Italian Love Cake
Made with boxed chocolate cake mix, instant chocolate pudding, and Cool Whip, this easy cake is perfect for any occasion.
Serves16 to 20
Prep25 minutes
Cook1 hour 10 minutes
Most popularly believed to have come from Italian immigrants wanting to honor their home country with their new roots in America, Italian love cake is a delightfully light, yet decadent dessert consisting of chocolate cake, a cheesecake-like ricotta filling, and an airy chocolate pudding topping. Leaning on boxed chocolate cake mix, instant chocolate pudding, and Cool Whip makes this cake super easy to prepare.
The cake might look a little involved at first glance, but it’s much quicker to prepare than meets the eye. It also uses a surprising method to yield its soft and tender texture. The key to ensuring the cake and ricotta filling set at the same rate is to first layer the cake batter in the pan and the ricotta mixture over it. During baking, the heavier ricotta layer sinks to the bottom, while the thinnest bit of cake envelops the sides and bottom of the ricotta and the rest rises to the top. The result? A deeply satisfying, chocolatey dessert that’s hard to resist with a perfectly set, sweet ricotta filling; tender, fluffy cake; and generous swoops of the airy chocolate pudding cream on top.
Why You’ll Love It
- It’s reminiscent of cheesecake. The ricotta filling has a smooth and creamy texture that is similar to the popular dessert. Even better, the cake is deceivingly light (even when chilled) and not too dense or heavy.
- Perfectly chocolaty. A dessert that will satisfy all chocolate-lovers, but not so intense that non-chocolate-lovers won’t love it too.
Key Ingredients in Italian Love Cake
- Boxed chocolate cake mix: Feel free to use any variation of chocolate cake (Devil’s food, dark chocolate, etc.). Just take care to use a 15.25-ounce box.
- Espresso powder: Gives the chocolate a little boost, but can be omitted if you don’t have any on hand.
- Whole-milk ricotta: This has a slightly creamier texture than lower-fat ricotta, which makes for a smoother filling.
- Light brown sugar: Provides a subtle caramel-y undertone that pairs well with the chocolate cake and keeps the filling from becoming cloying.
- Instant chocolate pudding mix: Just as the cake mix, feel free to use any variation of chocolate-flavored pudding.
- Cool Whip: Makes for an exceptionally airy and creamy topping. If you prefer, the Cool Whip can be substituted with 3 cups sweetened whipped cream.
How to Make Italian Love Cake
- Prepare the cake batter. Follow package directions, adding instant espresso powder to the batter if using.
- Prepare the ricotta mixture. Combine ricotta cheese, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and kosher salt in a food processor, which makes for a smooth, silky filling.
- Layer the batters and bake. Don’t worry if there are thin streaks of the ricotta mixture or cracks on the surface once baked. You won’t be able to tell once topped.
- Make the pudding topping and finish the cake. Because the cake needs to be chilled, it’s a great make-ahead dessert.
Italian Love Cake Recipe
Made with boxed chocolate cake mix, instant chocolate pudding, and Cool Whip, this easy cake is perfect for any occasion.
Prep time 25 minutes
Cook time 1 hour 10 minutes
Serves 16 to 20
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
For the cake:
Cooking spray
- 1 (15.25-ounce) box
chocolate cake mix
Water, eggs, and oil needed for cake mix (see package directions)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons
instant espresso powder (optional)
- 2 pounds
whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup
granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup
packed light brown sugar
- 3
large eggs
- 2 teaspoons
vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
For the topping:
- 1 (8-ounce) container
Cool Whip, thawed
- 1 (3.9-ounce) box
instant chocolate pudding mix
- 2 cups
cold whole milk
Instructions
Make the cake:
Heat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom and two long sides with a sheet of parchment paper.
Prepare 1 (15.25-ounce) box chocolate cake mix by mixing in the water, eggs, and oil as listed on the package directions along with 1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder if using. Pour into the baking pan and smooth out the top.
Process 2 pounds whole-milk ricotta cheese, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, 3 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a food processor until well-combined and smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour evenly over the cake batter, covering the cake batter completely.
Bake until the batters have flipped — the chocolate cake will have risen to the surface — and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. It’s OK if the cake has cracks or thin streaks of the ricotta mixture on the surface. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool completely, about 2 1/2 hours.
Make the topping:
Whisk 1 (3.9-ounce) box instant chocolate pudding mix and 2 cups cold whole milk together in a large bowl until dissolved and the mixture is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Let sit for 1 minute to thicken. Fold 1 (8-ounce) container thawed Cool Whip with a flexible spatula until fully combined.
Spoon over the cooled cake and smooth or swoop over the top as desired. Loosely cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until the topping is set and chilled before serving, at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
Recipe Notes
Substitutions: 8 ounces Cool Whip can be substituted with 3 cups sweetened whipped cream.
Ingredient/Equipment Variations: The ricotta mixture can be prepared in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Note that the mixture will not be as smooth and pourable as when made in a food processor.
Storage: Leftover cake can be refrigerated tightly wrapped in its pan or in an airtight container for up to 4 days.