What would you say if we told you the secret to the next great chocolate cake was cheese? You might call us crazy, but we’ll just tell you to grab some ricotta and check out this Nutella Strawberry cake from Vincenzo’s Plate. Watch how he brings these ingredients together for an Italian cake that’s absolutely delicious and totally unique.

You’ll Need:

Cake
– 4/5 cup (200 milliliters) milk
– 3/4 cup white sugar
– 1 1/4 cups flour
– 3 eggs
– 3 tablespoons of Nutella
– 2 teaspoons of baking powder
– 1 tablespoon of butter
– Pinch of salt
Topping and Filling
– 14 to 16 ounces fresh large strawberries
– 2 cups fresh ricotta
– 1 lemon
– 3 to 5 tablespoons of superfine sugar
– Cinnamon, to taste
– 6 tablespoons Nutella

Note: If you don’t have superfine sugar, you can make some at home! For every cup of superfine sugar you need, put one cup of granulated sugar plus two teaspoons into a food processer and run for 30 seconds. Check out this explanation of the difference between regular and superfine sugar at the kitchen.

How To:

Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 356 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease a tart or cake pan by brushing the sides with a tablespoon of melted butter and then dusting with a small handful of flour.
3. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl, add the sugar, and mix well.
4. Add the milk and mix quickly, using a whisk.
5. Add the baking powder to the flour and use your fingers to mix it through.
6. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, plus a pinch of salt. Whisk together really well.
7. Drop in the Nutella and mix through.
8. Pour the batter into the greased cake pan. Bake for 30 minutes.

Topping and Filling

1. Put the ricotta in a mixing bowl and break it down with a fork.
2. Add the lemon rind and 3 tablespoons of superfine sugar.
3. Add a generous amount of cinnamon and mix together really well.
4. Taste the cream. If it’s too sour, add some extra sugar, and if you want a little more kick, add some extra cinnamon.
5. Slice each strawberry into thin pieces.

Assembly

1. Remove the cake from the oven after 30 minutes and allow it to cool completely. Once it has cooled, remove it from the pan and slice it into two, through the middle. Be careful not to let it crumble.
2. Melt a few tablespoons of Nutella in the microwave for 30 seconds.
3. Pour the melted Nutella into the center of the bottom layer of cake, and spread it out evenly using the back of a spoon.
4. Add the ricotta filling on top of the Nutella and spread it out evenly.
5. Melt some more Nutella and use it to cover the top half of the cake.
6. Place the top half of the cake on the ricotta layer and gently press it down into position.
7. Arrange the sliced strawberries around the top of the cake, pressing them into the Nutella.
8. Let the cake set in the refrigerator for 1 hour. If you are storing it beyond that time, be sure to cover it to prevent it from drying out.

Yum! Have you ever used ricotta, or any other cheese, in your cake baking before? Will you give this recipe a try?