• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
She Loves Biscotti
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About Maria
  • My Store
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Desserts » Chocolate Cream Cake with Ricotta

    Chocolate Cream Cake with Ricotta

    April 14, 2019 , Updated February 3, 2022 Maria 26 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    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.

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

    Would you also be surprised if I told you that there is no actual cream in the filling?

    It’s true!

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

    I can’t wait to share one of my favorite ricotta cheese recipes will all of you today! 

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

    Ingredients

    • Eggs. We need to separate them.
    • Vanilla extract. No imitation.
    • Cocoa powder. Dutch-processed.
    • Sugar. 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.

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

    Instructions

    Although there are four parts, the recipe comes together rather quickly. 

    Part 1: The batter

    Line a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan with parchment paper and set it 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 reach the soft peak stage.

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

    Whisk 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 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. 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 (350ºF/180ºC) for about 20 minutes or until it 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 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 individual layers.

     

    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 choco 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 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 – heat 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.

    After it melts, 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 into thirds.

    Place one of the pieces on your serving platter, crush 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 on the ricotta cream and brush with the rum syrup. Spread the rest of the ricotta filling.

    Place the third piece 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 surface.

    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

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

    Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

    Easy chocolate desserts we love

    • Italian Ricotta Chocolate Tart
    • Dark Chocolate Pudding
    • Gluten-Free Brownie Recipe
    • Chocolate Surprise Cupcakes 
    • Marshmallow Fudge
    • Chocolate Pizza
    • Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies
    • Chocolate Bark Recipe

    Recipe inspiration

    In what seemed like a very long time ago, I had a subscription to a Canadian Magazine called Homemakers.

    This recipe’s “cake part” is adapted from the Jan/Feb 1999 issue.

    The original recipe had a whipped cream filling which I swapped for a ricotta-based filling. Sometimes, I use this cannoli dip recipe as a spread.

    You and your family will love everything about it.

    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.

    And if you are new here, welcome! You may want to sign up for my weekly e-mail newsletter. You can unsubscribe any time you want.

    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!

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

    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 5 votes
    Print Save RecipeSaved! Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 45 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    Servings: 10 servings
    Calories: 396kcal
    Author: Maria Vannelli RD
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    The Flour-less Cake:

    • 6 eggs separated
    • 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. Set aside.
    • Preheat oven to 350°F (180 °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 the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.
    • Invert on a tea towel that has been sprinkled with icing sugar.
    • Peel off the 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 section of cake on your serving plate.
    • Brush the rum syrup over top.
    • Spread 1/2 of the ricotta filling.
    • Place another section 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 the top layer off with syrup.
    • Whisk together the ganache filling until smooth.
    • Spread over cake.
    • Decorate with 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? 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 dessert? 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. 
    *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
    SIGN UP for Email updates!YES! Send me FREE RECIPES!

    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!

     

     

    • Facebook
    • Yummly
    • Reddit
    • Email

    Filed Under: Desserts, Ricotta Cheese

    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.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Diane Stewart

      March 01, 2020 at 10:52 pm

      hey Maria, i made this chocolate ricotta cake this past weekend for my friends birthday.
      Not only did it look spectacular but the taste was divine. it was smoothe ,and rich,and oh so chocolatey I use dmy own homemade ricotta, 70% semisweet chocolate, and Hersheys Dark cocoa .For this same evening I made peperonta stew , and chicken spedini, recipes also from your site ,
      All were fantastic . I added my own carrot top pesto pasta. All in all it was a dinner to remember.
      thank you for such great italian recipes.
      There is a pepper wine biscuit I remember from years ago. My grandmother made them but I cant find a recipe, are you familiar with them and do you have a recipe?

      love your site and your recipes , and appreciate thanks

      Reply
      • Maria

        April 23, 2020 at 10:24 pm

        Thanks so much for taking the time to share Diane! I truly appreciate it!
        I have a white wine anise taralli that you could probably switch the anise for pepper. You would have to play around with the total amount of pepper. Here is the link:https://www.shelovesbiscotti.com/crunchy-addictive-italian-anise-taralli/

        Reply
    2. Karen (Back Road Journal)

      April 30, 2019 at 4:33 pm

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

      Reply
      • Maria

        May 01, 2019 at 8:50 am

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

        Reply
    3. Paula Barbarito-Levitt

      April 19, 2019 at 10:50 am

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

      Reply
      • Maria

        April 19, 2019 at 10:57 am

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

        Reply
    4. 2pots2cook

      April 18, 2019 at 12:45 pm

      5 stars
      My oh my ! Keeper definitely !

      Reply
      • Maria

        April 19, 2019 at 8:07 am

        Thanks so much, enjoy!

        Reply
    5. Marcellina

      April 18, 2019 at 8:28 am

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

      Reply
      • Maria

        April 19, 2019 at 8:09 am

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

        Reply
    6. Ur pal val

      April 27, 2018 at 7:45 pm

      5 stars
      Rum, chocolate and ricotta… great combination!

      Reply
      • Maria

        April 28, 2018 at 7:53 am

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

        Reply
    7. Sean

      March 25, 2016 at 5:40 pm

      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

        March 25, 2016 at 7:22 pm

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

        Reply
    8. Janice

      March 25, 2016 at 3:49 pm

      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

        March 25, 2016 at 6:38 pm

        Thanks Janice…it’s all about the eggs! Appreciate the comment 🙂

        Reply
    9. Alanna @ One Tough Cookie

      March 25, 2016 at 3:21 pm

      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

        March 25, 2016 at 6:41 pm

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

        Reply
    10. Amanda

      March 25, 2016 at 3:14 pm

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

      Reply
      • Maria

        March 25, 2016 at 6:43 pm

        Welcome to the club Amanda! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment 🙂

        Reply
    Newer Comments »

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Maria from She loves biscotti

    Hi, I'm Maria! a 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.

    More about me →

    Subscribe and Follow

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • YouTube

    Italian Easter Recipes

    • Braided Easter loaves on a cooling rack.
      Italian Easter Sweet Bread Recipe: Pane di Pasqua
    • A slice of ricotta pie dusted with icing sugar and decorated with a slice lo lemon.
      Ricotta Pie: Perfect for Easter!
    • Rice ricotta Easter pie in a cake stand surrounded by oranges and lemons in the background.
      Rice Ricotta Easter Pie
    • Italian Easter Grain Pie on a cake stand.
      Pastiera Napoletana: Italian Easter Grain Pie
    Banner of sites featuring She Loves Biscotti including Buzzfeed, Huffpost, etc.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • About
    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 She Loves Biscotti

    Copyright © 2023

    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Read moreOkNo