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 real crowdpleaser.
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
- 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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I have a habit of trying new recipes for potlucks and meals with friends, and I always look at your recipes first when I’m looking for ideas. I’ve never been disappointed, and my friends always want the recipes! I love the texture and flavor of this cake but am probably in the minority in feeling that the chocolate chips kind of overpowered that rich flavor of the cake. I’m thinking of making it with diced apple rather than chocolate chips, and maybe a little bit of cinnamon. Jenn, what do you think? Do I need to compensate for the moisture of the apple bits somehow?
Hi Kat, If you want to make a cake with apples, I highly recommend this one instead. It’s also got a moist, buttery texture. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Hi.
I used the 228 grams of flour and mine also cracked on the top. I also used King Arthur. The only thing I didn’t do is spoon it into a cup and level off, I weighed it into a bowl. Would that have made it crack? Bake and taste was rock solid and has become a family favorite! Thanks for the recipe.
Hi, Glad you like this! Regarding the crack, it sounds like you did everything right as weighing the flour will give you the best results. Because you know you used the right amount of flour, it may be that your oven runs a little hot. This causes the exterior of the cake to bake faster than the interior and can create those cracks. You may want to check your oven temp for accuracy. Here’s some guidance on how to do it.
Thanks Jenn.
I used the Breville Smart Oven Air (but not on convection) thus it wasn’t a full sized oven. I am an altitude of 2800-2900 feet which I believe is still under the requirement for high altitude directions so I think I am good there (apologies for not mentioning that on the first go). I have been asked to make this cake for Tuesday so I will make it in my regular oven, checking the temp before I put the cake in and let you know if any issues surfaced. LOVE this recipe.
Hi Jenn,
Made it again today. Oven temp is spot on. Weighed everything as I did the first time. Even dropped the temp by 5 degrees and it baked 45 min. This was made in a smaller convection oven w/out the convection being on within a two part oven. I have a photo I can post somewhere if you like. Either way, a little powdered sugar on top will hide the crack. Just curious if I should drop the temp by 25 for a smaller oven. Thanks!
Hi Ishkarah, I’d love to see a pic — can you send it to jennifer@onceuponachef.com?
This cake is incredible. I even made it with the help of my 4 year old and it still came out beautifully! We all agreed its the best cake we’ve ever eaten, its incredibly moist and also family friendly! My 4 kids liked that it tastes like a cake version of a chocolate chip cookie and the adults liked how rich and delicious it is. I plan on bringing it to future potlucks, gifting it with the lasagnas I make for my friends, and making it for our spaghetti dinner nights at home. So easy and the results are outrageous. Jenn, your recipes make it look like I’m a great baker and home cook. Thank you!
I made this cake today exactly as written with the 1 3/4 cup King Arthur flour. My cake looked exactly like the picture when taken out of the oven, it did take the full 65 minutes to cook. I tested with a long pick and it came out clean. But the center sunk as it cooled. I can’t figure this out. Maybe next time I will make it in a bundt pan since that has a hole in the center anyway! One question though, when you bake cakes do you use a regular oven or convection? I have both and the owners manual says to use either for cakes but to turn the temperature down 25 degrees from original recipe when using the convection. Thanks.
Hi Tammy, I’m sorry you had a bit of a problem with this! It sounds like you did everything right but if it sunk in the middle, it sounds like it was a touch underbaked. And I always develop and publish my recipes using the regular setting on my oven (because many people don’t have convection settings on their ovens), so I’d go with the regular/non-fan setting.
Hi Jenn, I am about to make this cake. I live in Australia and just wanted to check whether I use bread flour as we can’t purchase King Arthur flour? Plus do I use fresh ricotta? Many thanks.
Hi Mary-Ann, Even if you don’t have King Arthur flour, I’d stick to all-purpose flour. And I always use store-bought ricotta for this, but I’m sure it would work with fresh. Hope you enjoy the cake!
I made this today and it was excellent and very well received. I had to reduce the temperature as I was using a Breville Smart Oven Air Pro and so it was a smaller oven space. I reduced it by 10 degrees and covered it the last 10 minutes. Also, I used the 10″ Kuhn Rikon Push up pan instead of a springform. I will definitely make this again (and thanks for having metric option).
