Go Back
A delectable Italian Love Cake, ready to be served.

Classic Italian Love Cake

This Classic Italian Love Cake features a moist cake base topped with a rich, creamy ricotta filling, vanilla pudding, and a light whipped topping. It's a decadent dessert that's perfect for any occasion.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 12 slices
Calories 350 kcal

Equipment

  • oven
  • 9x13 inch baking dish
  • large bowl
  • whisk
  • wire rack

Ingredients
  

Cake

  • 1 box Boxed Yellow or White Cake Mix plus ingredients called for on the box, typically eggs, oil, and water or milk

Ricotta Filling

  • 2 lbs Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 4 Large Eggs
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Pudding and Topping

  • 1 packet Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix 3.4 oz
  • 2 cups Milk for the pudding, as directed on the pudding mix box
  • 1 container Whipped Topping e.g., Cool Whip), thawed (8 oz

Garnish (Optional)

  • Chocolate Shavings or Cocoa Powder

Instructions
 

Cake Base Preparation

  • Preheat oven and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish, then prepare the cake mix batter as directed on the box and pour it into the prepared dish.

Ricotta Filling Preparation

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.

Layering the Cake

  • Carefully spoon the ricotta cheese mixture over the unbaked cake batter in the baking dish; it will settle during baking.

Baking the Cake

  • Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the cake is golden and the center is set; the ricotta layer may still be slightly jiggly.

Cooling the Cake

  • Remove the cake from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack before adding the pudding layer.

Pudding Preparation

  • Once cooled, prepare the instant vanilla pudding according to package directions, whisking until it thickens.

Finishing and Chilling

  • Spread the prepared pudding over the cooled cake, then gently spread the thawed whipped topping over the pudding layer; chill for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, and garnish with chocolate shavings or cocoa powder if desired.

Notes

Ensure the cake is completely cooled before adding the pudding to prevent melting. Chilling the cake overnight allows the flavors to meld and the layers to set beautifully, yielding the best results.