Indulge in the rich, decadent experience of our Chocolate Italian Love Cake, a dessert that’s as delightful to make as it is to devour. This recipe demystifies classic Italian-American baking, offering a straightforward path to a show-stopping dessert perfect for any occasion, embodying the comfort and joy of homemade treats.
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Key Ingredients for Chocolate Italian Love Cake
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup hot water or hot brewed coffee
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Glaze:
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon butter
How to Make Chocolate Italian Love Cake
This Chocolate Italian Love Cake is a symphony of moist cocoa cake layered with a sweet, creamy filling and topped with a luscious chocolate glaze, proving that impressive desserts can be surprisingly simple. With a preparation time of just 25 minutes and a baking time of 30-35 minutes, you’ll be enjoying this deeply satisfying treat in no time.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan. This essential step ensures your cake layers will release cleanly and prevents sticking.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, unsweetened cocoa powder, and granulated sugar. Ensuring these ingredients are well combined prevents pockets of unmixed flour or cocoa in your finished cake.
- Add Wet Ingredients (Cake Batter): In a separate medium bowl, lightly beat the two large eggs. Then, whisk in the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until just combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer (or vigorously by hand with a whisk) until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a tough cake.
- Incorporate Hot Liquid: Gradually pour in the hot water or hot brewed coffee while mixing on low speed. The batter will be thin; this is normal and contributes to the cake’s moistness. Coffee enhances the chocolate flavor, so it’s a great option if you have some on hand.
- Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling: While the oven preheats and you prepare the cake batter, make the filling. In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and ½ cup of granulated sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and beat until well combined and no streaks remain.
- Assemble the Cake: Pour half of the chocolate cake batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly.
- Add the Filling: Carefully dollop spoonfuls of the cream cheese filling over the cake batter. Use the back of a spoon or a knife to gently swirl the cream cheese into the cake batter a bit, but don’t fully mix it in. This creates pockets of creamy goodness.
- Top with Remaining Batter: Pour the remaining chocolate cake batter over the cream cheese filling, gently spreading it to cover the filling completely.
- Bake: Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven.
- Cool the Cake: Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15-20 minutes before proceeding to the glaze. This allows the cake to set slightly.
- Prepare the Chocolate Glaze: In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the semi-sweet chocolate chips, heavy cream, and butter. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Alternatively, you can melt these ingredients in a double boiler.
- Glaze the Cake: Once the cake has cooled for the initial period, pour the warm chocolate glaze evenly over the top. Spread it with a spatula to ensure an even coating.
- Chill and Serve: Let the Chocolate Italian Love Cake cool completely to room temperature (or chill in the refrigerator for a firmer glaze) before slicing and serving. This allows the flavors to meld and the glaze to set.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Italian Love Cake
What makes this Chocolate Italian Love Cake an absolute showstopper is its perfect balance of rich, fudgy chocolate cake and a luxuriously creamy, subtly sweet cream cheese filling that melts in your mouth. It’s a dessert that feels incredibly special, yet it’s surprisingly economical to make at home. You save money by avoiding bakery prices and can experiment with premium ingredients for an even more decadent finish.
The moist, tender cake layers, combined with those delightful pockets of tangy cream cheese and finished with a glossy, intense chocolate glaze, create a flavor profile that’s simply irresistible. Think of it as a more accessible, incredibly satisfying version of a deeply layered chocolate torte, but with the added magic of that creamy surprise inside. Stop dreaming of decadent desserts and start baking – this Chocolate Italian Love Cake is calling your name!
Storing and Reheating Tips
Storing Leftovers:
- Refrigeration: Once the Chocolate Italian Love Cake has cooled completely, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. The cream cheese filling makes refrigeration essential to maintain freshness and prevent spoilage.
- Freezing: For longer storage, you can freeze whole cakes or individual slices. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, or place them in a freezer-safe container. Frozen cake can be kept for up to 2-3 months. Ensure it’s well-wrapped to prevent freezer burn.
Reheating:
- Room Temperature: The cake is delicious served at room temperature or slightly chilled. If it’s been refrigerated, let it sit out for about 15-30 minutes to soften slightly.
- Gentle Warming (Optional): If you prefer a slightly warmer, gooier glaze, you can gently warm individual slices. Place a slice on a plate and microwave for very short intervals (5-10 seconds) until just warmed through. Be cautious not to overheat, as this can melt the glaze too much or dry out the cake.
- Thawing Frozen Cake: When ready to enjoy, remove the frozen cake from the freezer and remove the outer layers of wrapping. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
Final Thoughts
This Chocolate Italian Love Cake is a true testament to the magic of simple ingredients coming together to create something extraordinary. Its delightful texture and rich flavor are guaranteed to impress, making it a perfect dish for sharing or savoring yourself. Give this recipe a try; you’ll be rewarded with a slice of pure chocolate heaven!
Chocolate Italian Love Cake
Indulge in the rich, decadent experience of our Chocolate Italian Love Cake, a dessert that’s as delightful to make as it is to devour. This recipe demystifies classic Italian-American baking, offering a straightforward path to a show-stopping dessert perfect for any occasion, embodying the comfort and joy of homemade treats.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, unsweetened cocoa powder, and granulated sugar.1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 0.5 teaspoon salt, 0.75 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- In a separate medium bowl, lightly beat the two large eggs. Then, whisk in the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until just combined.2 large eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, 0.5 cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer (or vigorously by hand with a whisk) until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a tough cake.
- Gradually pour in the hot water or hot brewed coffee while mixing on low speed. The batter will be thin; this is normal and contributes to the cake’s moistness.0.5 cup hot water or hot brewed coffee
- While the oven preheats and you prepare the cake batter, make the filling. In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and ½ cup of granulated sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and beat until well combined and no streaks remain.8 ounces cream cheese, softened, 0.5 cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour half of the chocolate cake batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly.
- Carefully dollop spoonfuls of the cream cheese filling over the cake batter. Use the back of a spoon or a knife to gently swirl the cream cheese into the cake batter a bit, but don’t fully mix it in.
- Pour the remaining chocolate cake batter over the cream cheese filling, gently spreading it to cover the filling completely.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15-20 minutes before proceeding to the glaze.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the semi-sweet chocolate chips, heavy cream, and butter. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Alternatively, you can melt these ingredients in a double boiler.1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 0.25 cup heavy cream, 1 tablespoon butter
- Once the cake has cooled for the initial period, pour the warm chocolate glaze evenly over the top. Spread it with a spatula to ensure an even coating.
- Let the Chocolate Italian Love Cake cool completely to room temperature (or chill in the refrigerator for a firmer glaze) before slicing and serving.
Notes
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4-5 days. Can be frozen for up to 2-3 months.