unsinkable Posted January 25, 2019 Share Posted January 25, 2019 (edited) I had it a funeral brunch and no one knows who brought it. It was 3 layers but it was a sheet cake. Bottom layer was a vanilla layer...maybe it had sweetened condensed milk? It had a spongy kind of texture like tres leche cake. I'm pretty sure it wasn't cream cheese. Not a typical cake texture. Middle layer was a rich chocolate cake...regular cake texture, unlike bottom layer. Top layer was a chocolate whipped cream type layer. Any ideas? Or hopefully, a recipe? My Google skills are failing. TIA! Update: baking this now w/this recipe: http://www.chewnibblenosh.com/recipe/chocolate-italian-love-cake/#singlePostComments Edited February 17, 2019 by unsinkable 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmseB Posted January 25, 2019 Share Posted January 25, 2019 It sounds like a simplified version of this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storygirl Posted January 25, 2019 Share Posted January 25, 2019 Valerie Bertinelli makes a layered cake like that. She makes it in a variety of flavors, chocolate being one of them. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/valerie-bertinelli/sicilian-love-cake-3123051 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted January 25, 2019 Author Share Posted January 25, 2019 38 minutes ago, EmseB said: It sounds like a simplified version of this. That looks yummy. The one I had was more like a typical potluck type cake...I pretty certain the middle layer was a mix. Thank you for the link! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted January 25, 2019 Author Share Posted January 25, 2019 19 minutes ago, Storygirl said: Valerie Bertinelli makes a layered cake like that. She makes it in a variety of flavors, chocolate being one of them. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/valerie-bertinelli/sicilian-love-cake-3123051 This looks like it could be it. I couldn't put my finger on the bottom layer...I knew it wasn't cream cheese but ricotta did not occur to me. Thank you for the link! It was so good. And I am not a big chocolate fan. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmseB Posted January 25, 2019 Share Posted January 25, 2019 5 minutes ago, unsinkable said: That looks yummy. The one I had was more like a typical potluck type cake...I pretty certain the middle layer was a mix. Thank you for the link! Well, the Valerie Bertenelli recipe linked above is also a simplified version of the same cake (Sicilian Love Cake). Something I could actually make, maybe, rather than the GBBO technical challenge version. And now I want cake. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted February 17, 2019 Author Share Posted February 17, 2019 (edited) Update: http://www.chewnibblenosh.com/recipe/chocolate-italian-love-cake/#singlePostComments I found this recipe after Storygirl helped me out with the name/type. The difference between this one and Valerie B's is that this one uses 2lbs of ricotta and no mascarpone. There are many comments in both recipes that the layers didn't "switch." You put the cake batter layer in the pan first and the ricotta layer on top. The ricotta layer sinks to the bottom while baking. my cake is cooling now and the cake layer is now on the top so I am assuming the ricotta layer did sink. The ricotta layer doesn't sink when it isn't heavier than the cake layer. So what I did was to make sure I used Betty Crocker mix (as people are saying it is a thinner batter) and mixed it thoroughly to get enough air in it. People were commenting that whole milk ricotta is the "trick" vs skim ricotta but you are using 2lbs so that shouldn't matter. Like I said, my cake is cooling. I'm a little worried now bc it is so full I don't think the whipped top ping layer will fit. I will update again when we eat it! Edited February 17, 2019 by unsinkable 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree Frog Posted February 17, 2019 Share Posted February 17, 2019 20 minutes ago, unsinkable said: Update: http://www.chewnibblenosh.com/recipe/chocolate-italian-love-cake/#singlePostComments I found this recipe after Storygirl helped me out with the name/type. The difference between this one and Valerie B's is that this one uses 2lbs of ricotta and no mascarpone. There are many comments in both recipes that the layers didn't "switch." You put the cake batter layer in the pan first and the ricotta layer on top. The ricotta layer sinks to the bottom while baking. my cake is cooling now and the cake layer is now on the top so I am assuming the ricotta layer did sink. The ricotta layer doesn't sink when it isn't heavier than the cake layer. So what I did was to make sure I used Betty Crocker mix (as people are saying it is a thinner batter) and mixed it thoroughly to get enough air in it. People were commenting that whole milk ricotta is the "trick" vs skim ricotta but you are using 2lbs so that shouldn't matter. Like I said, my cake is cooling. I'm a little worried now bc it is so full I don't think the whipped top ping layer will fit. I will update again when we eat it! A picture is worth a thousand words! :) It sounds like a delicious cake! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storygirl Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 I'm curious about the texture and taste. Does that ricotta layer taste like ricotta, or has it transformed somehow? I only use ricotta in lasagna, and I've been hesitant to try it in a sweet recipe. I don't care for cannoli filled with ricotta. But the cake looks so good on television!