too runny, like syrup. What did I do wrong? I ended up putting the cake in the freezer overnight which firmed up the cool whip but as soon as it started to thaw is was runny again. I used one cup of milk…
Hi, Lara! Did you put the frosting on the cake while the cake was still warm? Cool Whip is very sensitive to heat, so it always needs to stay cold — either in the refrigerator or freezer. When it’s at room temp, it gets runny. I would guess that the cake was either warm and melted the frosting, or that the cake just sat out on the counter too long. Sorry for that trouble! 🙁
I discussed it with my mother and we came to the conclusion that the pudding mix was probably not instant…my bad!! Thanks for the recipe…two days later and my husband is still raving about the cake?
Oh, got it! That makes sense! Glad that you figured it out, and thanks for following up to let me (and the other readers) know! 🙂
I made the cake and it was a big hit but one thing I noticed was my cheese layer wasn’t as thick. Can you tell me why?
Hmmm…I honestly have no idea, Linda. I’m not sure what you may have done in your kitchen that would have been different. And this is actually not my recipe, since it’s a guest post from my friend Kristin. Wish I could help, but in this particular case I’m no expert. 🙂 Glad that you enjoyed it, though!
One question, are the 4 eggs listed including the eggs used in cake mix or is it 4 eggs mixed with the ricotta cheese?
Hey, Candace! Good question! The 4 eggs are to be mixed with the ricotta. If your cake mix calls for additional eggs on the box, then use whatever the package instructs (in addition to the 4 that get mixed with the cheese). 🙂
Someone earlier said that they tried Devil’s Food and it didn’t work. Well, it worked great for me! This cake was easy and perfect and looked EXACTLY like the photo (down to the adorable sprinkles!). It’s a perfect combination o dense and rich and light and fluffy. The best o all worlds! All of my party guests were amazed. They kept asking, “Did you make this!?” as i I were some master chef for ever being able to make such an intricate dessert. I guess this will be my little secret.
Thanks for sharing this recipe. This is the kind of thing that usually remains a secret.
Hi, Ashley! I’m so glad that it worked well for you and that you enjoyed the cake. We love it too!
I like the presentation of the three layers, Blair. I particularly like creamy cakes, which yours are.
Could I half the ricotta cheese portion of the recipe? That’s a lot of cheese and eggs ! I am sure I would have to adjust the baking time, and the layer would be thinner, but I am ok with that? Your thoughts?
Hi, Teresa! Yes, I think that will probably work! Please let me know if you give it a try. 🙂
Do I make the pudding and let set in fridge then add the whip cream
Hi, Kristen! You’ll want to be sure to use instant pudding mix. You won’t need to let it set up in the refrigerator first. Just whisk with the milk, and then fold in the whipped topping. 🙂
Hi my cake layers didn’t really switch like yours. I used a box cake mix that has pudding in the mix so the batter is pretty thick. Should I have used a different type of mix? What do you think.
Thank you for your time and attention,
Betsy
Hi, Betsy! I honestly don’t know why the layers didn’t switch. The pudding mix may have been the issue, but I’ve never tried it that way so I’m not 100% sure. Sorry that I’m not more helpful! This is actually my friend Kristin’s guest post, so it wasn’t a recipe that I created on my own. 🙂
We enjoyed this so much! So simple and refreshing. The key is to let it cool completely then frost. I let it sit for a good six hours and it was perfect.
Hi, Kim! That’s great! I’m so glad to hear that it was a success!
I have baked the cake at 350 for 1hour and 10 minutes and it is still runny in the middles but the edges are getting too hard? What went wrong?
Hi, Kathy! I honestly have no idea. I’m sorry that I’m not more helpful, but that’s not something that I’ve experienced.
Blair dear,
Such a lovely cake!
I love this cake!
Thank you! 🙂
I adore this cake. It’s been when served the day after it’s made. It retains its delicious flavor for several days afterwards. Let the cake cool completely before “frosting” with the pudding, or else your pudding will melt. Two changes that I’ve made that I think kick it up a notch – instead of chocolate instant pudding I use prepared Oreo pudding… and … sprinkle the top with mini-chocolate chips. So glad to have this recipe. It’s a “go to” for company!
Yes! I totally agree, Kimberly! It’s a great option to make in advance because it keeps so well. Glad you love it!
Love this cake. Made it for company. It was easy. I remember this cake from my grandmother.
That’s wonderful, MariAnn! I’m so glad that you enjoy the cake. Grandma always knows best! 🙂
Love this cake. I remember my grandmother making this cake.
Can I freeze this cake ?
Hi, Ruth! I’m not sure. I’ve never tried it, but I would worry that the texture of the frosting after thawing would be weird. It does keep really well in the refrigerator, though!
Do you have to drain the cheese?
Hi, Cheri! No, you don’t. 🙂
What an awesome cake. I’ve made this three times now and all turned excellent. The pudding mix i used 1-3/4 cup milk setup just right for the cool. Whip. I took the liberty to substituting Mascarpone in place of ricotta cheese. Awesome. Also can replace pudding with mixture of Cook Whip Chocolate Frosting with 8 oz of Cook Whip. So moist. Had for Christmas dessert plus two pot-luck groups. It all disappeared 9×13 dish. Different topping Heath Toffee Bites o”Brickle nice.
Thanks so much
Hi, Charles! Thanks so much for your note! I’m so glad that you have enjoyed the cake!
My cheese and everything went stait to bottom b4 I put in oven??
Hi, Terry! I honestly have no idea what might have caused that. Was it still on the bottom after baking, or did the cake batter underneath rise?
Can you substitute cream cheese in place of the ricotta?
Hi, Angi! I’ve never done that, so I’m not sure how it would turn out. I would be concerned that the texture would be different with the cream cheese (and that it might get runny in the oven), but again — I haven’t tested it that way to know for sure. 🙂
Somehow I picked up brownie mix and not choc cake and didn’t notice until it was mixed. It’s in the oven now, cheese still on top and over an hour. Fingers are crossed. Think it’ll work?
Hi, Carina! I have no idea! Maybe you’ll discover a new brownie recipe? 🙂
This was the perfect dessert for our Italian-themed Ladies Spring Banquet coming up. But, after seeing (just a few) negative comments about the cake not turning out, I wantd to do a “dry run” first! I used what I had on hand so made my cake with a strawberry cake mix. (Also, wanted to experiment if another flavor would work since some of our ladies are allergic to chocolate. –Results: PERFECT!!! The cake floated to the top, the cheese sunk to the bottom! (Reminded me of those old, old, Bisquick impossible pie recipes!). “Grazia” for posting this recipe!
Awesome, Gail! I’m so glad that it worked for you! Great idea to test it out (and to try new flavor combos) first! 🙂 Have fun with the ladies’ spring banquet!
I’m considering trying this with mascarpone cheese. An hour seems like a long time for baking? I want to layer this using 8” rounds. Guess I’ll just have to keep an eye on it.
Hi, Kelly! I’ve never made it in the rounds or with the mascarpone cheese, so I don’t know exactly how long you’ll need to bake it. Let me know if that works! 🙂
Hello, I know the recipe calls for 2 LBs of ricotta, but one container is a pound but it is also 30oz which is pretty darn close to 2 LBs. So, do I use 2 containers or just one?
Hi, Melissa!
One container can’t be both 30 ounces and 1 lb.
Ricotta is sold in a variety of different size containers, so the number of containers that you need will depend on the size of the specific container that you have.
One pound is equal to 16 ounces. So if you have a 15 ounce container, you will need TWO total containers (for a total of 30 ounces…which is really close to 2 lbs. and I’d just go with that).
If you have one giant container that is 30 ounces, then you will just need that one container.
Does that make sense? Let me know if you have any other questions! 🙂
Has anyone tried making this on a cookie sheet…like a sheet cake?
Hi, Laura! I have not personally tried it that way, and I’m not sure if any of the readers have. Sorry I’m not more helpful!
My layers didn’t turn out so “layered” there was chocolate cake on the bottom and on the top with the ricotta in middle ?