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Torta di Amore

Servings: 12
Comments:
This torta is called "The Love Cake". In Italian it's called Torta di Amore. When the cake is baking, the ricotta cheese drops down from the top of the cake to the middle of the cake, almost to the bottom. The torta makes a beautiful and delicious cake for a birthday celebration. Piping little rosettes and Happy Birthday on the top looks very pretty too.


Ingredients:
For the Cake:
1 box dark chocolate cake mix
2 pints ricotta cheese
4 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Ingredients that you will need to add to cake mix:
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, or vegetable oil
3 eggs

For the Frosting:
1 small box (3.4 oz. size) instant chocolate pudding mix
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup milk
1 (8 oz.) container non-dairy whipped topping, thawed


Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch rectangular cake pan.

Prepare cake mix as directed on cake mix box for a 9 x 13-inch cake pan.

Pour batter into prepared pan and set aside. Do NOT bake yet.

With an electric mixer set on medium speed, blend ricotta cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract. Spoon ricotta mixture evenly over unbaked cake batter. Do NOT mix (see note).

Note: The cake rises above the ricotta cheese mixture.

Bake torta at 350 degrees F (180 C) for 1 hour or until cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool torta in pan on wire rack.

Note:
If using a springform pan, release sides of springform pan and place cake on serving plate. If using a ring cake mold, invert cake onto a plate to prepare for frosting. If using cake pan with removable bottom, push bottom of pan up with a coffee can, or something similar in size and shape and carefully remove cake from pan bottom. Transfer cake to serving plate.

Frosting:
Using an electric mixer set on medium speed, combine instant pudding mix, confectioners' sugar, and milk; add whipped topping and beat at a low speed until creamy. Spread frosting over cooled cake. Decorate top of cake, if desired.

Makes 12 servings.

*Notes*
I sometimes use a 10-inch springform pan, or a 10 cup or 10-inch ring cake mold to make this cake in, or a cake pan with a removable bottom. I wrap aluminum foil around the bottom and sides of pan, then place the pan on a baking sheet so the batter won't leak onto the oven floor.

If you don't want to frost the cake, you can dust the top of the torta with confectioners' sugar. When I use a cake pan with a removable bottom to make the torta in, I use confectioners' sugar for garnishing top of cake.

This cake makes a wonderful birthday cake. Using a pastry bag with a star or a flower tip, pipe stars, flowers, or rosettes onto top of cake, if desired.


Source: DianasDesserts.com
Date: March 10, 2002