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Home Β» Desserts Β» Chocolate Cream Cake with Ricotta!

Chocolate Cream Cake with Ricotta!

April 14, 2019 , Updated July 19, 2019 Maria 18 Comments

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A slice of Chocolate Cream Cake with strawberries on a white serving plate.

This flourless Chocolate Cream Cake with a luscious ricotta filling is the perfect dessert for any holiday celebration. A gluten-free cake with a chocolate ganache frosting… simply irresistible! 

A slice of Chocolate Cream Cake on a white serving plate.
Chocolate Cream Cake

This post was originally published on February 14, 2016 and republished on April 14, 2019 with updated content, photos and a video. Thanks for watching and sharing!

What would you say if I told you that this is a gluten-free cake?

It’s true!

Three layers of flourless chocolate cake brushed with a rum syrup, with layers of whipped ricotta all covered with a thick chocolate ganache.

It tastes as good as it looks and it makes the perfect dessert for any special occasion.

What do you need to make Chocolate Cream Cake?

  • Eggs. We need to separate them.
  • Vanilla extract. No imitation.
  • Cocoa powder. Dutch processed.
  • Sugar. Just to sweeten things up a little.
  • Rum. Just a touch.
  • Ricotta. The perfect pairing with chocolate.
  • Light cream. Just a couple of tablespoons.
  • Chocolate chips. Regular or the mini ones.
  • Whipping cream. A little bit of decadence for the ganache.
  • Chocolate. Semi-sweet or dark.
  • Butter. Just a pat.

Using a stand mixer facilitates the whisking of the egg whites. You need a sheet pan lined with parchment paper to bake the cake. 

Slices of chocolate cream cake can be seen on white plates, served with strawberries.

How to Make Chocolate Cream Cake:

Although there are four parts to this chocolate ricotta cake, the recipe comes together rather quickly. 

Part 1:The Flourless Chocolate Cake:

Line a 15 x 10 inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper and set aside. 

Egg whites are in the bowl of a stand mixer, about to be whisked.

Separate the 6 eggs. Place the egg whites in the bowl of your stand mixture; place the egg yolks in a separate bowl.

With the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until you get to the soft peak stage.

Meanwhile, add the vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) to the egg yolks. Combine and set aside.

Whisk together the cocoa powder (2/3 cups) with the granulated sugar (1/3 cup). Set aside.

Once the egg whites have reached the soft peak stage, slowly add the sugar (1/3 cup) and whisk until they are stiff and glossy.

Add the cocoa/sugar mixture to the egg yolks and combine. Please note this is a stiff batter. 

Add about a cup of egg whites to the batter and mix together. Notice the batter getting a little lighter. 

The whipped egg whites are being folded in the chocolate batter.

Slowly incorporate the rest of the egg whites by folding gently.

The chocolate batter is being spread evenly on the sheet pan.

Spread the batter in the prepared jelly roll pan and bake in a preheated oven (350ΒΊF/180ΒΊC) for about 20 minutes or until the cake springs back when the top is gently pressed.

In the meantime, prepare the rum syrup and the ricotta filling.

Part 2: The Rum Syrup:

Whisk together the sugar (1/3 cup) and water (1/4 cup) in a small saucepan.

Bring the solution to a boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for about 1 minute.  Remove from heat and add the rum (2 tablespoons).

Transfer to a shallow bowl and set aside.

Make sure to cool to room temperature before brushing on the cake.

 

An overhead shot of a bowl of whipped ricotta next to a bowl of chocolate chips.

Part 3: The Ricotta Cream:

Place the drained ricotta (400 grams) in a bowl and whisk for a couple of minutes. Add the light cream (2 tablespoons) and the sugar (2 tablespoons) and whisk to incorporate together. 

Fold in the chocolate chips (1/3 cup). Set aside.

Part 4: The Ganache Topping:

This easy ganache recipe might be familiar to you. It is the same one I used for this Chocolate Banana Cake recipe.

Whipping cream and pieces of chocolate about to be whisked together to make the chocolate ganache frosting.
Super easy and quick to put together – just heat up the whipping cream (3/4 cup) with the butter (1 tablespoon) and once it’s nice and hot, add it to the chocolate (8 ounces) and whisk. Use a heatproof bowl.

The chocolate will melt, and then it’s just a matter of waiting 5 minutes and whisking it briskly to get the right consistency.

If the ganache does not firm up, place it in the fridge for about 5 minutes.

Cake Assembly:

Once the cake has cooled for about 5 minutes, loosen the sides and invert on a clean tea towel that has been sprinkled with icing sugar.

Remove the parchment paper by pulling it back.