I made this cake for our Christmas Eve gathering and everyone loved it! As promised, the cake was moist and delicious. We Aldo enjoyed it the next day with morning coffee – so yummy! Thanks Jen for giving me another great recipe. Love your website and your book! Happy New Year!
This cake was amazing! I made it for a pot luck and everyone loved it! I only had regular chocolate chips which worked fine. I added 2 heaping tablespoons flour because I live at 6500 feet. Turned out perfect and didn’t fall. Whew!
Hi Jenn. I live in France, where it is very hard to find chocolate chips, let alone mini. Do you think if I just chop a dark chocolate bar, that will be ok? Also, I want to make this for the next day. Shouldn’t I put it in the fridge, if it has cheese in it? Wondering if it is more like a cheesecake… Merci, Jennifer
Hi Jennifer, it’s fine to chop a dark chocolate bar into small pieces. And it’s not necessary to refrigerate the cake; it’s definitely more of a cake than a cheesecake. Hope that helps, and that you enjoy!
I just made this cake and I had to cook it for almost 90 mins to get the center cooked and yes my top cracked a little but thats not a big deal to me. Jen why did it take almost 90 minutes to bake this cake?
Hi Grace, Did you happen to print the recipe right after I sent out the newsletter with it? If so, based on feedback like yours from other readers, I added a few more tablespoons of flour. If you try it again, I’d refer to the updated version.
Delicious and super moist. It was definitely a hit and I will be making it again. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Jenn. In the pictures portion of the recipe it says bake 50-55 minutes. In the written recipe section it says 55-65. Just wanted you to know. I just kept an eye on it around 45 min and it took a little over an hour to cook.
I did have one issue. The top looked gorgeous without a crack in sight; until I loosely covered in foil as it was getting very brown. Do you think this caused the cracking? Was the foil, possibly, too tight?
Hi Dawn, Thank you for letting me know; it’s fixed! That’s strange that it cracked – did you by chance take a photo? If so, could you send it to me at jennifer@onceuponachef.com?
Uh, no I didn’t and my husband and I have already done some serious damage; two people almost killed it in 24 hours. A friend asked to bring a piece home to her husband and daughter and I gave her one they could split ?. It’s so delicious it makes me a bad human. Thanks again for a stellar recipe that makes me look talented.
Hahaha! So glad it came out well. 🙂
Question : Could I use White Lily flour instead if King Arthur? I know the protein level is lower, do you think that would make a big difference?
Hi Sarah, I don’t recommend it for this cake – sorry!
Thanks! So helpful. I always learn something from cooking with Jenn!
This looks delicious. Do you think it would be okay to reduce the sugar to 1 cup? I don’t like desserts too sweet. Also, would this work in a Bundt pan?
Thank you,
Dawn
Hi Dawn, I think you can get away with cutting the sugar to one cup. Regarding the bundt pan, one reader commented that they had success with one, but I’d be concerned it would stick. If you try it, please report back on how it goes!
I just made this cake. After I read the comments i decided I would use a Bundt pan. Turned out wonderful. I hope Jenn will try that …
Jenn,
What type of springform pan do you recommend? Is there a difference between the dark colored pans vs light, gold, etc?
Hi Kelly, I have a lighter color springform and if you’re in the market for one, lighter pans help to cook baked goods more evenly. This is the one I have and am very happy with it.
Hi, Jenn. This cake looks luscious! But I need to change it as for pre-diabetes. I need to change the flour to almond flour and will be using Lily’s chocolate (sweetened with Stevia) instead. Do I need to change the quantities of these ingredients? Do I need to make any other changes? I can’t wait to make it! Pinky
Hi Pinky, chocolate should be fine with no changes. I’ve never baked anything using only almond flour and think you may need to make some modifications. This article may help (the info about almond flour is at the bottom of the page). I’d love to hear how it turns out!
I have part skim ricotta on hand, will it suffice or should I order some whole milk ricotta? Thanks so much!
I’d go with the whole milk for best results. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn, I’ve made this several times and it’s delicious! Everyone who’s had it always asks for the recipe. I’m making it for one of ourThanksgiving desserts tomorrow and was thinking about making as cupcakes. Have you, or anyone, ever? Will let you know how they turn out.
