Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake

Soft, tender, and intensely moist, this Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake is the type of simple Italian cake you’ll make again and again. The ricotta gives it richness without making it heavy, and the chocolate chips melt into little pockets of sweetness throughout the cake.

It’s simple, straightforward, and exactly the kind of cake that works for breakfast, brunch, or dessert with coffee.

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Why You’ll Love This

This is not your average fluffy light cake. The texture is extremely moist and tender due to the whole milk ricotta. It is a mix between sponge cake and cheesecake texture, yet not heavy, and holds its structure fabulously!

• Ultra-moist crumb without being too dense.
• No fancy techniques – easy, straightforward mixing method.
• From scratch, no box cake mixes.
• Perfect make-ahead cake – it’s even better the next day
• Versatile – it works as a breakfast cake, brunch cake, or dessert.

Some of the other dessert recipes we like to make are Chocolate Kahlua Cake, Limoncello Tiramisu, Italian Rainbow Cookies Recipe, Italian Love Cake, and Italian Fig Cookies (Cucidati).

Ingredients Needed

• Whole Milk Ricotta – Ricotta adds moisture, tenderness, and structure without making the cake heavy. It creates that soft, almost custardy crumb that stays fresh for days. If your ricotta looks watery, let it drain in a fine-mesh sieve for about 30 minutes before using. Excess moisture can affect the texture.
• Unsalted butter – Adds richness and flavor while helping the cake develop a tender, golden crumb.
• Granulated sugar – Sweetens the cake and helps create a tender texture.
• Eggs – Room temperature. Bind everything together and add structure.
• All-purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt – The base of the cake. Baking powder helps the cake rise and stay light despite the moisture from the ricotta.
• Vanilla extract – Enhances the overall flavor and rounds out the sweetness.
• Mini chocolate chips – Create small pockets of chocolate in every bite. Mini chips work best for even distribution, but regular chips can be used.

Please see the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake

Step 1 – Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt.

Step 2 – In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together for 60-90 seconds. Add the eggs one at a time and beat on low speed just until incorporated. Mix in the ricotta and vanilla on low speed until smooth and blended.

Step 3 – Add the dry ingredients and mix on low just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips by hand.

Step 4 – Pour into the prepared pan and spread out evenly. Bake for 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, and release the ring of the springform pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Garnish with a dusting of powdered sugar if desired.

Texture & Cracking

Italian ricotta cake batter is thick and moist. When that trapped air expands in the oven, it rises aggressively in the center. The outer structure sets first, the center keeps expanding, and the top splits. A few cracks are normal and don’t affect flavor or texture.

I have tried reducing the baking powder to 1 teaspoon, but you just don’t get as tall, beautiful a cake. I have reduced the oven temperature to 325ºF and it took way too long for the middle of the cake to bake. So here are a few things to be aware of to help minimize the top cracking.

To minimize cracking:

• Don’t cream the butter and sugar too long. Stop when it looks combined and slightly lighter, NOT fluffy and pale.
• Don’t beat on high; use a low speed
• Don’t overbeat, especially after adding the dry ingredients. Overmixing can cause toughness as well as cracking.
• Avoid overbaking. Overbaking dries the cake and can exaggerate surface splits.
• Make sure your oven temperature is accurate
• Use room-temperature ingredients

Tips for the Best Italian Ricotta Cake

• Use whole milk ricotta for richness and structure. I highly recommend the Galbani brand.
• If your ricotta looks watery, let it drain in a fine-mesh sieve for 30 minutes.
• Pan size –  Use a 9-inch springform pan or line a 9-inch square cake pan with parchment paper that hangs over the sides as handles to remove the cake when it’s baked. DO NOT USE A 9-INCH ROUND CAKE PAN. A round cake pan does not hold the same capacity. Its sides are shorter, and it only holds 8 cups, while the springform holds 10 cups.
• Tent lightly with aluminum foil at about 35-40 minutes of baking time to prevent over-browning.
• Bake until just set. Overbaking dries the cake and can exaggerate surface splits.
• Store at room temperature covered tightly for up to 2 days. Or refrigerate for up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
• Freeze the completely cooled cake wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, freezer bag, or freezer paper for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and then bring to room temperature before serving.

Variations

• Add 1 tablespoon orange zest for brightness
• Use chopped dark chocolate instead of chips
• Stir in ½ teaspoon almond extract
• Drizzle with a simple vanilla glaze instead of powdered sugar. To make a vanilla glaze, mix 1 cup of powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1-2 tablespoons of milk until the desired consistency.

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