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There seems to be a "Marry Me" version of almost everything these days, but after one bite of this fabulous chocolate cake with its creamy ricotta layer and silky chocolate frosting, I decided this dessert definitely deserved that descriptive moniker!
With Scott and me celebrating our 50th anniversary this month and preparing for a trip to Italy, this cake seemed especially fitting. It's unbelievably delicious and honestly, quite magical!
Magical? Yes! As the cake bakes, the layers switch places all by themselves, creating a beautiful dessert that looks far more complicated than it really is.
What Does "Marry Me" Mean?
If you've been following food trends over the past 5-10 years, you've probably noticed quite a few "Marry Me" recipes popping up. The idea is simple: the dish is so delicious that it just might inspire a marriage proposal!
It all began with the wildly popular Marry Me Chicken recipe, and since then, cooks have created "Marry Me" versions of everything from pasta and soups to desserts.
So when this Italian Love Cake disappeared in record time and had everyone rolling their eyes with delight, it seemed only fitting to give it the "Marry Me" treatment. Rich, moist chocolate cake, a creamy ricotta layer, and silky smooth chocolate frosting make this Marry Me Italian Love Cake especially incredibly hard to resist!
We've joined the fun ourselves over the years with our Marry Me Chicken, Marry Me Chicken and Spinach Risotto, and our longtime reader favorite, I Want to Marry You Chocolate Chip Cookies.
What Is Italian Love Cake?
Italian Love Cake is a classic Italian-American dessert made with two distinct layers: a rich chocolate cake and a creamy ricotta layer that's similar to cheesecake. One of the most magical things about Italian Love Cake is that the layers switch places as the cake bakes, creating a beautiful layered dessert with very little effort.
Most Italian Love Cake recipes you'll find online begin with a boxed chocolate cake mix and are topped with a frosting made from instant chocolate pudding and whipped topping. Other versions call for frosting that requires an electric mixer and lots of whipping.
I wanted to create a Marry Me Italian Love Cake that was completely from scratch yet just as easy to make. The chocolate cake batter comes together in minutes with simple pantry ingredients, and the silky chocolate frosting can be whisked together by hand, no cake mix, no pudding mix, no artificial ingredients, and no electric mixer required.
The result is everything we love about traditional Italian Love Cake: rich chocolate flavor, a creamy ricotta layer, and those magical layers that switch places while baking. But it also tastes completely homemade, which makes this chocolate ricotta cake even more special.
What You'll Need
One of the things I love most about this Marry Me Italian Love Cake is that each component uses simple ingredients that are easy to find. Nothing fancy here-just a handful of pantry staples that come together to create something truly special.
For the Chocolate Cake
The chocolate cake layer comes together with everyday baking ingredients like flour, sugar, cocoa powder, milk, oil, and eggs. A little brewed coffee deepens the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee.
For the Ricotta Layer
Whole-milk ricotta is the star of this creamy layer. Combined with sugar, eggs, and vanilla, it creates a rich, cheesecake-like filling that makes this Italian Love Cake so unique.
For the Chocolate Frosting
The silky chocolate frosting is made with butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a splash of half-and-half. A small amount of corn syrup is optional, but highly recommended as it creates an exceptionally smooth, glossy frosting. I use Karo syrup, which is not high-fructose corn syrup. If you'd rather leave it out, the frosting will still be delicious.
How to Make Marry Me Italian Love Cake
This Italian Love Cake may look impressive, but it's actually quite simple to make. First, whisk together the chocolate cake batter and pour it into the prepared pan. Next, whisk together the creamy ricotta layer and gently pour it over the chocolate batter.
As the cake bakes, the layers magically switch places, creating the cake's beautiful signature look.
Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the silky chocolate frosting over the top. The result is a rich chocolate ricotta cake that's perfect for special occasions, holidays, or anytime you want a truly memorable dessert.
One of the wonderful things about this Marry Me Italian Love Cake is that it can easily be made ahead. The cake can be baked a day in advance and frosted the following day. It also freezes beautifully. Simply thaw the cake completely, frost it, and serve.
Add this Italian Love Cake to your "must make" list!
Some desserts are delicious, and some are memorable. This Marry Me Italian Love Cake is definitely both. With its rich chocolate cake, creamy ricotta layer, and silky frosting, it's the kind of dessert that makes people pause after the first bite and ask for the recipe. Whether you're celebrating something special or simply making an ordinary day feel a little more festive, I hope this Italian Love Cake finds a place in your recipe collection for years to come.
- The chocolate cake ingredient list calls for coffee. Don't worry, the cake won't taste like coffee! Coffee simply deepens the chocolate flavor. If you prefer, water also works.
- I use whole milk ricotta as it creates a creamy, smooth layer that's similar to cheesecake. Part-skim ricotta can be a bit grainy.
- This batter is thinner than most cake batters. But that's exactly how it should look!
- I like to use a small measuring cup to scoop up the ricotta mixture and gently distribute it over the chocolate batter, starting around the outer edge of the pan and working toward the center. Try to cover as much of the chocolate batter as possible, but don't worry if a few small spots remain uncovered.
