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!
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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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This recipe is good! I’ve made the cake at least 4 times and it is a big hit every time. For more of an Italian flavor, I added a teaspoon of almond extract and orange zest to the batter. Also, I sprinkle powdered sugar and crushed (lightly salted) pistachio nuts over the top of the cake as well. So good!
Hi Jenn,
I am about to make your delicious chocolate chip ricotta cake for the 4th time….each time the center has collapsed – even though I followed (the last attempt) your updated version of adding a few more tablespoons of flour. Question: you have the oven at 350 for 50 -55 minutes. I wondered if you think I should put the oven up to 375 and bake it for 45 minutes. Would this help the cake from collapsing a bit in the center……it is always so delicious but I was hoping it would ‘look’ a little better. Many thanks for all your fabulous recipes.
Hi Debbie, I’m glad you like the cake but sorry that you’ve had a problem with it collapsing in the center even with the additional flour. If it’s collapsing with the added flour, I suspect it’s underbaked. Instead of increasing the temperature, I would keep it at 350°F and just bake it for a few minutes longer. If the top starts getting too browned, gently lay a piece of foil on top of the pan for the last few minutes of baking. Hope that helps!
I cook almost exclusively from this site, as I am never disappointed with the result. I have made nearly every “treat” posted, and all have been a huge hit (the chocolate cream pie is now the birthday dessert). A few days ago I made this ricotta cake. My daughter was the first to try it out of the oven. I thought she would never stop raving. My son agreed and told me it was the best cake he’s ever eaten. I have Celiac disease, so wasn’t able to sample it. I see other reviewers have used GF flour, so will try that sometime. This is a very easy recipe to put together. I did use regular size chocolate chips and just chopped them a bit. Another hit!
Jen, should I spoon and level the flour on this recipe if you don’t specify to do so?
Excited to try this recipe!
Yes, definitely. And thanks for pointing that out — just an oversight on my part, so I’m going to add that to the recipe now. Hope you enjoy the cake!
This cake is delicious. I was concerned about the cake sinking in the middle, especially at high altitude, 5000 feet. I followed the recipe with the exception of making minor amount adjustments of flour, sugar and baking soda for higher elevation. The cake turned out perfect. Not only did it look pretty, it was delicious. Will make it again for sure.
The first time I made this I used a 9×5 loaf pan. The cake tasted great with a cream cheese frosting but was very dense. Now I use a 9” spring form pan and the result is much better. I’m tweaking the recipe trying to duplicate a piece of ricotta cake someone brought me from the North End in Boston; it just a bit too dense.
I made this last night and it was delicious! It reminded me of a warm rich chocolate chip cookie! I covered the top as it was getting too brown but I think I left it in too long the bottom was quite brown. It’s delicious even a little over done.
Thanks Jenn!
Incredible cake. First time I made it turned out great and all raved that it was delicious. Another asked me for the recipe.
Great recipe. Was very very close to a piece of cake from a Boston bakery in the North End. The one downside was that my cake was very dense. I typically bake bread and cookies, not cake. And this is the first time I used a stand mixer (borrowed my daughter’s Kitchen-Aid). I suspect I either over-mixed the batter, or was too vigorous folding in the chocolate chips. All ingredients were at room temperature. The quantities listed filled a single 9” x 5” x 3” loaf pan and I topped the cake with a cream cheese frosting. I also serve slices directly from the freezer; sooo good!
Jenn, wondering if it’s safe to bake it in a 9×13 metal pan like I read someone else did? Is that size pan a good substitute? If so, would I still need the parchment paper?
Thanks from a fan,
Jana
Hi Jana, the 9 x 13“ pan is not a perfect substitute size-wise for the springform. That said, I think you could get away with it. Bear in mind that the bake time will be a bit different so keep an eye on it. You won’t need the parchment paper – instead, I’d suggest cutting the cake into squares and serving it directly from the pan (but I would treat the pan with baking spray). Please LMK how it turns out!