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    Home » Recipes » Cake Recipes

    Ricotta Chocolate Chip Cake (Torta di Ricotta e Cioccolata)

    Published: Jun 1, 2021 · Modified: Jun 23, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley

    1.4K shares
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    4.58 from 26 votes
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    pinterest images for ricotta chocolate chip cake

    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.

    slice of ricotta chocolate chip cake on a stack of white plates

    If you’re looking for that extra special dessert, a one of 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 cake which she called a “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.

    overhead shot of sliced ricotta chocolate chip cake

    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?

    ingredients to make ricotta chocolate chip cake

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my Ricotta Chocolate Chip Cake. 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 the up 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?

    four images showing the process of making the cake batter
    • 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. 

    four images showing how to make the ricotta filling
    • Mix the ricotta, mascarpone, egg and sugar using a fork.
    • Add the chocolate chips and stir to blend
    four images showing he assembly of the cake in the springform pan
    • 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.

    two images showing finished cake process

    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)

    whole cake on a tray next to spatula

    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!

    pinterest images for ricotta chocolate chip cake

    Kitchen tools I use for my cakes

    • 9 -inch Springform Pan
    • offset spatula (essential for bakers)
    • 9-inch parchment cake circles
    • silicone spatulas
    • wire whisk
    • mixing bowls

    More Italian Desserts You’ll Love!

    • Tiramisu
    • Torta di Ricotta
    • Caramel Apple Torte
    • Italian Cannoli Pound Cake

    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

    Please SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST!

    overhead shot of sliced ricotta chocolate chip cake
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    4.58 from 26 votes

    Ricotta Chocolate Chip Cake

    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.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time50 mins
    Total Time1 hr 5 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Italian
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 554kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    Ingredients

    Cake aka crust

    • 2⅓ cups all purpose flour
    • ½ cup sugar
    • 8 oz very cold butter sliced thinly
    • 1½ tsp baking powder
    • 1 egg
    • 1 tbsp milk
    • 1 tbsp 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
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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°
    • Torta is best served at room temperature.

    Notes

    *Original recipe called for grappa, feel free to use your favorite liqueur.
    * 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.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 554kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 209mg | Potassium: 228mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 1040IU | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 1.8mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

    More Restaurant-Style Cakes

    • Blueberry Coffee Cake
    • Double Chocolate Banana Bread
    • Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
    • Best Chocolate Cake Recipe

    About Chef Dennis

    Picture of Chef Dennis

    Chef Dennis is a semi-retired Chef, writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis aka Ask Chef Dennis®. Chef Dennis worked professionally in White Table Cloth Restaurants for 40 years and has been developing easy to make, restaurant-style recipes since 2009. The second phase of his reinvention from chef to blogger has earned him a place at the Worlds Dinner Table. Join him on his Culinary Journey enjoying his easy to make Restaurant Style recipes and travel adventures. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Craig

      September 18, 2022 at 7:23 am

      General question on this and other recipes, when you use butter, do you use salted or unsalted? should we assume salted unless stated otherwise?
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        September 18, 2022 at 7:47 am

        I always use unsalted for cooking.

        Reply
    2. Faith

      May 01, 2022 at 9:11 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Dennis! I made this cake today; it turned out wonderful and everyone loved it! Thank you for your great recipes!!!

      Reply
    3. Neva

      January 03, 2022 at 8:41 am

      Can I use a 9 inch square baking dish instead of springform pan?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        January 03, 2022 at 9:39 am

        It’s going to be too much batter for a 9-inch square pan. If you reduce the recipe by 1/3 you should be okay

        Reply
    4. Stefanie

      August 21, 2021 at 8:31 pm

      How long will this last? Should I store it on the counter or in the fridge? Thank you!!!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        August 21, 2021 at 8:38 pm

        It will last easily 3-5 days covered. You can keep it in the fridge, but let it warm up before eating. It’s okay to stay at room temperature as long as its not too hot where you are.

        Reply
    5. Carol

      June 05, 2021 at 6:50 pm

      Hi Chef Dennis,
      When using metric the amount of flour states 83.33g, which did not seem enough to me so I when I looked it up the conversion is 291.67g, seems I must be the only one using metric, I much prefer to weigh as it is more accurate.
      The cake looks delicious and will be making next weekend to take to my granddaughters birthday.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        June 05, 2021 at 10:11 pm

        sorry about that glitch Carol, it wasn’t converting because their was a space between the 2 and the 1/2. thanks for letting me know.

        Reply
        • Michael Kaminsky

          June 22, 2021 at 3:20 pm

          I tried this recipe and did everything correctly but my center came out like pudding . after putting back in the oven in increments of 15 minutes each. after another 30 minutes it was done . my temp was good , I used the correct size pan I don’t know what I did wrong . I can say that the batter was very loose when I poured it on the crust.

