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Love Cake

lovecakeWhile this cake is named teh Italian Love Cake, I doubt very much that Italians had anything to do with it. It is more likely that American-Italians had their hands in it. At first, I was put off by the need for cake mix and pudding mix, until I discovered the homemade from scratch equivalents. The combination of sweet chocolate, rich cream cheese and pudding makes the cake more delicious and seductive than ever.

Chocolate Cake:
1 (15.25 oz) pkg instant chocolate cake mix
1.25 cups water
½ cup oil
3 eggs

Filling:
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 lbs ricotta cheese
4 eggs

Frosting:
1 (3.9 oz) pkg instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup milk, cold
16 oz frozen whipped topping

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C/155°C fan, Gas Mark 3). Line a 9x13" baking pan with parchment paper and butter or spray with a thin layer of oil to prevent sticking.

Prepare the Cake Batter:
Place the cake in a large mixing bowl and combine it according to the package directions. Pour the batter into the baking tray and spread it out uniformly (do not bake yet).

Prepare the Filling:
In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese and sugar, then beat with an electric mixer until the two ingreďïệnts are mixed. Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the mixing bowl, one at a time and continue to beat until the mixture is moist, smooth, and light in colour.

Pour the cheese mixture on top of the dough and spread it evenly.

Put the cake in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour. Once the cake is done, take it out of the oven and let it cool.

Prepare the Frosting:
In a mixing bowl, combine the pudding and milk and whisk with an electric mixer until well combined and a slightly thick mixture forms (~ 12 minutes) for frosting, whisking the pudding and milk mixture until combined and slightly thickened (~ 1-2 minutes).

Spread the cooled cake with the frosting. Refrigerate the cake for at least 6 hours before serving.

Cook's Notes:

  • This cake tastes best after it has been refrigerated for one night. If you have leftovers after eating, keep the cake in the refrigerator to prevent the topping from melting.
  • You should make this cake at least 1-2 days ahead of time to allow it to cool and heal before serving.
  • Check the package of cake mix to see what ingredients are needed to make the dough. Different labels necessitate a different set of ingredients.
  • To improve the flavour of the cake, you can add vanilla, lemon, or strawberry extract.