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valley Girl Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 I love your recipe threads, unsinkable! How did the cake turn out? The picture looks pretty. I'm wondering how it would turn out if I used a large springform pan. Guess I better get baking and find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted February 18, 2019 Author Share Posted February 18, 2019 13 hours ago, Storygirl said: I'm curious about the texture and taste. Does that ricotta layer taste like ricotta, or has it transformed somehow? I only use ricotta in lasagna, and I've been hesitant to try it in a sweet recipe. I don't care for cannoli filled with ricotta. But the cake looks so good on television!! The ricotta layer doesn't taste the same as the filling for cannoli. Probably bc it has eggs (as well as sugar) and is cooked. It is drier in texture, denser and feels more grainy. It does have more of a cheesecake feel than the cannoli. That is just trying to describe the taste when eating that later alone... If you take a bite through all 3 layers, the ricotta layer works really well with the chocolate cool whip and chocolate cake layer. The ricotta texture & flavors mixes with the other textures & flavors so it might work for you! I thought the cake was great. I baked it for about 55 minutes and I probably waited a bit too long. My oven seems to run hot. But I was worried bc lots of people on Valerie's recipe comments were talking about it being undercooked (she says like 40 mins? And my recipe said an hour). But at 50 minutes, it smelled done to me. I should have pulled it but the pan was so full and heavy, I gave it 5 more mins. As for the 3rd layer...I used 3/4 c milk, a small 4 serving box of pudding, and 8 oz of cool whip. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted February 18, 2019 Author Share Posted February 18, 2019 27 minutes ago, Valley Girl said: I love your recipe threads, unsinkable! How did the cake turn out? The picture looks pretty. I'm wondering how it would turn out if I used a large springform pan. Guess I better get baking and find out. Thanks! Did you see how I started a social group/club for recipe threads that are posted on the Chat board? It is so hard to find threads these days that I wanted a place to gather them. I think the cake turned out great! As for the springform pan...you'd probably need 2. This recipe really fills a 13x9 pan. It was easy to slice and serve though, if that is why you want to use a springform. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 Unsinkable, thanks for the recipe review! I haven't heard of this cake before and will give it a try - sounds yummy! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valley Girl Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 1 hour ago, unsinkable said: Thanks! Did you see how I started a social group/club for recipe threads that are posted on the Chat board? It is so hard to find threads these days that I wanted a place to gather them. I think the cake turned out great! As for the springform pan...you'd probably need 2. This recipe really fills a 13x9 pan. It was easy to slice and serve though, if that is why you want to use a springform. I did miss that. Thank you for mentioning it. Off to join! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
school17777 Posted February 18, 2019 Share Posted February 18, 2019 On 2/17/2019 at 12:52 PM, unsinkable said: Update: http://www.chewnibblenosh.com/recipe/chocolate-italian-love-cake/#singlePostComments I found this recipe after Storygirl helped me out with the name/type. The difference between this one and Valerie B's is that this one uses 2lbs of ricotta and no mascarpone. There are many comments in both recipes that the layers didn't "switch." You put the cake batter layer in the pan first and the ricotta layer on top. The ricotta layer sinks to the bottom while baking. my cake is cooling now and the cake layer is now on the top so I am assuming the ricotta layer did sink. The ricotta layer doesn't sink when it isn't heavier than the cake layer. So what I did was to make sure I used Betty Crocker mix (as people are saying it is a thinner batter) and mixed it thoroughly to get enough air in it. People were commenting that whole milk ricotta is the "trick" vs skim ricotta but you are using 2lbs so that shouldn't matter. Like I said, my cake is cooling. I'm a little worried now bc it is so full I don't think the whipped top ping layer will fit. I will update again when we eat it! I’m making this cake right now. Waiting for it to cool so I can add the last layer. The kids thought it was cool the layers switched- “not magic, science!” 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 I'm baking it right now. I didn't quite get the whole riccotta layer across the top. Hope that doesn't ruin anything. @school17777 How long did you cook yours for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
school17777 Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 3 minutes ago, RootAnn said: I'm baking it right now. I didn't quite get the whole riccotta layer across the top. Hope that doesn't ruin anything. @school17777 How long did you cook yours for? I baked mine for an hour. I couldn’t spread the ricotta layer all the way across either, but it didn’t matter - it still fully swapped layers and spread itself. If I bake this again, I would add coffee I guess in the cake layer because I sort of expect it for some reason and am disappointed each bite that it’s not there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 I tend to not like ricotta or cool whip (texture thing) so this recipe does not appeal to me. *However* I really want to see the layer swap thing! I think I might make this next time I need to bring dessert somewhere! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 On 2/19/2019 at 11:57 AM, school17777 said: I baked mine for an hour. I couldn’t spread the ricotta layer all the way across either, but it didn’t matter - it still fully swapped layers and spread itself. If I bake this again, I would add coffee I guess in the cake layer because I sort of expect it for some reason and am disappointed each bite that it’s not there. Mine did work, but we all agree there is something missing. Maybe it is a coffee flavor. I think I'll try a mousse instead of pudding if I do it again. Needs more flavor. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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