Description
A rich and moist Double Chocolate Ricotta Marble Cake featuring swirls of chocolate and vanilla batters, combining creamy ricotta cheese with semi-sweet chocolate chips for an indulgent Italian-American dessert perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup hot water
- 1 ½ sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Additional Ingredients
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
- Create Cocoa Paste: In a small bowl, stir the unsweetened cocoa powder with the hot water until smooth, then set aside to cool slightly.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter with granulated and brown sugars using a mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add Ricotta and Eggs: Beat the ricotta cheese into the creamed butter mixture until smooth. Then, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, followed by the vanilla extract.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing gently just until blended to avoid overmixing.
- Divide and Flavor: Divide the batter evenly into two bowls. Stir the cocoa paste into one half along with the semi-sweet chocolate chips, creating the chocolate batter.
- Layer and Marble: Alternate spoonfuls of the plain and chocolate batters into the prepared loaf pan. Use a knife to gently swirl the batters together, creating a marbled effect.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- You can substitute part-skim ricotta, but whole milk ricotta provides a richer, creamier texture.
- For an extra indulgent finish, drizzle the cooled cake with melted chocolate or dust with powdered sugar before serving.
- This cake freezes well; wrap tightly and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
