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 is delicious Jenn and was done at the 45 minute mark.Should it be stored in my cake dome refrigerated or on the counter?THX
So glad it turned out well! I store it on the counter.
Hi Jenn,
I’m trying to reduce the amount of sugar in my diet but this cake sounds great. How do you think this cake would taste with 1/2 the amount of sugar, 3/4 cup sugar?
Hi Naomi, You can reduce the sugar, but I wouldn’t cut it back by more than 1/4 to 1/2 cup at the most. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Hi Jenn, I used 1 cup of sugar and it tasted perfect to me. Chocolatey and moist. Delicious. Definitely recommend this easy simple recipe. Thank you.
Simply wonderful — my family loved this cake!
I don’t know what I did wrong, but the cake fell in the middle. A lot. The only thing different is I used regular size chips, not mini, because it’s what I had. The cake browned up beautifully. I baked it an additional 7 minutes because the center jiggled at 50 minutes. The flavor around the edges is wonderful. I’m not a great cook, but I am a pretty good baker and can’t figure out what happened. I’ve made many of your recipes and loved them. This is the first one that wasn’t a success.
So sorry you had trouble, Mary! I’m not sure what caused the cake to fall, but since another reader mentioned the same issue, I have increased the flour by a few tablespoons to give the cake more structure.
Hi – Does the 1 3/4 cup flour in the recipe reflect the extra few tablespoons of flour or should I add that in addition? Looking forward to making this for Easter!
Yes that is the increased amount. Enjoy!
I had the same problem. I cooked my cake an additional 7 minutes too. After cooling, it was pudding in the middle. I used a 8 5/8” spring pan instead of 9”
Delicious but disappointing.
So sorry this was a bit of a flop! If you want to make it again, I’ve adjusted the recipe a little. (I increased the flour by a few tablespoons to give the cake more structure.)
Hi Jenn, I’m not much of a baker but saw this recipe and had to try it. I made it for my mother in law for Easter, we won’t be able to get together so I wanted to give her something to cheer her up. Just a question, my cake sunk quite a bit in the middle, did I do something wrong? I know it will be just as delicious but just wondering what causes that for next time I Make it.
I have made so many recipes for you cookbook and website, and have loved them all. Thank You.
Fort Qu’appelle, Saskatchewan
Canada
Hi Barb, Hmmm not sure. Did you by chance make any changes to the recipe? What brand of flour do you use?
I also made the cake with the exact ingredients and the middle fell. I used Arrowhead flour. I’m cooking it a bit longer to see how it goes.
Hi Jennifer, How did it turn out? I’m not sure why some are having issues with the cake sinking in the center. What size pan did you use?
Hello Jen,
Could I make this cake with almond flour?
Thank you, love your recipes!
Hi Cindy, Unfortunately, I don’t think this would translate well to almond flour — sorry!
I can’t wait to try this! I don’t have any ricotta on hand but do have greek yogurt, would that work as a substitute?
Hi Megan, Unfortunately, I don’t think the Greek yogurt will work here. Sorry!
Hi there, this is delicious, but I am baking it for over an hour and it still not ready…
Hi Lora, How did it turn out?
My pan is 9.5 inches – how do you think I should change the bake time? Thank you! -Susan
Hi Susan, I have found that most “9-inch” springform pans range from 9 to 9.75 inches, so no changes necessary. Enjoy!
This cake was absolutely delicious. Very easy to make and will make it again for sure!
I have everything except the mini chocolate chips. Only have large Choc Chips or Baking Choc Bar can this be substituted for mini?
Hi Annabelle, Either will work but you’ll need to chop the large chips into smaller pieces; otherwise the chocolate will sink.