Italian Love Cake

Italian Love Cake is a rich, layered dessert that brings together the best of chocolate cake, ricotta cheesecake, and creamy pudding — all in one beautiful, make-ahead treat. Its name hints at the care and comfort baked into every slice.

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.

Ingredients

For the Cake Layer

  • 1 box chocolate cake mix
  • Eggs, oil, and water (as called for on the box)

For the Ricotta Layer

  • 2 lbs ricotta cheese
  • 4 eggs
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Topping

  • 1 box instant chocolate pudding mix (5.9 oz)
  • 1½ cups cold milk
  • 8 oz Cool Whip or whipped topping

How To Make Italian Love Cake

    1. Preheat Oven: 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
    2. Prepare Cake Batter: Mix the chocolate cake according to package instructions. Pour it into the pan.
    3. Make Ricotta Filling: Beat ricotta, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Gently spoon over the cake batter — do not mix.
    4. Bake: 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let it cool completely.
    5. Prepare Topping: Mix pudding with milk until thickened. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread over the cooled cake.
    6. Chill: Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is best).
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    RecipesNeed is all about the kind of food we actually make at home. You’ll find easy dinners, cozy casseroles, simple desserts, appetizers, and family favorites that don’t require complicated ingredients or hours in the kitchen. I keep the recipes straightforward, with clear directions and helpful tips so you can get dinner on the table with less stress.