Cut the cake into thirds.

Place one of the pieces on your serving platter. Brush the rum syrup over the entire surface.

The whipped ricotta filling is being spread over the chocolate layers.

Spread 1/2 of the ricotta cream on this bottom layer.

Place the second piece of cake on the ricotta cream and brush with the rum syrup. Spread the rest of the ricotta filling.

Place the third piece of cake over the ricotta filling and if desired brush with the rum syrup.

The ganache frosting is about to be spread over the entire Chocolate Cream Cake.

Whisk the ganache one more time and spread over the entire cake.

Keep refrigerated and covered until ready to be served. Can be made 24 hours in advance.

A slice of Chocolate Cream cake with strawberries on a white plate.

Tips, Tricks and Recipe Notes:

  • Drain the ricotta. You risk getting a wet mixture which will “leak” once you put your cake together if the ricotta has too much moisture.
  • Use good quality chocolate. If you want to create an intense chocolate flavor you need to use the real thing. Chocolate chips will not do.
  • Allow the cake to come to room temperature after it is baked. Since both the layers of ricotta and the chocolate topping are heat sensitive, do not start assembling the cake until it is at room temperature.

What is the soft peak stage? When placing the egg beaters upright, the egg whites will curl downwards.

What are stiff peaks? When lifting the egg beaters the egg whites stand straight upright forming a stiff peak. 

What can I use to replace the rum? A teaspoon of vanilla extract is a great replacement.

How do you store this chocolate cake? Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

Easy Chocolate Desserts we Love:

Dark Chocolate Pudding

Healthy Chocolate Brownies (GF)

Chocolate Surprise Cupcakes 

 

Origin of the recipe for Chocolate Cream Cake:

In what seemed like a very long time ago, I used to subscribe to a Canadian Magazine called Homemaker’s.

The “cake part” of this recipe is adapted from the Jan/Feb 1999 issue. The original recipe had a whipped cream filling which I swapped for a ricotta based filling.

You and your family will love everything about this cake.

A chocolate layer cake with ricotta cheese and a chocolate ganache glaze… the perfect dessert. 

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

β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… 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!

 

A close up of a Chocolate layer cake with ricotta filling.

Chocolate Cream Cake

This flourless Chocolate Cream Cake with a luscious ricotta filling is the perfect dessert for any holiday celebration. A gluten free cake with a chocolate ganache frosting... simply irresistible! 
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: chocolate cream cake recipe, Chocolate ricotta cream cake
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 396kcal
Author: Maria Vannelli RD

Ingredients

The Flour-less Cake:

  • 6 eggs separated
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pure
  • 2/3 cup cocoa powder, dutch processed 55 grams, sifted, unsweetened
  • 2/3 sugar granulated (separated)

The Rum Syrup:

  • 1/3 cup sugar granulated
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons Rum

The Ricotta Cream:

  • 400 grams ricotta drained
  • 2 tablespoons light cream
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips dark, mini

The Chocolate Ganache Frosting:

  • 8 oz semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
  • 3/4 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. Set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 350Β°F (180 Β°C)
  • In a small mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks and vanilla extract.
  • In a separate bowl, combine cocoa and 1/3 sugar. Set aside.
  • With an electric mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
  • Gradually add the 1/3 cup of sugar and continue to beat until stiff peak forms. Set aside.
  • Add the cocoa-sugar mixture to the egg yolks. Whisk together until smooth.
  • Add a couple of tablespoons of the egg whites to this mixture and stir together (this will lighten the batter).
  • Add the remainder of the egg whites and fold together.
  • Spread batter evenly in jelly roll pan.
  • Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed.
  • Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.
  • Invert on tea towel which had been sprinkled with icing sugar.
  • Peel off parchment paper.
  • When completely cool, cut into thirds.

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 Cream

  • Combine all the ingredients for the filling.
  • 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.
  • Immediately combine with the chocolate and let stand for about 5 minutes. In the meanwhile, start assembling the cake.

The Assembly:

  • Place 1 piece of cake on your serving plate.
  • Brush the rum syrup over top.
  • Spread 1/2 of the ricotta filling.
  • Place another piece of cake on the ricotta layer.
  • Brush more rum syrup over the top.
  • Spread the rest of the ricotta filling.
  • Place last layer of cake on the ricotta filling.
  • Brush top layer of chocolate cake with syrup.
  • Whisk together the ganache filling until smooth.
  • Spread over cake.
  • Decorate with chocolate shavings (optional).
  • Store leftover cake in the refrigerator,
Scroll UP for the STEP by STEP PhotosDon't miss the process shots and videos included in most posts. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.

