Italian Love Cake - My Incredible Recipes (2024)

Consider trying out this Italian love cake! It is a sweet ricotta base, chocolate cake, and then topped with a rich chocolate pudding frosting. A luscious and melt-in-your-mouth cake this love cake will be the talk of the night.

The ricotta cheesecake style layer is ultra velvety. Then you have an ultra-rich Devil’s Food cake layer, and then Cool Whip and pudding topping. Do not skip this dessert if you are looking for a game-changer dessert. Perfect for the Holidays or Valentines day for he ones you love!

Serve this up for a holiday gathering, take it to a bake sale, serve it up for a summer cookout, or as you root on your favorite team this football season. This Italian ricotta love cake can be made all year round.

Craving more chocolate desserts? Whip up these mint chocolate brownies, triple chocolate cookies, or even Bailey’s cheesecake.

Everyone falls in love when they eat this cake, hence the name. It is loaded with layers and rich and creamy flavors. When you read the directions you might get confused because the cake layer goes on the bottom, but just follow the steps as written, the ricotta layer ends up on the bottom, because it is a heavier layer than the chocolate cake, so it naturally sinks down.

Reasons You Will Love This Italian Love Cake

• A moist and fluffy cake that is a cake mix base for easy steps in making this dessert.
• The ricotta layer is a creamy cheesecake-custard-like texture. It offers a bold contrast in this layered dessert.
• The perfect cake for celebrating a birthday, taking to a holiday event, weddings, and more. A cake for all occasions.
• An Italian-inspired dessert you might have enjoyed eating as you had grown up!

Ingredients

• Ricotta Cheese – The ricotta cheese really offers that Italian dessert vibe. It creates that velvety texture.
• Granulated Sugar – You will use granulated sugar to help sweeten up the dessert.
• Vanilla Extract – A little vanilla will enhance the ricotta layered flavor.
• Eggs – Eggs will be used in the ricotta cheese layer and the cake mix batter.
• Devil’s Food Cake – Reach for a chocolate cake. I used a boxed cake mix that is going to create the perfect chocolate cake layer.
• Oil – Canola or vegetable oil is going to help create a nice moist cake.
• Chocolate Pudding – Reach for your favorite instant chocolate pudding that will create a smooth and creamy topping.
• Milk – Whole milk is going to offer the richest flavor for the pudding frosting.
• Whipped Topping – Cool Whip is what I recommend as it is stable and will help the frosting layer hold the shape.

Variations to Recipe

• White cake mix instead of chocolate.
• Strawberry cake mix and vanilla pudding for the frosting.
• Cookies and cream pudding instead of chocolate.
• Reach for a lemon cake mix and vanilla pudding to change up to a lemon love cake.
• If you do not want to use a boxed cake mix you can make your favorite homemade cake.
• Cool Whip holds up the best but you can make a stabilized whipped cream as well to mix in for the frosting.
• Add sprinkles on top of the cake.
• Crushed cookies, candies, or other items you can sprinkle on top of the cake.
• You can use mascarpone or a mix of ricotta and mascarpone for the layer.

Top Tips

• When you make the cake make sure you make it with love. Hence the name, it is important to add love.
• Traditionally you make the cake and write compliments or love layers and place them in the cake so when your loved ones slice into the cake they have messages to read.
• Make sure to pour carefully for the two layers. It is important that you don’t pour too hard that way you get that distinct layer.
• You are welcome to make this cake a day ahead of time if you want.

Storing

This dessert needs to be refrigerated in a sealed container. You can store this cake for up to 5 days. Or if you want you can freeze the cake as well for 2-3 months. Just thaw the cake in the fridge overnight before you eat.

Can I make a gluten-free version?

Go right ahead and whip up a gluten-free cake of your choice! You can make it from scratch or buy your favorite brand of boxed cake.

Can I add flavorings to the filling?

You are welcome to add some lemon zest or orange zest to the ricotta filling for added flavor. Or you can experiment with flavored extracts if you wanted.

What makes it an “Italian” Love Cake?

The ricotta layer paired with the cake in a layered dessert is what makes it an Italian dessert. You will find that this love cake has become a huge dessert that is loved in America.

More Cake Recipes

• Coconut Layered Cake
• Banana Magic Cake
• Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake