Naples bakers drain ricotta overnight through cheesecloth, removing excess whey so this cake sets creamy instead of turning into soup.
Creamy Ricotta Cake
Indulge in a luscious ricotta cake that’s bursting with rich chocolate chips and a whisper of sweetness! This delightful treat combines the creamy texture of ricotta with the perfect balance of flavors, making every bite a heavenly experience. Whip it up easily for a crowd-pleasing dessert that’s sure to impress!
Prep
15
min
Cook
40
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This Roman cheesecake's ancestor dates back to 160 BC when Cato the Elder wrote down Italy's first ricotta cake recipe, centuries before New York ever slapped cream cheese into a springform tin—so next time someone bangs on about Brooklyn cheesecake, remind them the Romans were doing this during the Punic Wars, armed with sheep's milk ricotta and absolutely no concept of Philadelphia-brand anything.
Regional Twist
In Naples, bakers swap half the gocce di cioccolato for candied citron and lace the ricotta with orange blossom water, turning this humble pan into something closer to a stripped-back pastiera, Campania's Easter showstopper.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 1 uovo
- 500 g di ricotta vaccina (17.6 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 80 g di gocce di cioccolato (2.82 oz)
- Zucchero a velo qboptional
- 100 di zucchero (0.5 cup)
📦Other(1)
- 50 g di fecola (1.76 oz)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
462
Protein
14g
Carbs
56g
Fat
21g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix the ricotta with the sugar, egg, fecola, and chocolate chips.
- 2
Pour the mixture into a 20 cm baking pan lined with parchment paper.
- 3
Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes.
- 4
Remove from the oven, let cool, and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Press your ricotta through a fine-mesh sieve before mixing to break up curds and increase surface area by ~30%, creating a smoother crumb structure and preventing grainy texture in the finished cake.technique30% increased surface area
- ✓Warm your ricotta to 18-20°C (room temperature) before mixing because cold ricotta won't fully incorporate with eggs, reducing emulsification and causing a dense, separated crumb.ingredient18-20°C
- ✓Bake at 170°C instead of 180°C for 45-48 minutes because ricotta cakes are prone to overbaking; the lower temperature allows carryover cooking to reach 82°C internal temp without drying the delicate custard-like structure.timing170°C for 45-48 minutes, 82°C internal
- ✓Toast your chocolate chips in a 160°C oven for 3-4 minutes before folding in to reduce moisture content by ~5%, preventing them from bleeding cocoa butter into the batter and maintaining defined pockets.technique160°C for 3-4 minutes, 5% moisture reduction
- ✓Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting because ricotta cakes need time for the pectin network to set; removing too early causes the soft crumb to collapse and shed moisture.timing15 minutes in-pan cooling
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
40
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Naples bakers drain ricotta overnight through cheesecloth, removing excess whey so this cake sets creamy instead of turning into soup.
Creamy Ricotta Cake
Indulge in a luscious ricotta cake that’s bursting with rich chocolate chips and a whisper of sweetness! This delightful treat combines the creamy texture of ricotta with the perfect balance of flavors, making every bite a heavenly experience. Whip it up easily for a crowd-pleasing dessert that’s sure to impress!
The Story
This Roman cheesecake's ancestor dates back to 160 BC when Cato the Elder wrote down Italy's first ricotta cake recipe, centuries before New York ever slapped cream cheese into a springform tin—so next time someone bangs on about Brooklyn cheesecake, remind them the Romans were doing this during the Punic Wars, armed with sheep's milk ricotta and absolutely no concept of Philadelphia-brand anything.
Regional Twist
In Naples, bakers swap half the gocce di cioccolato for candied citron and lace the ricotta with orange blossom water, turning this humble pan into something closer to a stripped-back pastiera, Campania's Easter showstopper.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 1 uovo
- 500 g di ricotta vaccina (17.6 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 80 g di gocce di cioccolato (2.82 oz)
- Zucchero a velo qboptional
- 100 di zucchero (0.5 cup)
📦Other(1)
- 50 g di fecola (1.76 oz)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
462
Protein
14g
Carbs
56g
Fat
21g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix the ricotta with the sugar, egg, fecola, and chocolate chips.
- 2
Pour the mixture into a 20 cm baking pan lined with parchment paper.
- 3
Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes.
- 4
Remove from the oven, let cool, and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Press your ricotta through a fine-mesh sieve before mixing to break up curds and increase surface area by ~30%, creating a smoother crumb structure and preventing grainy texture in the finished cake.technique30% increased surface area
- ✓Warm your ricotta to 18-20°C (room temperature) before mixing because cold ricotta won't fully incorporate with eggs, reducing emulsification and causing a dense, separated crumb.ingredient18-20°C
- ✓Bake at 170°C instead of 180°C for 45-48 minutes because ricotta cakes are prone to overbaking; the lower temperature allows carryover cooking to reach 82°C internal temp without drying the delicate custard-like structure.timing170°C for 45-48 minutes, 82°C internal
- ✓Toast your chocolate chips in a 160°C oven for 3-4 minutes before folding in to reduce moisture content by ~5%, preventing them from bleeding cocoa butter into the batter and maintaining defined pockets.technique160°C for 3-4 minutes, 5% moisture reduction
- ✓Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting because ricotta cakes need time for the pectin network to set; removing too early causes the soft crumb to collapse and shed moisture.timing15 minutes in-pan cooling