Easy Italian Ricotta Cake with Chocolate Chips

This easy Italian Ricotta Cake with Chocolate Chips is a simple recipe that turns out a delicious cake with a fluffy texture and just the right amount of chocolate chips.

A simple cake recipe is nice to have on hand for this time of year when you might need something to serve to house guests, take to a potluck, or add to your holiday menu.

Plus, it’s the perfect Italian dessert to finish off a family dinner.

How to Make Italian Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake

This easy cake recipe is simple enough for even a first-time, novice baker to make. It produces a slightly dense cake with a moist crumb that is so much better than a cake mix, yet practically just as easy!

Getting Started

While your oven is preheating to 350 degrees, you can prepare your baking pan. This cake works best in a 9″ springform pan.

Use about a tablespoon of softened butter to thoroughly grease the sides and bottom of the pan. Then sprinkle in one tablespoon of confectioners’ sugar and shake it gently around until it sticks to the butter and covers all surfaces of the pan.

(I couldn’t find my springform pan, so I used a 9″ round pan instead. Because I greased and sugared the pan so well, it turned out of the pan easily. Whew.

Prepare the Cake Batter

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set these dry ingredients aside for now.

Using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer on medium speed, cream together the room-temperature butter, granulated sugar, and ricotta cheese.

–>Tip: I prefer full-fat ricotta cheese in this recipe because I think it provides the best texture, but you could also use part-skim ricotta if you prefer.

Be sure to cream this mixture for a full five minutes. This will incorporate air into the batter to create a fluffy ricotta cake with a moist texture.

Add the eggs one at a time, as well as the vanilla extract (I prefer Watkins Baking Vanilla), and continue mixing for another minute until combined.

Finally, add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. Then fold in the mini chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan, using a rubber spatula to smooth it into an even layer.

Bake Cake

Place the cake on the middle oven rack and bake for about 45-55 minutes at 350 degrees.

When done, the cake should be a light golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.

Cool

Let the cake cool for approximately 10-15 minutes, before releasing the sides of the pan and moving the cake to a wire rack.

Topping

While the cake is still slightly warm, sprinkle the top with the remaining two tablespoons of mini chocolate chips. This will cause the chips to melt just enough to adhere to the top.

Sift a tablespoon of powdered sugar over the fully-cooled cake just before serving for the best results.

–> Tip: For easier clean-up, place a sheet of parchment paper under the wire cooking rack before dusting the cake with powdered sugar.

Easy Italian Ricotta Cake with Chocolate Chips

Niky @ The House on Silverado

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 50 mins

Total Time 1 hr

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Servings 12 servings

Calories 331 kcal

Equipment

• 1 9" round spring form pan

Ingredients

  

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For the cake:

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter softened
• 1¼ cups granulated sugar
• 1 15-oz container whole milk ricotta cheese
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup mini chocolate chips

For the topping:

• 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

To grease the pan:

• 1 tablespoon butter softened
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar sifted

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease a 9-inch springform pan with 1 tablespoon of softened butter. Sprinkle in one tablespoon of powdered sugar and move it around the pan until the bottom and sides are well-coated. Set aside.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together one stick of softened butter, sugar, and the ricotta cheese until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.

  Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and cream together for about a minute. Add the flour mixture and incorporate. Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
• Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Bake on the middle oven rack for approximately 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

  Let cool in pan for 15 minutes before releasing springform and cooling completely on wire baking rack.
• To top the cake, place one tablespoon of powdered sugar in a fine mesh strainer and sift over the entire top of the cake.

  Finish with a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips (about two tablespoons).

Notes

This cake can be stored in an airtight container on the countertop for up to three days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

It also freezes well if wrapped tightly in foil or plastic wrap and then placed in a plastic zipper bag or airtight container.

• Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be viewed as an estimate. Ingredients can vary and The House on Silverado makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 331kcalCarbohydrates: 43.1gProtein: 7.9gFat: 14.6gSaturated Fat: 9.1gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 216mgPotassium: 159mgFiber: 0.9gSugar: 26.5gCalcium: 144mgIron: 1mg

Keyword cake, chocolate chip, ricotta

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Ricotta Cake Recipes

Variations of this traditional Italian cake:

• To make an Almond Ricotta Cake, omit the chocolate chips. Replace half of the all-purpose flour with almond flour, and substitute almond extract for the vanilla extract. Sprinkle sliced almonds and confectioners’ sugar over the top of the cake.
• To make an Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake, omit the chocolate chips and vanilla extract and instead add a teaspoon of fresh lemon zest, plus two teaspoons of fresh lemon juice. Garnish with slices of fresh lemons.
• Make a Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Cake by also adding fresh berries to the rest of the ingredients in the lemon cake instructions.

Happy Baking,

PS. If you are looking for another great recipe using ricotta cheese, check out this Whipped Ricotta Crostini with Honey and Walnuts. They are one of my favorite easy appetizers!

Easy Whipped Ricotta Cheese Crostini with Honey and Walnuts

Easy Whipped Ricotta Cheese Crostini with Honey and Walnuts is the perfect appetizer. It's easy enough to serve on game day, or on family game nights, but fancy enough to serve for special occasions or cocktail parties.

Keep a tub of store-bought ricotta in your refrigerator and you'll be ready to make this whipped ricotta recipe at a moment's notice.

Check out this recipe

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