Chocolate Ricotta Cake is rich, moist, and packed with rich chocolate flavor. Made with creamy ricotta, cocoa powder, and plenty of mini chocolate chips, this fudgy one-layer cake is simple, decadent, and the perfect way to cure your chocolate cravings. For more ricotta cake recipes, try Strawberry Ricotta Cake and Olive Oil Lemon Ricotta Cake.
I’ve always loved a good chocolate cake, but this Chocolate Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake is my new favorite dessert. It’s rich and fudgy yet light and tender, like a mix between a dark chocolate cake and a creamy cheesecake. And the combo of cocoa powder and mini chocolate chips makes it extra chocolatey.
It's also ridiculously easy. No layers, no frosting, and you don't even need a mixer. It's a simple, one-bowl cake that’s perfect on its own or with a dusting of powdered sugar. It’s the kind of cake you can serve as a casual treat with fresh berries or dress up with homemade whipped cream and raspberry sauce for a special occasion.
❤️You're Going to Love This
- Super fudgy, moist cake with a soft, tender texture and deep, rich flavor
- Easy one-bowl recipe with simple ingredients you can stir together, no mixer
- Rich chocolate cake with cocoa powder and mini chocolate chips for double the chocolate
- Perfect decadent dessert for coffee breaks, brunch, special occasions, or anytime
🍫Ingredients
See recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full list of ingredients and exact amounts.
- Whole milk ricotta. For the best, creamy texture, use good-quality ricotta cheese. Lower-quality ricotta can be grainy or chalky. Strain the ricotta for 20-30 minutes in cheesecloth or paper towels before baking.
- Cocoa powder. I use Hershey's Dark Cocoa Powder, which is dutch process cocoa powder. You can use either dutch-process cocoa powder or natural unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Instant espresso powder, optional. A little instant espresso powder amplifies the rich chocolate flavor even more without tasting like coffee. You can find it in the coffee aisle of the grocery store. If you're a baker, it's great to have on hand for any chocolate dessert.
- Mini chocolate chips. I use mini chocolate chips for maximum chocolate distribution in every bite and to avoid any risk of them sinking to the bottom. You can also use finely chopped chocolate bars.
🥣How to Make Chocolate Ricotta Cake
See the recipe card for detailed instructions.
Step 1: Mix wet ingredients. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the sugar, ricotta, vanilla, and butter, then whisk until smooth.
Step 2: Add dry ingredients. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder. Stir until just combined. Fold in mini chocolate chips.
Step 3: Bake. Pour the cake batter into a 9-inch pan lined with parchment paper and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle the top with more mini chocolate chips. Bake at 350°F for 60-70 minutes. Loosely cover with foil during the last 10-15 minutes to keep the top from getting too dark.
Step 4: Cool and serve. Cool completely. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar or fresh whipped cream.
👉Top Tip: For a quick way to line a round pan with parchment, wet it, crumple it up, shake out excess water, and press it into the pan. It molds easily into the pan and creates a cool crinkly edge!
☑️Tips
- Strain the ricotta in cheesecloth or paper towels at least 20-30 minutes before baking.
- Use a 9-inch cake pan with 2-inch or higher sides or a 9-inch springform pan.
- The baking time will vary depending on the size and color of the pan. If using a dark pan, start checking on it at the 45-minute mark.
🎁Storage
- Refrigerate. Store wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container for 5-7 days.
- Freeze. Wrap in plastic wrap and again with foil or place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
📅Make Ahead
Chocolate chocolate chip ricotta cake is an excellent make-ahead dessert. It tastes even better the next day!
❓FAQs
Ricotta makes the cake incredibly moist and gives it a creamy, rich texture without making it heavy.
No. Adding one teaspoon of espresso powder to chocolate cake recipes deepens the chocolate taste, but it is optional.
The dark color of the batter makes it tricky to tell when chocolate cake is done. Chocolate cake batter has a reddish hue and a shiny finish. Look for a change in color and a matte finish. You can also tell it's on its way to being done when you can smell the chocolate aroma and the edges start to pull away from the pan. If you notice any of these signs, but the inside of the cake is not yet done (from a toothpick test or digital thermometer) cover the top with foil until the cake is done.
The top should be set, and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out with moist crumbs. The internal temperature should be around 200°F.
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📖 Recipe
Chocolate Ricotta Cake
Equipment
- 9-inch cake pan (at least 2 inches high) or 9-inch springform pan
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 16 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese, strained, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, optional
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups mini chocolate chips
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9-inch cake pan with 2" or higher sides or a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line with parchment paper and lightly spray the paper.
- Beat the eggs with a whisk in a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar, ricotta, vanilla, and melted butter. Stir with a wooden spoon to break up the ricotta, then whisk until smooth.
- Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (or whisk them in a separate bowl). Mix until just combined. Add 1 cup of chocolate chips and stir until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips on top.
- Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes back with moist crumbs (not wet batter). The internal temperature should be around 200. If needed, lightly cover the cake with foil during the last 10-15 minutes to keep the top from getting too dark. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Dust the top with powdered sugar. If desired, serve with fresh whipped cream and sliced strawberries.
Notes
- Strain the liquid from the ricotta in cheesecloth or paper towels for 20-30 minutes before you begin baking.
- Use a baking pan no smaller than 9 inches with 2-inch sides.
- If you don't want to cut a round of parchment paper for the bottom of the pan, wet it, crumple it up, shake out excess water, and press it into the pan. It molds easily and creates a cool crinkly edge!
- The baking time will vary depending on the size and color of the pan. If using a dark pan, start checking on it early.
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