The moretta cake is a dessert made of a soft cocoa base filled with hazelnut cream and whipped cream. Simple to make, it is certainly the classic pairing of cream and chocolate, one of the most loved by children but also by adults.
For the base I did not use the cocoa sponge cake but my soft chocolate cake recipe; thanks to the ricotta it stays moist and doesn’t need a soak. If you prefer to soak the base, know that coffee and hazelnut go very well together so you can use slightly sweetened espresso. For an alcoholic soak add two tablespoons of rum to the coffee; if the cake will be served to children you can use milk.
After baking let the cake cool completely. You can also prepare it the day before. Cut the cake in half and fill it with hazelnut cream or Nutella and whipped cream. Before serving I recommend keeping it in the fridge for 2 hours so the dessert stabilizes and the slice is clean; otherwise serve it immediately, cutting gently.
Also try the other chocolate cakes
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 45 Minutes
- Portions: 10 servings
- Cooking methods: Conventional oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 399.04 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 32.06 (g) of which sugars 17.79 (g)
- Proteins 8.20 (g)
- Fat 27.29 (g) of which saturated 3.14 (g)of which unsaturated 5.80 (g)
- Fibers 2.62 (g)
- Sodium 31.02 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (00)
- 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 + 2 cups tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 cup ricotta
- 2 eggs (medium)
- 6 tablespoons peanut oil (or another neutral oil, or about 3.35 oz (95 g) very soft butter)
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 packet baking powder (about 2 teaspoons)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 2 tablespoons sweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup hazelnut spread (I use Novi but you can substitute with your preferred one)
- 1 cup heavy cream for whipping
- 2 tablespoons vanilla powdered sugar (confectioners')
- Half teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Tools
- 1 Bowl large
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Hand whisk
- 1 Kitchen scale
- 1 Electric mixer
- 1 Springform pan springform, 8 2/3 in diameter
- 1 Spatula
Procedure
Place the ricotta in a large bowl together with the sugar and mix very well until it becomes smooth and silky. Add the eggs, incorporating them one at a time, then add the oil, milk and vanilla.
Sift the flour and cocoa with the baking powder.
Add the dry ingredients to the bowl, whisking vigorously until you obtain a homogeneous batter. Do not overmix to avoid developing gluten.
Transfer the batter into the buttered and floured pan.
Bake the cake in a preheated conventional (non-fan) oven at 356°F for about 45–50 minutes. Do the toothpick test to check doneness; if necessary extend the baking a few minutes, being careful not to overbake or it will become dry.
The cocoa base is ready; let it cool slightly before removing from the pan. Place it on a serving plate and let it cool completely. If you have time you can also make it the evening before.
In a bowl pour the cold cream straight from the fridge, add the vanilla and start whipping at medium speed. When it begins to thicken add the sifted powdered sugar and continue whipping (slightly reducing the speed of the beaters) until glossy and firm.
Cover it and keep it in the fridge.
Take the chocolate cake and cut it in half. If your cake has a dome in the center or a surface with many cracks, trim the top with a knife to level it and obtain a perfectly shaped dessert. In this case invert it: the part that was in contact with the pan will become the top of the cake and will be smooth and even.
Place the base on a plate, fill it with hazelnut cream and spread the whipped cream on top with a spatula. Cover with the second cake layer, press lightly and refrigerate for 2 hours so it firms up and slices cleanly.
The moretta cake is ready to enjoy.
Tips
Storage
The moretta cake keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Cover it with plastic wrap or store it in a cake keeper.
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