With the feeling of fall, comes a uniquely gooey chocolate apple cake. This is a super moist cake with all the feels and flavors of crisp cooler weather. Cinnamon, allspice, and apples are baked in a chocolate cake with semi-sweet chocolate chips and topped off with the easiest and creamiest homemade caramel frosting.
An easy chocolate apple cake that will make your home smell incredible while it's cooking and tastes even better.
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Great use for fresh fall apples.
- The size of the cake makes it perfect for potlucks or church suppers.
- This anytime cake is delicious with your morning coffee or an afternoon snack in the afternoon.
- A cake square perfect to wrap in wax paper and put into school lunch boxes.
- The recipe includes an easy to make homemade creamy caramel frosting.
This easy cake recipe has undertones reminiscent of the holidays like allspice and cinnamon baked with gooey melted chocolate, tender apples, and frosting where each bite is as good as the last.
Ingredients
- Eggs
- White Sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Water
- All-Purpose Flour
- Cocoa Powder
- Baking Soda
- Ground Cinnamon
- Allspice
- Kosher Salt
- Gala Apples, or any apple that you enjoy that holds up to baking.
- Semisweet chocolate chips
- Light Brown Sugar
- Whole Milk
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Equipment
Instructions
This is an overview of the recipe. The full instructions are below in the recipe card.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 13"x 9" baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Step 2: Use a medium-size mixing bowl and whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.
STEP 3: Using a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the eggs, sugar, butter, water, and vanilla until combined and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes.
Step 4: Gradually mix in the dry ingredients into the butter/sugar mixture.
Step 5: Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Step 6: Pour half the batter into the pan and sprinkle the apples evenly over the batter.
Step 7: Pour remaining batter over the apples.
Step 9: Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Step 10: Remove and allow to cool on a wire cooling racj while you make the caramel frosting.
Step 11: Using a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the butter, brown sugar, and milk whisking constantly until it starts to boil.
Step 12: Remove the pan from the stove and stir in the vanilla extract.
Step 13: Once the cake is cool, pour the frosting onto the top of the cake and evenly smooth on the cake.
Optional, sprinkle chocolate shavings over the top of the cake.
Storage
Store the cake at room temperature, in an airtight covered container for up to 3 days.
If you prefer to store it in the pan, wrap the top lightly with plastic wrap but be careful that the plastic does not drop onto the frosting.
Expert Tips
Expert Tip: To make sure your cake doesn't stick, after spraying the pan with non-stick spray, use a pastry brush to get the oil into all the corners of the pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use any type of apple but look for apples that hold their texture when cooking and don't get mushy.
Some of my favorites for this chocolate cake recipe are Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, and Red Delicious.
The cake is done after about 50-60 minutes of cooking. However, because ovens and pans vary you can also check it by inserting a toothpick, wooden skewer, or even a thin knife inserted in the center of the cake and it comes out clean. You can also look at the center of the cake. When you touch it lightly, it should spring back.
We've enjoyed this chocolate apple cake with the chocolate chips folded in as stated in the recipe.
However, I have also added in the chips last and found that it does help with preventing all the chips from falling to the bottom. Plus, it creates a delicious extra chocolatey layer. Experiment and see which you prefer!
Variations
Add cranberries, nuts, or even raisins to the batter.
Add different types of chocolate chips (milk, dark, semi-sweet).
You can change up the fruit and add pears, strawberries, or bananas.
Serving Suggestions
Once the cake has cooled and frosted, cut into squares. Add shaved chocolate to the top.
Drizzle caramel sauce over the top (before serving) for extra gooey gooeyness.
Similar recipes
Chocolate Whoopie Pies are another loaded chocolate dessert that will make your day better.
Our holiday Chocolate Peppermint Cake is full of flavor and starts with an easy boxed cake mix.
Chocolate Crunch Cake is another delicious cake that is easy to prepare and there is more fun in decorating it.
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Eileen xo
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gooey Chocolate Apple Cake
Equipment Needed:
- As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup water
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 cups Gala apples
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Caramel frosting
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 6 Tablespoons whole milk
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Chocolate shavings optional
- non-stick baking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13"x 9" baking pan with non-stick baking spray.
- Using a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and salt.
- Use a standing mixer, with the beaters attachment, cream together the eggs, sugar, butter, water, and vanilla until well combined and fluffy.
- Gradually mix in the dry ingredients.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
Preparing cake pan
- Pour half the batter into the pan and sprinkle the apples evenly over the batter.
- Pour remaining batter over the apples.
- Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove and allow to cool while you make the caramel frosting.
Caramel frosting
- Use a medium pot over medium heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, and milk whisking constantly until the mixture starts to boil.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the frosting onto the top of the cake and smooth evenly.
- Sprinkle chocolate shavings over the top of the cake.
Notes
- Add dried cranberries, nuts, or even raisins to the batter.
- Add different types of chocolate chips (milk, dark, semi-sweet).
- Once the cake has cooled and it’s frosted, cut into squares to serve.
- Drizzle caramel sauce over the top (before serving) for extra gooey gooeyness.
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Don’t forget to shop at the Everyday Eileen store on Amazon.
K*
Recipe says to add cocoa powder, but doesn't say how much or list it in the ingredients.
Eileen xo
I apologize for the error in the recipe. I have corrected it. The recipe requires 1/4 cup cocoa powder. I hope you enjoy the recipe.
ednajbutts
would like full amounts of ingredients of fruitcake cookies thank you
Eileen xo
The fruitcake cookie recipe with the full printable recipe is here, Enjoy! https://www.everydayeileen.com/easy-fruitcake-cookies-recipe/