Indulge in the rich flavors of this chocolate cake layered with creamy ricotta cheese filling and garnished with a silky smooth ganache frosting. The perfect flourless cake to help you celebrate any festive occasion!
Are you ready to sink your fork into layers of a moist, cocoa-packed cake that practically melts in your mouth? But wait, there’s more!
What would you say if I told you this is a gluten-free cake?
It’s true!
Three layers of flourless chocolate cake brushed with rum syrup, with two layers of a creamy ricotta cheese filling studded with mini chocolate chips. Like these black bottom cupcakes, every bite has a little surprise.
And let’s not forget about the thick chocolate ganache frosting – silky, glossy, and oh-so-delicious. You might recognize this easy ganache recipe from another favorite dessert of mine, chocolate banana cake.
After making this cake for almost twenty-five years, I can tell you it is a true crowd-pleaser that never disappoints.
Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion like Valentine’s Day or looking for a great dessert to finish a meal, this flourless chocolate layer cake will be a success!
Jump to:
How to make chocolate cake
Although there are four parts, the recipe comes together rather quickly.
Make the batter: Let’s begin by lining a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan with parchment paper. Set it aside for now. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Separate the 6 eggs, placing the egg whites in the bowl of your stand mixer and the egg yolks in a separate bowl.
- Using the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Meanwhile, combine the vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) with the egg yolks and set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder (⅓ cup) and granulated sugar (⅓ cup), then set aside.
- Once the egg whites have reached soft peaks, gradually add the sugar (⅓ cup) and continue whisking until stiff and glossy.
- Add the cocoa/sugar mixture to the egg yolks and mix until well combined, resulting in a stiff batter.
- Fold about a cup of the whipped egg whites into the batter, gently mixing until the batter becomes lighter in texture.
- Slowly incorporate the rest of the egg whites by folding gently.
- Spread the batter in the prepared jelly roll pan and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until it springs back when the top is gently pressed.
- While the cake is baking, let’s prepare the rum syrup and the ricotta filling.
Make the Rum Syrup: In a small saucepan, whisk ⅓ cup of sugar with ¼ cup of water. Bring the solution to a boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar, boil for about 1 minute, remove from heat, and stir in the rum (2 tablespoons). Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Prepare the Ricotta Cheese Filling:
- Place the drained ricotta (400 grams) in a mixing bowl and whisk for a few minutes.
- Add the light cream (2 tablespoons) and the sugar (2 tablespoons) and whisk until smooth and creamy.
- Fold in the ⅓ cup of mini chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Set aside.
Make the Chocolate Ganache Frosting:
- Place 8 ounces of chocolate (semi-sweet or bittersweet) in a heatproof bowl.
- Heat ¾ cup of heavy whipping cream with 1 tablespoon of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to boil.
- Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute to soften it.
- Gently whisk the mixture until smooth and glossy. Then, just let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally to get the right consistency.
How to assemble
- Once the cake is removed from the oven and has cooled down in the sheet pan for about 5 minutes, loosen the sides, and invert on a clean tea towel sprinkled with icing sugar.
- Remove the parchment paper by gently pulling it back.
- Once the cake is at room temperature, cut into thirds.
- Place one of the thirds on your serving platter, and brush the top with the rum syrup over the entire surface.
- Spread ½ of the ricotta cheese filling on this bottom layer. Place the second cake layer on top and brush it with the rum syrup.
- Spread the rest of the ricotta filling.
- Finally, place the third cake layer over the ricotta filling and, brush with the rum syrup.
- Whisk the chocolate ganache one final time and spread over the entire surface and sides. If desired, garnish it with a sprinkle of grated chocolate because why not?
- Chill the cake for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld together. It can be made 24 hours in advance.
Tips
- Drain the ricotta. You risk getting a wet mixture that will “leak” if the ricotta has too much moisture.
- Allow the cake to come to room temperature after it is baked. Since the ricotta cheese filling and the chocolate ganache are heat-sensitive, do not start assembling until the cake is at room temperature.
- Rum syrup: Cool to room temperature before brushing on the individual layers.
- Troubleshooting the ganache: If the chocolate ganache is not firming up as desired, try placing it in the refrigerator for about 3 minutes. This brief chilling period can help it set and reach the desired consistency.
FAQ
When placing the egg beaters upright, the egg whites will curl downwards.
The egg whites stand upright when lifting the egg beaters, forming a stiff peak.
A teaspoon of vanilla extract is a great replacement.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
Easy chocolate dessert recipes
Enjoy these easy-to-make chocolate dessert recipes any time of the year!
Recipe inspiration
I once subscribed to a Food Magazine called Homemakers, which feels like a lifetime ago.
This recipe’s “cake part” is adapted from this magazine’s Jan/Feb 1999 issue. The original recipe featured a whipped cream filling, but I opted to swap it out for a ricotta-based filling inspired by the flavors of traditional cannoli. Sometimes I even use my favorite cannoli dip recipe to spread between the layers.
Through the years, this cake has become a cherished favorite in my household, beloved by family and friends.
And now, I’m thrilled to share it with you. Enjoy!
Just for you! A printable baking checklist to help you keep track of all your baking needs.
If you love to bake, this is for you! Simply subscribe to my weekly newsletter and receive this FREE BAKING CHECKLIST PRINTABLE!
This way, you won’t miss any of my new recipes, and it’s FREE!
THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community, where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.
Ciao for now,
Maria
★★★★★ If you have made this flourless chocolate layer cake, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Ricotta cheese desserts
Recipe
Easy Chocolate Cake with Ricotta Cheese Filling
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter you email below and I’ll send the link to your inbox.