        • Chef Dennis Littley

          June 22, 2021 at 3:30 pm

          If the batter was very loose, something was wrong with the process. Check out the images for how the batter and crust should look. I’m not sure where you went wrong, but I would recheck the amounts you used and the ingredients in the recipe. A friend just made this and commented on how well it turned out.

    6. Malia Qury

      June 01, 2021 at 11:25 am

      5 stars
      Very yummy cake!! I made this formy husband birthday. This made be very yummy and attractive.

      Reply
    7. Wendy Wagenheim

      March 07, 2021 at 2:28 pm

      5 stars
      I made this for company last night and it was a hit. HOWEVER, my springform pan was obviously not sealed well and the butter leaked to the bottom of the oven. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice until I was preheating it for the dinner I was making and my kitchen filled with smoke. I would highly suggest that anyone making this either place a baking sheet on the rack below or line the bottom of the oven with foil to catch any drippings. I will be making this again and will definitely remember to do this!

      Reply
    8. Laura Hall-Schordje

      September 20, 2020 at 9:36 pm

      I think this recipe sounds amazing. One question, though: I don’t drink so I don’t keep any liqueurs around the house. Could I substitute a different kind of flavoring? I was thinking perhaps 1 t orange extract and 2 t water for the T of liqueur. A friend once made me cannoli with some orange with the chocolate in the filling and it was marvelous.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        September 21, 2020 at 9:07 am

        hi Laura
        yes you can replace the liqueur with extract, no problem.

        Reply
    9. Jo

      April 16, 2020 at 3:46 pm

      What can I substitute for mascarpone?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        April 16, 2020 at 4:17 pm

        you can use full-fat Greek Yogurt, cream cheese or all ricotta cheese. Mascarpone has a higher fat content, using the other cheese won’t affect the flavor much just the richness from the fat of the mascarpone.

        Reply
    10. Alessandra

      April 01, 2020 at 3:57 am

      The cake looks amazing! What do you mean by crumbling the remainder of the crust over the filling?

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        April 01, 2020 at 10:19 am

        use half of the mixture for the bottom crust then crumble the rest of the mixture on the top of the cake to form the top crust.

        Reply
    11. Christine

      December 14, 2019 at 12:31 pm

      I just finished makeing the torta, and looked at the picture and saw pine nuts on top. No where in your recipe did you mention putting pine nuts on top. Was this a mistake in the printing of the recipe? Or, did your staff add that picture and not realize there were nuts on top? And, no where in your ratings did anyone mention the pine nuts missing.

      I’m bringing the cake tonight for a party; here’s hoping it tastes good. Thank goodness for powdered sugar.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        December 14, 2019 at 1:10 pm

        sorry about that Christine. It was an error on my part. Those are pistachios on top and are optional.

        Reply
        • Christine Papp

          December 18, 2019 at 4:21 pm

          5 stars
          Hi Chef Dennis,

          I brought it to the Holiday Party and got several requests for the recipe. I will not make it again for another party with the pistachios. The cake was delicious. Thanks for your reply.

          Christine

        • Chef Dennis Littley

          December 18, 2019 at 4:23 pm

          I’m happy to hear it everyone enjoyed the cake Christine. I also have a version made with apples you might like https://www.askchefdennis.com/caramel-apple-torte-with-a-dark-caramel-sauce/

    12. Enrique

      December 10, 2019 at 9:47 am

      Chef: can I use Sambucca? Or Amaretto? Thanksmfor,your attention.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        December 10, 2019 at 11:02 am

        you certainly can Enrique, thanks for asking!

        Reply
    13. Michele

      November 27, 2019 at 9:57 am

      Hi Chef, we just made pretty much this identical recipe at a cooking class last month. I planned on making it today the day before thanksgiving and am wondering if it should be refrigerated overnight and then served at room temp or if I should let it cool and cover and keep at room temp entire time? The cheese is what makes me want to chill it but it tasted better at room temp! Happy Thanksgiving!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        November 27, 2019 at 9:59 am

        It can be refrigerated as long as you give it enough time to warm up. You could even pop it back into the oven for a few minutes to warm it up and serve it warm.

        Reply
    14. Natalie

      November 18, 2019 at 8:27 am

      5 stars
      What a lovely cake to serve on afternoons with tea or coffee. It looks delicious. So moist and full of flavor. I will definitely make this recipe soon.

      Reply
    15. Sam | Ahead of Thyme

      November 17, 2019 at 11:39 pm

      YUM this cake looks delicious! I love how moist and dense it looks… wow!! I am pretty excited to try this, and just in time for the holidays 🙂

      Reply
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