Glad you like it! I’ve never made these as cupcakes, but think you could — I’d start checking them for doneness at 20 to 25 minutes. Please LMK how they turn out!
The cupcakes turned out perfectly! I kept a close eye on them, and only made one dozen at a time. I cooked them 17-18 minutes, turning them half way through the time. This will be perfect for Thanksgiving dessert time, as several will be available! The recipe made 29 cupcakes. I was also careful in smoothing them out in the cups, to help to alleviate uneven cooking.
Some pictures of the final job! …… although several have “disappeared over the last couple of hours”!
So glad they came out well! And it’s so strange when cupcakes mysteriously “disappear.” 😉
I’ll agree this is delicious but keep a very close eye on it after 30 minutes. Mine got a bit dark for my liking on top at the 35 minute mark and took an hour to bake. Thank you for a great recipe!
This has become my favorite cake in the world! I made in again this week for a special occasion and it turned out beautifully.. so moist and flavorful.. reminds me of cannoli filling in cake form. The first time I ever made it, I got a big crack and had trouble getting it baked evenly. The recipes from here are very precise and nothing is done by accident so make sure you follow instructions and evenly spread the batter with an offset spatula, and loosely cover with foil in the oven once it is to the desired brown color on top. For me this happens around 40-45 min despite the cake being pretty jiggly. My cake takes the full hour to bake.
This recipe is good! I’ve made the cake at least 4 times and it is a big hit every time. For more of an Italian flavor, I added a teaspoon of almond extract and orange zest to the batter. Also, I sprinkle powdered sugar and crushed (lightly salted) pistachio nuts over the top of the cake as well. So good!
Hi Jenn,
I am about to make your delicious chocolate chip ricotta cake for the 4th time….each time the center has collapsed – even though I followed (the last attempt) your updated version of adding a few more tablespoons of flour. Question: you have the oven at 350 for 50 -55 minutes. I wondered if you think I should put the oven up to 375 and bake it for 45 minutes. Would this help the cake from collapsing a bit in the center……it is always so delicious but I was hoping it would ‘look’ a little better. Many thanks for all your fabulous recipes.
Hi Debbie, I’m glad you like the cake but sorry that you’ve had a problem with it collapsing in the center even with the additional flour. If it’s collapsing with the added flour, I suspect it’s underbaked. Instead of increasing the temperature, I would keep it at 350°F and just bake it for a few minutes longer. If the top starts getting too browned, gently lay a piece of foil on top of the pan for the last few minutes of baking. Hope that helps!
I cook almost exclusively from this site, as I am never disappointed with the result. I have made nearly every “treat” posted, and all have been a huge hit (the chocolate cream pie is now the birthday dessert). A few days ago I made this ricotta cake. My daughter was the first to try it out of the oven. I thought she would never stop raving. My son agreed and told me it was the best cake he’s ever eaten. I have Celiac disease, so wasn’t able to sample it. I see other reviewers have used GF flour, so will try that sometime. This is a very easy recipe to put together. I did use regular size chocolate chips and just chopped them a bit. Another hit!
Jen, should I spoon and level the flour on this recipe if you don’t specify to do so?
Excited to try this recipe!
Yes, definitely. And thanks for pointing that out — just an oversight on my part, so I’m going to add that to the recipe now. Hope you enjoy the cake!
This cake is delicious. I was concerned about the cake sinking in the middle, especially at high altitude, 5000 feet. I followed the recipe with the exception of making minor amount adjustments of flour, sugar and baking soda for higher elevation. The cake turned out perfect. Not only did it look pretty, it was delicious. Will make it again for sure.
The first time I made this I used a 9×5 loaf pan. The cake tasted great with a cream cheese frosting but was very dense. Now I use a 9” spring form pan and the result is much better. I’m tweaking the recipe trying to duplicate a piece of ricotta cake someone brought me from the North End in Boston; it just a bit too dense.
I made this last night and it was delicious! It reminded me of a warm rich chocolate chip cookie! I covered the top as it was getting too brown but I think I left it in too long the bottom was quite brown. It’s delicious even a little over done.
Thanks Jenn!
Incredible cake. First time I made it turned out great and all raved that it was delicious. Another asked me for the recipe.