Video

Notes

  • Drain the ricotta. You risk getting a wet mixture which will "leak" once you put your cake together if the ricotta has too much moisture.
  • Use good quality chocolate. If you want to create an intense chocolate flavor you need to use the real thing. Chocolate chips will not do.
  • Allow the cake to come to room temperature after it is baked. Since both the layers of ricotta and the chocolate topping are heat sensitive, do not start assembling the cake until it is at room temperature.
What is the soft peak stage?Β When placing the egg beaters upright, the egg whites will curl downwards.
What are stiff peaks?Β When lifting the egg beaters the egg whites stand straight upright forming a stiff peak.Β 
What can I use to replace the rum? A teaspoon of vanilla extract is a great replacement.
How do you store this chocolate cake? Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used.Β 
*adapted from Homemaker's Magazine

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 396kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 150mg | Sodium: 118mg | Potassium: 322mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 660IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 194mg | Iron: 1.8mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @shelovesbiscotti or tag #shelovesbiscotti!

This post was originally published on February 14, 2016 and republished on April 14, 2019 with updated content, photos and a video. Thanks for watching and sharing!

An overhead shot of a slice of chocolate cream cake.

 

Desserts chocolate, cocoa, ricotta, rum

About Maria

Maria Vannelli is a registered dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

Comments

  1. Karen (Back Road Journal) says

    April 30, 2019 at 16:33

    I’ve pinned your delicious looking and sounding chocolate cake and can’t wait to make it.

    Reply
    • Maria says

      May 1, 2019 at 08:50

      Thanks so much Karen! This Chocolate Cream Cake is truly a great dessert. Thanks so much for stopping by.

      Reply
  2. Paula Barbarito-Levitt says

    April 19, 2019 at 10:50

    What a wonderful recipe for any occasion. Your tips are the essential element for success, thank you for including them.

    Reply
    • Maria says

      April 19, 2019 at 10:57

      My pleasure Paula. Such an easy and spectacular dessert, sure to please all who taste it. Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  3. 2pots2cook says

    April 18, 2019 at 12:45

    5 stars
    My oh my ! Keeper definitely !

    Reply
    • Maria says

      April 19, 2019 at 08:07

      Thanks so much, enjoy!

      Reply
  4. Marcellina says

    April 18, 2019 at 08:28

    5 stars
    Maria, I really love the flavour combination in this cake. And it presents so well. Stunning!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      April 19, 2019 at 08:09

      Thank you Marcellina. It has quickly become a family favourite throughout the year.

      Reply
  5. Ur pal val says

    April 27, 2018 at 19:45

    5 stars
    Rum, chocolate and ricotta… great combination!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      April 28, 2018 at 07:53

      This is really a fantastic cake… full of flavors. Hope you get a chance to try it. Thanks for stopping by πŸ™‚

      Reply
  6. Sean says

    March 25, 2016 at 17:40

    Really cool, and really different. I mean, the cake alone looks really amazing, and I can’t believe it’s flourless, but the fact that you used ricotta to fill it is… well, I was going to say the icing on the cake, but that’s not quite right now is it? In any case, it’s spectacular!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      March 25, 2016 at 19:22

      Thanks Sean! Ricotta and chocolate complement each other so well. But then again, I’m biased πŸ™‚ Thanks for taking the time to comment. Appreciate it!

      Reply
  7. Janice says

    March 25, 2016 at 15:49

    I love chocolate cakes that have been brushed with boozy rum syrups. So good!
    The cake layers have an impressive texture even though they are flourless. Really nice. It’s hard to achieve a decent structure like that without flour (which is why gluten-free baking can be so tough). Great job!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      March 25, 2016 at 18:38

      Thanks Janice…it’s all about the eggs! Appreciate the comment πŸ™‚

      Reply
  8. Alanna @ One Tough Cookie says

    March 25, 2016 at 15:21

    This look soooooooo yummy! Love the addition of ricotta to this recipe. I’ll definitely be bookmarking for the next time my sweet tooth hits!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      March 25, 2016 at 18:41

      Thanks Alanna! In my books, ricotta just makes everything better. Thanks for taking the time to comment πŸ™‚

      Reply
  9. Amanda says

    March 25, 2016 at 15:14

    Now this is a celebration-worthy dessert! Ricotta cheese annnd chocolate? Sign me up!

    Reply
    • Maria says

      March 25, 2016 at 18:43

      Welcome to the club Amanda! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment πŸ™‚

      Reply

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Hello and Welcome to She Loves Biscotti!
I'm Maria: dietitian and full time content creator. Join me as I share traditional Italian recipes from my youth, to modern twists on classics using fresh and seasonal ingredients.

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