Italian Love Cake Recipe
Experience pure joy with every bite of Italian Love Cake, a dessert that beautifully layers chocolate cake, creamy ricotta, and cloud-like chocolate pudding for a decadent treat that surprises you with every forkful. This crowd-pleasing classic has just the right balance of flavors and textures, thanks to a magical baking trick: the ricotta and chocolate layers switch places in the oven, creating a stunning, layered effect. Whether you’re serving it at a family gathering, a special celebration, or just because you crave something extraordinary, Italian Love Cake always delivers sweet memories and rave reviews.

Ingredients You’ll Need
The magic of Italian Love Cake comes from its simple yet essential lineup of ingredients. Each one contributes a unique quality, bringing together rich chocolate, silky cheese, and dreamy whipped topping for a showstopping dessert.
- Chocolate cake mix (1 box, 15.25 oz): The foundation of our cake, offering deep chocolatey flavor and tender crumb with minimal effort.
- Ingredients listed on the cake mix box (usually eggs, oil, water): These bring your boxed cake mix to life—don’t skip them!
- Ricotta cheese (2 lbs): The creamy star of the show, providing texture and taste that makes every slice irresistible.
- Granulated sugar (1 cup): Sweetens the ricotta layer and balances the cocoa richness.
- Large eggs (4): Help set the ricotta layer into a velvety custard as the cake bakes.
- Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon): Adds a fragrant warmth and depth to the cheese mixture.
- Instant chocolate pudding mix (1 package, 3.9 oz): Forms the luscious, creamy topping that sends this cake over the top.
- Cold milk (2 cups): Activates and thickens the pudding for a smooth, spreadable texture.
- Whipped topping (8 oz, thawed): Lightens the pudding layer, ladling a cloud of sweetness atop the finished cake.
How to Make Italian Love Cake
Step 1: Prep Your Pan and Oven
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F, making sure to give it enough time to reach the proper temperature. While it heats, grease a 9×13-inch baking dish generously with nonstick spray or a touch of butter. This step guarantees your Italian Love Cake slices come out cleanly and picture-perfect when it’s time to serve.
Step 2: Whip Up the Chocolate Cake Batter
Prepare the chocolate cake batter following the directions on the box—that means adding eggs, oil, and water as listed. Pour the batter into your greased baking dish, spreading it evenly from corner to corner. This will be the decadent base for our dessert.
Step 3: Mix the Ricotta Layer
In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat until everything is smooth and creamy, making sure to break up any lumps for a silky finish. This cheesy custard layer is what gives Italian Love Cake its distinct personality.
Step 4: Layer the Cheese Mixture
Next comes the magic! Carefully spoon the ricotta mixture over the chocolate cake batter, smoothing it gently but avoiding mixing the two layers. Don’t worry if it seems like it’s sitting on top; as it bakes, the layers will miraculously switch places, forming a gorgeous two-toned cake.
Step 5: Bake the Cake
Pop the pan in your hot oven and bake for about 60 minutes. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool completely on a wire rack—this is essential, as the cooling process helps the layers set perfectly.
Step 6: Make the Chocolate Pudding Topping
Once the cake is cool, whisk the instant chocolate pudding mix with cold milk in a large bowl. It’ll thicken quickly, so work briskly! Fold in the thawed whipped topping until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. This will become your final, creamy blanket over the cake.
Step 7: Layer On the Pudding and Chill
Spread the chocolate pudding mixture evenly across the cooled cake, making swoops and swirls with your spatula if you like. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (overnight is even better), allowing all those luscious layers to meld together. You’re officially ready to wow everyone with your Italian Love Cake.
How to Serve Italian Love Cake

Garnishes
A simple dusting of cocoa powder or a handful of chocolate shavings can take your Italian Love Cake to bakery-level beauty. Try sprinkling on mini chocolate chips, toasted chopped nuts, or even a few fresh raspberries for an extra splash of elegance and color.
Side Dishes
Since Italian Love Cake is so rich and indulgent, it pairs wonderfully with just a cup of strong espresso or fresh coffee. If you’re going all out, serve with a scoop of vanilla gelato or some berries on the side to balance the flavors with a fresh, light touch.
Creative Ways to Present
Want to make this dessert extra special? Slice the cake into neat squares and layer them in individual parfait glasses for a modern twist, or use a heart-shaped cutter for romantic occasions. Italian Love Cake is also stunning on a cake stand with a dome, ready to be the centerpiece of your dessert table.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover Italian Love Cake in the refrigerator, tightly covered or inside an airtight container. The flavors actually deepen and meld after a day, so don’t hesitate to make it in advance—it’s a perfect next-day treat!
Freezing
This cake freezes beautifully. To freeze, cut into portions and wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Thaw slices overnight in the fridge for best texture, and add the pudding layer after thawing for a just-made finish.
Reheating
Italian Love Cake is best enjoyed cold or at room temperature, so there’s no need to reheat. If you’d like a slightly softer texture, let your slice sit out for about 15 minutes before serving. No fuss, just ultimate creamy satisfaction!
FAQs
Can I use homemade chocolate cake instead of a box mix?
Absolutely! If you have a favorite homemade chocolate cake recipe, go ahead and use it as the base for your Italian Love Cake. Just make sure it fits a 9×13-inch pan, and follow the same assembly and layering steps.
Can I use part-skim ricotta cheese?
Yes, part-skim ricotta works well and lightens up the dessert a bit. The texture will still be creamy, but whole-milk ricotta lends extra richness if you’re going for ultimate indulgence.
How far in advance can I make Italian Love Cake?
You can make Italian Love Cake up to 2 days in advance. The flavors only improve with time, so prepping ahead makes this a fantastic dessert for parties and gatherings.
What other pudding flavors work with Italian Love Cake?
Chocolate pudding is classic, but feel free to try vanilla for a lighter finish or pistachio for a unique, nutty twist. Lemon pudding can also add a bright pop, turning your cake into a whole new treat!
Can I double the recipe for a crowd?
Certainly! Double the ingredients and use two 9×13-inch pans. The pan size is important for the layering to work correctly, so avoid going larger than this for even baking.
Final Thoughts
Italian Love Cake is pure delight from first glance to last bite—easy enough for beginners, yet beautiful and impressive for special occasions. If you want a dessert that’s luscious, unexpected, and always in demand, this cake is sure to become one of your go-to favorites. Gather your ingredients, give it a try, and get ready for compliments!
Print
Italian Love Cake Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes (plus chilling time)
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Indulge in the decadent layers of this Italian Love Cake, where rich chocolate cake meets creamy ricotta and luscious pudding. A heavenly dessert that’s a perfect blend of flavors and textures!
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 box (15.25 oz) chocolate cake mix plus ingredients listed on the box (usually eggs, oil, and water)
For the Ricotta Layer:
- 2 lbs ricotta cheese
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Pudding Layer:
- 1 package (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
- 2 cups cold milk
- 8 oz whipped topping, thawed
Instructions
- Prepare the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Prepare chocolate cake batter according to package directions and pour into the prepared dish.
- Make the Ricotta Layer: In a medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Spoon ricotta mixture evenly over the cake batter.
- Bake: Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
- Prepare the Pudding Layer: In a large bowl, whisk together chocolate pudding mix and cold milk until thickened. Fold in whipped topping until smooth.
- Assemble: Spread pudding mixture over the cooled cake. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
Notes
- This cake tastes even better the next day after the flavors have melded.
- You can use vanilla or pistachio pudding for a different twist.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking, Chilling
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 37 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg