Italian Pound Cake with Ricotta Filling & Chocolate Frosting

This is Italian baking through and through. A buttery pound cake baked in a loaf pan, sliced horizontally into three layers, and filled with a sweetened ricotta cheese mixture studded with strawberries or grated chocolate. The whole thing gets coated in a thick coffee-chocolate ganache that doubles as glue and frosting.

Ricotta is the move that signals this isn’t an American layer cake. The same cheese that fills cannoli and lasagna here becomes a slightly sweet, slightly grainy filling that gives the cake an unmistakable Italian-bakery character. Two-thirds of a pound is enough to generously fill three layers.

The pound cake itself runs slightly underbaked compared to American versions. An hour and a quarter to an hour and a half at 325°F (160°C) yields a dense, fine crumb that holds up to splitting and layering without crumbling.

The frosting is the third highlight. Semisweet chocolate chips melted with strong coffee, then beaten with cold butter a tablespoon at a time. The cold butter is the secret to a glossy, thick consistency that spreads like fudge frosting and sets to a satin sheen.

Chef Tips

• Cool the cake completely before slicing into layers. Warm pound cake tears under a serrated knife.
• Drain the ricotta in a fine sieve for 30 minutes to keep the filling from running out the sides.
• Use the freshest strawberries you can find. Out-of-season berries water-out the filling.
• Add the cold butter to the coffee-chocolate mix in tablespoon-sized pieces. Lumps of butter mean an emulsion that broke.

Variations

• Soak the layers with a splash of brandy or amaretto before filling for a more adult version.
• Use grated dark chocolate in the filling instead of strawberries for a tiramisu-leaning take.
• Garnish the top with shaved chocolate, halved strawberries, or a sprinkle of toasted pistachios.