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 an amazing cake! I have made it several times and it always turns out beautifully. I now always have mini choc chips in the pantry and ricotta in the fridge just in case I need to throw a cake together quick for company or to bring to a gathering. It tastes like a chocolate chip cheesecake cake. A winner!
Hi Jen and happy Fall cooking weather. Your Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake has become one of my favorite desserts and I’m wondering if I can bake it in an 8″ square pan – I need to cut it into squares for a “finger food” party and think that would be easier. Do you think that I need to adjust the temperature and/or baking time, if you think that it will work at all. Thanks for any help you can provide. Peggy M
Hi Peggy, so glad you enjoy this cake! Unfortunately, I don’t think it will fit into an 8 in. square pan. If you have a 9 in.square, that would work. Hope that helps!
Would white whole wheat flour work here and for other recipes? It is the only King Arthur flour that my grocer sells.
Hi Joanna, You can swap out the all-purpose flour for white whole wheat as they are pretty interchangeable. The texture will be a bit different with it, so if you’d like the minimize the impact on the texture, I’d suggest using half all-purpose and half white whole wheat. Hope that helps!
I learned recently that if you let the uncooked cake (or whatever you are baking with whole wheat flour) sit on the counter for about fifteen minutes before putting in the oven, the texture will be closer to what it would be with white flour. Apparently whole wheat flour needs more time to absorb the moisture in the batter. I’ve had very good results! Haven’t tried it with this cake yet.
Hi Jenn, I’ve just printed this off and want to make this, this weekend. I’m worried I’m going to have sinking issues, are there any other ways to know if it’s cooked? Should the toothepick come out clean?
Hi Danielle, Yes, a toothpick should come out clean (don’t worry if there’s melted chocolate on it). I recommend using King Arthur flour for the most reliable results.
This was great! I did make modifications: 1 c sugar instead of 1 1/2, 1 c almond flour and 3/4 c combination of white whole wheat flour and AP flour. I also added unsweetened toasted shredded coconut chopped finely as well as toasted almonds chopped finely and just a handful of chocolate chips. SO GOOD! I did bake this 45 minutes at 350 in a 13×9 glass pan, and because of the moisture from both almond flour and ricotta, turned oven off and left cake in there until cool. Will definitely make again!
Can you add banana? How would you have to adjust the other ingredients if you did?
Thanks!
Hi Amy, I wouldn’t recommend that here. I do have a variety of banana breads if you want to consider one of those.
I made this using gluten free flour (it had xanthan gum already added) and it was absolutely delicious and moist. Since I’m in Canada I always use PC all purpose gluten free flour. I had to cook it about 65 minutes. Amazing!
I do not see what size springform pan you should use. Can you please clarify? Thank you.
Hi Randi, You’ll need a 9- or 10-inch springform pan. Hope you enjoy!
I just baked this using the current measurements. The top was nice and brown and the cake seemed firm when I took it out of the oven. I baked it for 65 minutes. Now that it is cooling the center is sinking.
Hi Randi, I’m sorry you had a problem with this. Did you happen print the recipe right after I sent out the newsletter with it? If so, based on reader feedback like yours, I added a few more tablespoons of flour to the dry ingredients. If you try it again, I’d refer to the updated version. I’m sorry for any inconvenience!
I baked the version that is currently listed here. The whole center was mush. We ate the edges but sorry, we were not impressed with it. Would not make it again. I am an avid baker and usually do not have any issues with recipes.
I’m so sorry you had a problem with this! It’s a bit of a head-scratcher for me as since I tweaked the recipe, it’s not been a problem. Is there any chance you may have made a measuring error?
Unfortunately this did not work for me . I have tried with ricotta cakes but they seem to take such a long time to bake through .. it tasted quite nice and looked great after 65 mins – top all brown .. but it was not fully baked through despite testing with a toothpick in several places several times .. – This seems to happen with my attempts at ricotta cakes .. so disappointed as I followed the recipe to a tee .. Any advice ?
Hi Louise, I’m sorry you had a problem with this! Did you print the recipe shortly after I sent out the newsletter that featured it? If so, based on reader feedback like yours, I added a few more tablespoons of flour to the dry ingredients which improved the texture of the cake. If you make this again, that should resolve the issue.
This cake is fabulous!!! It was brown on top but after being out of oven for a bit the center began to sink……. I now see back in April others had this issue and you suggested then to add a few more tablespoons of flour…..wondering if this helped?
Hi Alice, Did you print the recipe shortly after I sent out the newsletter that featured it? If so, based on reader feedback like yours, I added a few more tablespoons of flour to the dry ingredients which improved the texture of the cake. If you make this again, that should resolve the issue. Glad you enjoyed anyway!