Preheat oven to 350º

Grease and flour 3 8-inch round cake pans, or line with parchment paper, you can just put parchment on the bottom for easy cake release, set aside, see notes below if you only have 2 pans

Beat in eggs, vanilla, and half the milk

mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl

stir half the flour into the wet ingredients

Add remaining milk, and beat until smooth

Then quickly beat in the remaining flour, until everything is fully incorporated and smooth

Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans, 2 or 3 depending on what you have

Bake for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out clean

if you baked a double thick cake layer because you only had 2 pans bake that layer longer

Remove the cakes from oven when they're done

let cakes cool ten minutes, then loosen edges from pans, and turn onto a wire rack to finish cooling

When the cakes are cool, split one of the cakes if need be, set the cooled cakes to the side

Whip the cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar together until stiff peaks form

Beat in ricotta

stir in the mini chocolate chips

Place the bottom cake layer on the cake board or plate or cake stand, and spread about ⅔ cup of ricotta cream over the stop (about ¼ inch thick)

Place the second cake layer over the cream, and spread with another layer of ricotta cream

Repeat with 3rd layer

Spread the remaining ricotta cream over the sides of the cake, creating a semi-naked cake look

Stir mixture together

If the mixture is hot, let it cool until lukewarm, do not pour the hot ganache over the whipped cream and ricotta frosting, see notes below about drizzling the ganache

Spread chocolate ganache over the top of the cake, letting some drizzle down the sides

Refrigerate until ready to serve