Italian Love Cake

I've seen this recipe posted on a billion different sites so I am not sure who to credit it to.

I'll just say that we didn't come up with it BUT we sure will be making it again. 

It is sooooo easy and was a super big hit at our mom's senior's center Valentine's party. 

The combination of flavors and textures are out of this world - making for a very chocolaty, very smooth, very moist cake.

Want to know something cool about this cake?

The layers change places while it bakes. 

Not even lying. It's very neat.

As for the Italian part of it...... I'm guessing it is because you use Ricotta cheese. Kind of a weird ingredient but whomever decided to use it to create this was a super genius. 

Italian Love Cake

Ingredients

Cake Layer

1 pkg Chocolate Cake Mix 

PLUS THE INGREDIENTS TO MAKE IT AS PER THE PACKAGE DIRECTIONS!

Ricotta Layer

2 X 500 gr containers Ricotta Cheese

4 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla

Mousse Frosting

1 pkg Chocolate Pudding (4 serving size)

1 cup milk

1/2 tub (1 lt container) Cool Whip

Directions

Prepare cake layer - Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9 X 13 pan with cooking spray, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the chocolate cake as per package instructions. Pour into prepared 9 X 13 pan.

Prepare ricotta layer - Using an electric mixer, beat the Ricotta cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

Pour the Ricotta layer as evenly as you can over the cake layer. (Do NOT pour it all in the center! Try to pour it evenly over the entire surface.)

Bake at 350 for approx an hour. (Toothpick inserted near center should come out clean.)

Let cool on wire rack until completely cool.

Prepare mousse frosting - In a medium mixing bowl, slowly whisk the milk into the pudding powder. (Add about 1/4 cup of milk at a time so there are no lumps!)

Once smooth, whisk in the Cool Whip until well combined.

Spread on top of cake.

Cover and chill until ready to serve (at least 5 - 6 hours but overnight is fine too).

Best served slightly chilled.

See how the layers switched? Pretty cool, right? Mine looks a little marbled in places because that's where I didn't pour the batter evenly. Don't worry if your doesn't completely switch around, it should still taste fabulous. 

Oh, yeah, a quick note - When you pour the batter in it almost completely fills the pan. I was a little panicked about it overflowing so I placed a cookie sheet beneath the cake just in case. 

It didn't overflow. 

I would recommend placing a cookie sheet underneath if you are worried it might overflow. 

 

 

Be sure to visit these fun blogs for tons of great links - Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons, My Turn (for us), Simple Life of a Fire Wife, Memories By The Mile, Barnabas Lane,