- Use the foil trick! Pulling the foil up around the sides of the pan during the second half of baking helps prevent the cake from drying out and keeps the edges nice and moist.
- An instant-read thermometer is your best friend. The center of the cake should register 200-205ËšF (93-96ËšC) when fully baked.
- A splash of corn syrup in the icing is optional but recommended! A small amount of light corn syrup gives the frosting a silky smooth texture and a slight sheen. I use Karo syrup, which is not high-fructose corn syrup.
- A metal spoon or small whisk makes sifting easier. Stirring the powdered sugar mixture through the sieve helps it sift quickly and easily.
- Cool the cake completely before frosting. This gives you the prettiest finished cake and prevents the frosting from becoming too soft.
- The cake can be baked a day ahead and frosted the following day. In fact, many people think the flavor is even better the next day.
- This cake freezes well, both frosted and unfrosted.
- The cake batter, ricotta layer, and the chocolate frosting can be mixed by hand with a whisk. If you prefer to use a mixer, that's fine!
- This cake is fine at room temperature for several hours, but if it's going to be longer, it should be covered and refrigerated. For the best flavor and texture, let it sit at room temperature for 30-40 minutes before serving.
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Marry Me Italian Love Cake
Ingredients
For the chocolate cake layer:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk
- ÂĽ cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup cooled coffee, or water
For the Ricotta Layer
- 15 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese
- â…“ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- â…› teaspoon kosher salt
For the Chocolate Frosting:
- 2 cups powdered sugar, plus more if needed
- ÂĽ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup very soft butter, I use salted butter
- 3 tablespoons half-and-half, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup, I use Karo, which is not high-fructose corn syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Prep:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a sheet pan with a large piece of foil, leaving plenty of overhang on all sides. Don't wrap the foil around the pan yet; you'll pull it up around the cake later while it bakes.
- Spray a 9-inch round cake pan generously with baking spray. Use a paper towel to spread the spray evenly over the bottom and sides. Spray the bottom lightly one more time, then line it with a round of parchment paper. The extra spray helps keep the parchment securely in place.
- If using coffee (highly recommended), brew ½ cup and set aside to cool.
Mix the batter:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the milk, oil, egg, vanilla, and cooled coffee. Whisk until the batter is smooth and well combined. The batter will be thinner than most cake batters; that's exactly what you want.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and set aside.
Make the ricotta layer:
- In a clean medium-large bowl (I just wash out the same bowl), whisk together the ricotta, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt until smooth and creamy.
- Scoop up the ricotta mixture and pour it over the chocolate batter, beginning around the outer edge of the pan and working toward the center. Try to cover as much of the chocolate batter as possible, but don't worry if a few small spots remain uncovered.
Bake the cake:
- Place the cake pan on the foil-lined sheet pan, leaving the foil flat for now. Bake for 35 minutes.
- Carefully pull the foil up around the sides of the cake pan. This simple step helps keep the cake moist and prevents the edges from drying out.
- Continue baking for 20-25 minutes, or until the center no longer jiggles when gently shaken. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean, but the most reliable way to test for doneness is with an instant-read thermometer. The center of the cake should register 200-205°F (93-96°C).
Cool the cake:
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a parchment-lined cooling rack. (The parchment prevents the warm cake from sticking to a cooling rack and protects its beautiful surface.) Peel off the parchment from the cake and discard it.
- Allow the cake to cool completely. Once cooled, invert the cake again onto a serving platter or cake stand and frost.
Make the Chocolate Frosting:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Set aside.
- Place the softened butter in a medium-large bowl and whisk vigorously for 30-45 seconds until smooth and creamy.
- Slowly whisk in the half-and-half, corn syrup, and vanilla. Whisk until silky smooth.
- Set a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl. Add about half of the powdered sugar mixture to the sieve and sift it into the butter mixture, tapping gently as needed. (I like to use a metal spoon or small whisk to stir the powdered sugar mixture in the sieve, which helps it sift more quickly.)
- Stir with a spatula until smooth and creamy. Sift in the remaining powdered sugar mixture, discarding any small lumps left in the sieve. Stir until completely incorporated and smooth.
Adjust the consistency:
- The frosting should be soft, creamy, and easily spreadable. If it's too thick, add additional half-and-half, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the perfect consistency. If it's too thin, add a little more powdered sugar until thickened.
- Spread the frosting over the completely cooled cake. I like to spread the icing thick, then use the back of a regular-size flatware spoon to make swirls in the icing.
- Slice, serve, and prepare for compliments (and possibly a marriage proposal or two!).
Notes
Ricotta: Whole-milk ricotta gives the smoothest, creamiest texture.
Corn syrup: Light corn syrup is optional but helps create a silky frosting. Karo syrup is not high-fructose corn syrup.
Nutrition
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Milan, Rome, Venice and Tuscany
Have a wonderful time! My grandparents were from Milan,,,so I did guess that. I'm adding Naples and the Amalfi coast....my daughter went there and LOVED it. She also went to Sicily-loved the food but not the area.
Have fun in Italy!! Are you going to Rome?