Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake
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Adapted from Melissa Weller, this chocolate chip ricotta cake has a rich flavor and an impossibly moist texture.
Adapted from A Good Bake by Melissa Weller and Carolynn Carreno, this chocolate chip ricotta cake is easily one of the best cakes I have ever made — and I have baked a lot of cakes in my day. Weller, a master baker and French Culinary Institute graduate, developed the cake for Sadelle’s, a brunch mecca in Soho, New York City. The addition of ricotta cheese gives the cake a rich flavor and an impossibly moist texture. The cake is also jam-packed with mini chocolate chips, making it a crowdpleaser for all ages.
What You’ll Need To Make Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Whisk well and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, combine the the butter and sugar.
Cream on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides as necessary.
Add the eggs one at a time, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl between each addition.
Beat in the vanilla (don’t worry if the batter looks curdled).
Add the ricotta cheese.
Mix on medium-low speed until incorporated.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the dry ingredients in one addition.
Mix on low speed until just combined.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and add the chocolate chips.
Using a rubber spatula, fold the chocolate chips into the batter until they are evenly dispersed, making sure to scrape the very bottom of the bowl. (You’ll notice that the ricotta cheese gives the batter a slightly grainy texture.)
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and use an offset spatula to smooth and level out the top.
Bake the cake for 55 to 65 minutes, until completely set and golden brown on top. Place the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes.
Run a thin knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake, if necessary, then remove the ring of the springform pan.
Let the cake cool completely on the rack before cutting. Enjoy!
You May Also Like
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Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake
Adapted from Melissa Weller, this chocolate chip ricotta cake has a rich flavor and an impossibly moist texture.
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour (preferably King Arthur), spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- 1½ cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1⅔ cups whole milk ricotta cheese, preferably Galbani brand
- 1¼ cups mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray a 9- or 10-inch springform pan (see note) with nonstick cooking spray with flour, such as Baker's Joy or Pam with Flour. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and spray again.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add the eggs one at a time, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl between each addition. Beat in the vanilla (don't worry if the batter looks curdled). Add the ricotta cheese and mix on medium-low speed until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the dry ingredients in one addition. Mix on low speed until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a rubber spatula, fold the chocolate chips into the batter until they are evenly dispersed, making sure to scrape the very bottom of the bowl. (You'll notice that the ricotta cheese gives the batter a slightly grainy texture.)
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and use an offset spatula to smooth and level out the top. Bake the cake for 55 to 65 minutes, until completely set and golden brown on top. (If the top starts to get too dark towards the end, cover the pan loosely with foil.) Place the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake, if necessary, then remove the ring of the springform pan. Let the cake cool completely on the rack before cutting.
- Note: If you don't have a springform pan, a 9-inch square pan works well (a 9-inch round pan, however, is too small). If you'd like to be able to remove the cake from the square pan, you can line the pan with a parchment sling.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be made 1 day ahead of time and stored in a cake dome at room temperature. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months; after the cake is completely cooled, wrap it tightly with aluminum foil or freezer wrap. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Calories: 460
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated fat: 14 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Sugar: 40 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Cholesterol: 98 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Comments
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This looks divine! Unfortunately, I have one child who doesn’t like chocolate. Do you think blueberries would work with this taste and texture? We love your recipes!
Hi Devon, Unfortunately, I don’t think blueberries will work here. I’m sorry!
What would you think of adding a few raspberries? If so, what would the ratio be? I have made a raspberry ricotta cake before and combining the two sounds delicious.
Hi Paula, I don’t think raspberries would work; the cake is already so moist, I worry the berries would add too much moisture. You could serve them on the side though. 🙂
Would love to try this! Do you think would work as a Bundt cake? If so, adjust baking time?
I worry it would stick, Annalisa – sorry!
I wonder if I could bake this in 2 6″ pans so that I could give one to a friend? I love this book and love that you made the recipe simpler (chopping chocolate chips? pureeing ricotta? no thanks!). THANK YOU!
Hi Sally, I do think it would work well, although the cook time will likely be a bit less. I actually tried the cake with the puréed the ricotta and didn’t notice a difference (but I wondered if it might depend on the brand of ricotta?). Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
What do think about substituting blueberries?
Hi Susan, I think the blueberries will add too much moisture to the cake – sorry!
Hi,
This sounds absolutely delicious, and I can’t wait to try it. Maybe perfect for Easter!
Just a little question… will you be posting the recipe with metric amounts for those of us in Europe?
Thanks,
Maureen (Ireland)
Hi Maureen, I just added them (sorry – I completely forgot!). Hope you enjoy it!
Do you have the metric measurements for this recipe, please?
Just added them 🙂
Hi Jenn, thanks for the metric conversion. I have made this cake twice now – firstly with the original recipe’s flour measurement and then with the increased flour. It was delicious both times, though I preferred it the first time as it was more moist. Could you remind me how much flour you originally specified in your recipe, please? Thanks.
So glad you enjoyed! The original measurement was 1-2/3 cups – it’s a difference of just two tablespoons.
Hi. Looks so good! Do you think I can substitute lactose free plain or Greek yogurt for the ricotta? As I have a low tolerance for dairy I wanted to make sure. By the way I have made of your recipes and they are all delicious! Thx
Unfortunately, I don’t think that would work here — sorry!
Good morning. Sounds good. Is there a possibility of making this into cupcakes?
Sure — cupcakes will work here. I’d start checking them for doneness at 20 to 25 minutes. Please LMK how they turn out if you make them as cupcakes!
Can you do this cake in a regular cake pan?
Hi J, I think a 9-inch round pan would be too small, but a 9-inch square pan should work. If you want to be able to remove the cake from the pan to serve it you could line it with parchment like in this recipe. How that helps and that you enjoy!
Jenn, you’re correct, a 9-inch round pan is too small! I made that mistake and it spilled over, a lot, but I just placed a sheet pan under it and kept baking, adding an extra 10 minutes. What it did create, however, was even more yummy edges – albeit, it wasn’t very pretty. I also substituted the same amount of sour cream for the ricotta because that’s all I had, and added an extra 1/2 tsp of baking soda, and went with it. It turned out delicious!! And although my husband initially wanted it to include icing, he agreed (after the second piece) that it just wasn’t necessary and was perfect the way it was! I do want to try using the ricotta though but will definitely adjust the pan size next time! This one’s another keeper, as are all your recipes! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it despite it spilling over!
Could I do this is a Bundt pan?
I don’t recommend it, Gillian, as I think it may stick. The original recipe is baked in a pullman loaf pan, so you might try that.
Just made this cake and I cannot believe how moist and delicious it is! This goes in my top five desserts my lifetime! Jen I love your recipes, I cook them with confidence each and every time because they have never failed!!!!