PLUS, be the first to get newly published recipes!
Ingredients
The Flour-less Cake:
- 6 eggs separated, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pure
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder, dutch processed 55 grams, sifted, unsweetened
- ⅔ sugar granulated (separated)
The Rum Syrup:
- ⅓ cup sugar granulated
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons Rum
The Ricotta Cream:
- 400 grams ricotta drained
- 2 tablespoons light cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips dark, mini
The Chocolate Ganache Frosting:
- 8 oz semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon butter unsalted
- Grated chocolate for garnishing.
Instructions
The Cake:
- Line a 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350°F (180 °C)
- Separate the 6 eggs, placing the egg whites in the bowl of your stand mixer and the egg yolks in a separate bowl.
- Whisk together egg yolks and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa and ⅓ cup of sugar. Set aside.
- Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add the ⅓ cup of sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Add the cocoa-sugar mixture to the egg yolks. Whisk together until smooth.
- Fold about a cup of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate batter until the batter becomes lighter in texture.
- Slowly incorporate the rest of the egg whites by folding gently.
- Spread batter evenly in the prepared jelly roll pan and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed.
- Once the cake is removed from the oven and has cooled down in the sheet pan for about 5 minutes, loosen the sides and invert on a clean tea towel sprinkled with icing sugar.
- Remove the parchment paper by gently pulling it back. Allow to cool to room temperature.
The Rum Syrup:
- Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan.
- Over medium heat, bring to a boil and stir to dissolve sugar (boil for about 1 minute).
- Remove from heat and add the rum.
- Cool to room temperature.
The Ricotta Filling:
- Whisk all the ingredients for the filling (except for the chocolate chips) until smooth and creamy. Fold in the chocolate chips. Set aside.
The Chocolate Ganache Frosting:
- Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside.
- In a small saucepan,over medium heat, heat butter and cream together.
- Bring to just under a boil. Remove from heat.
- Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute to soften it.
- Gently whisk the mixture until smooth and glossy. Then, just let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally to get the right consistency.
The Assembly:
- Once the cake is at room temperature, cut into thirds.
- Place one of the thirds on your serving platter, and brush the top with the rum syrup over the entire surface.
- Spread ½ of the ricotta cheese filling on this bottom layer.
- Place the second cake layer on top and brush it with the rum syrup. Spread the rest of the ricotta filling.
- Finally, place the third cake layer over the ricotta filling and brush with the rum syrup.
- Whisk the chocolate ganache one final time and spread over the entire surface and sides.
- Garnish with chocolate shavings (optional).
- Chill the cake for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld together. It can be made 24 hours in advance.
Video
Notes
- Drain the ricotta. You risk getting a wet mixture that will “leak” if the ricotta has too much moisture.
- Allow the cake to come to room temperature after it is baked. Since both the ricotta cheese filling and the chocolate ganache are heat sensitive, do not start assembling until the cake is at room temperature.
- Rum syrup: Cool to room temperature before brushing on the individual layers.
- Troubleshooting the ganache: If the chocolate ganache is not firming up as desired, try placing it in the refrigerator for about 3 minutes. This brief chilling period can help it set and reach the desired consistency.
Nutrition
I originally published this post on February 14, 2016, and republished it on April 14, 2019, and again on February 12, 2024 with updated content. Thanks for watching and sharing!
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter you email below and I'll send the link to your inbox.
PLUS, be the first to get newly published recipes!
Amy P
Love this!!! I make it as a jelly roll and everyone absolutely loves it! From the very first bite to the last 🙂
Maria
I absolutely love this idea! Thanks for sharing Amy!
Lola
Hi Maria, to drain the ricotta, how long should I drain for…how much liquid to expect to see? Should I just use cheesecloth? Thanks so much! I plan to make this cake tomorrow! If you could let me know asap I would really appreciate it!!
Maria
Thanks for your interest Lola! It really depends on the brand of ricotta. If it is really wet, I would cover it well and drain it overnight in the refrigerator. If more on the dry side, a couple of hours at room temperature should be ok. Hope that helps.
Mary
This cake looks fabulous. I love Chocolate Cake and with the Ricotta Cream and Ganache, well, what can one say.
I most certainly will be making this in the near future. It looks wonderful!! :))
Maria
Thanks so much Mary! It really is a great combination!
Denise T
hi do you have to do the rum?
Maria
Thanks for your interest Denise. You can skip this… the cake will still taste amazing!
Janice
I want to make for Easter and was wondering if it freezes well. I’m thinking freeze the cake and finish with ricotta and ganache before serving? What do you think?
Maria
Thanks for your interest Janice. I have never tried freezing the cake, but you should be able to get good results as cakes usually freeze well. Enjoy!
Margaret Greenberg
Hi Maria,
Happy holiday and happy spring to you and your family. I abandoned the ricotta pie I normally make for dessert and I made this cake for our Easter/Passover dinner. I didn’t change a thing. It was deliciously rich, not too sweet and the ricotta filling was perfectly smooth. The ganache finished this cake beautifully. This is a chocolate lover’s delight and we loved it! Thanks again for another wonderful recipe. You’re the best Maria.
Maria
I am so thrilled to read this Margaret! Thanks so much for sharing. I hope you and your loved ones had a wonderful day together.
Margaret
Hi Maria:
Happy Mother’s Day to you and your many followers. I made the cake for my family and I to enjoy for dessert. I didn’t change a thing. Why would I? It was delicious. Decadently bittersweet chocolate without being too sweet and the ricotta cream was a perfectly smooth filling. Thanks for another great recipe.
Maria
My pleasure Margaret. Thanks so much for sharing. Happy Mother’s Day to you as well!