Great recipe. Was very very close to a piece of cake from a Boston bakery in the North End. The one downside was that my cake was very dense. I typically bake bread and cookies, not cake. And this is the first time I used a stand mixer (borrowed my daughter’s Kitchen-Aid). I suspect I either over-mixed the batter, or was too vigorous folding in the chocolate chips. All ingredients were at room temperature. The quantities listed filled a single 9” x 5” x 3” loaf pan and I topped the cake with a cream cheese frosting. I also serve slices directly from the freezer; sooo good!
Jenn, wondering if it’s safe to bake it in a 9×13 metal pan like I read someone else did? Is that size pan a good substitute? If so, would I still need the parchment paper?
Thanks from a fan,
Jana
Hi Jana, the 9 x 13“ pan is not a perfect substitute size-wise for the springform. That said, I think you could get away with it. Bear in mind that the bake time will be a bit different so keep an eye on it. You won’t need the parchment paper – instead, I’d suggest cutting the cake into squares and serving it directly from the pan (but I would treat the pan with baking spray). Please LMK how it turns out!
BEST cake ever. This is my new most amazing dessert. So easy. No frosting and moist and delicious and easy to throw together; nothing complicated here. Everybody loved it. This recipe goes into my very favourite recipe box. Thanks, Jenn.
This cake was scrumptious! Not too sweet and so moist! I cut my regular size chocolate chips into smaller chunks which turned out well!
*****Love this cake. The texture and the taste are just too delicious for words. Okay, it sunk a little but next time I’ll add more flour.
Didn’t have chocolate chips the second time I made it so I added drained pineapple bits instead. Wow! the aroma and the taste were superb. It still sunk a bit, but maybe our flour is different here. I am from Chile ?? Saludos from Santiago and thank you for your recipes.
Jenn, this recipe is sooo good! Thank you so much for sharing your secrets with us! I do have a question. I did everything exactly as written, including the King Arthur flour. The cake is great, but it did crack some on the top and sink in a little in the middle as it cooled. I am wondering if it is my oven, as I have had this problem before. Even though I didn’t use the convection option it seems to still cook that way.
Hi B, Do you recall if you printed the recipe right after I sent out the newsletter with it? If so, based on feedback like yours from other readers, I added a few more tablespoons of flour which helped with the sinking. If you try it again, I’d refer to the updated version. I’m sorry for any inconvenience!
Hi Jenn:). I used the recipe straight from the website. The one with 1 3/4 C flour. Is this the correct amount? It was still great! Next time I will try it in my top smaller oven. Maybe that is the problem.
Thank you for your reply!
Yes, you use the correct amount of flour. It could be that the cake was a bit under-baked so you may want to leave it in for an extra minute or two when you try it again. Hope that helps at least a bit!
Made this cake and loved it, could not stop myself from eating it. Baked it for 50 minutes, the center collapsed slightly next time I will leave it in a few more minutes. Mini chips a must. Also add a little extra ricotta. It freezes beautifully. Will definitely be making it again
This was completely yummy and moist. I used 3/4 cup canola oil instead of butter and it was still so very good. A winner I’ll make again!
Oh My Days! So good! soft, sweet, and delicious. I had ricotta on hand and wanted to see if I could make a cake out of it. I came across this blessed recipe and it didn’t disappoint. If you are wondering if you should make this cake I’m here to tell you to roll up your sleeves and get to work. Great recipe 🙂
This is the best cake. It’s a sleeper. It doesn’t look all gooey with frosting so people are blown away with how satisfying it is. I’ve made it numerous times, and now as I’ve had to go gluten free, I use a gluten free flour. Either King Arthur Measure for Measure or Cup 4 Cup. The main thing with GF is don’t store it in the refrigerator. Leave it out. The household 2 legged mice will take care of it.
YUM, YUM, YUM! We enjoyed every bite. Can’t wait to make it again. Thank You for sharing, Jen! 🙂
Delicious cake – but having the same issue that others reported – sunken/underbaked middle – but edges were overbaked. Is there a version of this receipe that could be 2/3 of all ingredients?
Hi Michael, I’m sorry this was underbaked. Do you recall if you printed the recipe right after I sent out the newsletter with it? If so, based on feedback like yours from other readers, I added a few more tablespoons of flour. If you try it again, I’d refer to the updated version. I’m sorry for any inconvenience!