by 
This Cocoa Apple Cake is a moist chocolate Bundt cake made with freshly grated apples, chocolate chips, and chopped walnuts. A touch of cinnamon and allspice adds warmth to every bite.
This old-fashioned cake is delicious on its own or served with a dollop of freshly whipped cream. No frosting needed!
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Delicious apple bundt cake
This cocoa apple cake is a family favorite that originally came from my aunt. It's a recipe I've been making for years, and it's one I keep coming back to.
The combination of chocolate and apples might sound unusual, but it works beautifully! The grated apples add moisture without overpowering the chocolate flavor. Chocolate chips and chopped walnuts add extra flavor and texture.
This cake is baked in a Bundt pan and doesn't need any frosting. A simple dusting of powdered sugar is all it needs!
If you love this apple cake, you'll also want to check out this easy cinnamon apple cake!
Key ingredients
- Apples: Use fresh apples and grate them before adding them to the batter. The apples help keep the cake moist.
- Cocoa powder: Use unsweetened cocoa powder for the chocolate flavor. You can also use cocoa powder instead of flour to dust your prepared Bundt pan.
- Chocolate chips: Add extra chocolate flavor throughout the cake.
- Walnuts: Add a little crunch and texture to each slice.
Step by step directions
In this section, I share step-by-step photos, cooking methods, techniques, and a general overview. For detailed instructions, temperatures, and timing, check the printable recipe card below.
- Cream together butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla and water
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and salt
- Combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients
- Fold in chocolate chips, grated apples, and chopped walnuts
- Grease a Bundt pan thoroughly, making sure to coat all the crevices. Dust with cocoa powder or flour, tapping out any excess. Cocoa powder works especially well for chocolate cakes because it won't leave white streaks on the finished cake.
- Add cake batter to pan
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 60 - 70 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the Bundt pan for 10 minutes. Carefully invert the cake onto a wire cooling rack and remove the pan. Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.
Recipe tips
- Prepare the Bundt pan well. Grease every crevice of the pan and dust with cocoa powder or flour. Cocoa powder prevents white streaks on the finished chocolate cake.
- Use freshly grated apples. Grate the apples, but don't squeeze out any of the juice from the apples.
- Don't overbake. Check the cake for doneness near the end of the baking time. A toothpick inserted into the cake should come out without wet batter.
- Cool for 10 minutes. Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully turning it out onto a wire rack. Leaving it in the pan too long can make it harder to release.
How to Store Cocoa Apple Cake
Room temperature: Store the cooled cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Wrap the completely cooled cake or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To serve: Thaw frozen cake at room temperature while still wrapped. Add a dusting of powdered sugar just before serving, if desired.
Serving suggestion
This apple cake does not need a frosting. I like to serve it with a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of freshly whipped cream.
More delicious desserts
- chocolate mayonnaise cupcakes
- chocolate bundt cake
- oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
- peach cobbler
- raspberry almond coffee cake
- applesauce cake
- blueberry lemon bundt cake
- apple tart
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
If you loved this recipe, you'll LOVE all the others in this category. Check out all my dessert recipes here!
Cocoa Apple Cake
Equipment
- Bundt Pan (12 cup pan)
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 3 whole eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup butter
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups grated apples
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder or flour (for dusting cake pan)
Instructions
- Cream together eggs, sugar, butter, water, and vanilla.3 whole eggs, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup butter, ½ cup water, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and salt.2 ½ cups flour, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon allspice, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Add dry mixture to creamed mixture.
- Fold in walnuts, chocolate chips, and apples.2 cups grated apples, 1 cup chopped walnuts, 1 cup chocolate chips
- Grease a Bundt pan thoroughly, making sure to coat all the crevices. Dust with cocoa powder or flour, tapping out any excess. Cocoa powder works especially well for chocolate cakes because it won't leave white streaks on the finished cake. Add cake batter to pan.
- Bake at 350 for 60 - 70 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the Bundt pan for 10 minutes. Carefully invert the cake onto a wire cooling rack and remove the pan. Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Prepare the Bundt pan well. Grease every crevice of the pan and dust with cocoa powder or flour. Cocoa powder prevents white streaks on the finished chocolate cake.
- Use freshly grated apples. Grate the apples, but don't squeeze out any of the juice from the apples.
- Don't overbake. Check the cake for doneness near the end of the baking time. A toothpick inserted into the cake should come out without wet batter.
- Cool for 10 minutes. Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully turning it out onto a wire rack. Leaving it in the pan too long can make it harder to release.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in September of 2015. The recipe, post and pictures have been updated.
Aviva says
Great recipe! I cooked for 40 mins and that was even a a bit too much. I also added lots more chocolate chips!
Kathy says
Hi Aviva,
Glad you enjoyed the cake. Every oven is different so I'm glad you kept a close eye on yours. The difference could be oven temp, size and type of bundt pan you used, the juiciness of your apples and how you measured your flour.
Kathy 🙂
Colleen says
I got my cocoa apple cake recipe from my mom over 40 years ago and it has been a holiday tradition for many years. And yes, a dollop of whip cream is the best. Unfortunately I could barely read it and was delighted to find your recipe which is almost identical. I am baking a low-carb version as I type. The batter taste just like I remember it. Thank you for sharing your memories and this wonderful recipe.
Kathy says
Yay! I'm so glad you're able to recreate your mom's recipe! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂
Valerie Russell says
I made this cake yesterday- it is nice and moist. I made little in the way of adjustments. I did not have enough chocolate chips, so I added an extra Tbsp of cocoa powder. I also ran out of cinnamon so I grated some from a stick. I also used a vegan butter substitute. Lovely flavour. I set the timer incorrectly at 50 minutes rather than 60, but it was already done. The toothpick came out totally dry. I was concerned that it would be dry as a result, but it isn't. I also used a vegan butter substitute.
Kathy says
Glad it all worked out for you! 🙂
Brian says
I followed the recipe except I did didn’t have allspice. My wife told me I could use pumpkin spice, is there a difference?
Kathy says
Pumpkin spice would be fine. It is usually a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and sometimes it includes allspice. Allspice itself is actually a dried berry and has very similar flavor components as the other warm spices in pumpkin pie spice.
I hope you enjoyed the cake! 🙂
Kathrin says
Hi Kathy,
I’m interested in trying your recipe. Wondering if I could sub avocado for butter with 1:1 ratio. Many thanks.
Kathy says
Hi Kathrin,
I'm afraid I'm not familiar with avocado butter so I don't know how it would be in this cake.
Kathy 🙂
Alison L says
Thank you! I had a request for a chocolate apple cake and stumbled upon your site! We all liked this recipe. I omitted the walnuts but kept everything else the same! It cooked a bit quicker at 57 minutes.
Kathy says
Hi Alison,
Glad you enjoyed. The 1 hour 20 minutes listed in the recipe card is the total time. It includes prep time and baking time. It is broken down into both. The actual baking time is just 1 hour. In the instructions it does say to bake for 60-70 minutes due to varying temperatures with ovens. I'm glad you checked your cake and took it out in time.
Thanks so much for your comment!
Kathy 🙂
Nancy N. says
I was looking for a recipe with chocolate and apples (to use up some of our excessive apple crop), and was delighted to discover this cake. Made it for my husband’s birthday, which we will celebrate with our daughter and her husband, who doesn’t eat dairy. I used a butter alternative, made a 9” square cake and 6 cupcakes so we could freeze some and not have a partially eaten huge Bundt cake left over, and it came out fine. Baked the cupcakes for about 25 minutes and the 9” cake for about 40-45.
Wondering if you’ve ever frosted it? Or maybe dusted it with powdered sugar? Maybe ice cream would be good…we could try a dairy free flavor.
Kathy says
Hi Nancy,
What great idea to bake it in a smaller cake pan and have some cupcakes too! I haven't ever frosted this cake, but I do usually sprinkle with powdered sugar. I think it's all it really needs. You'll want to do this just right before serving. A scoop of ice cream would be delicious too!
Enjoy!
Kathy 🙂
Suzi says
This was really, really good!
Jan says
I originally got this recipe from the.back of a C&H sugar bag, and have been making it for 45 years. Our daughter always requested it for her birthday cake. She’s 30 now, and I still make it in paper tube pans for her and mail it to her. It holds up great and I haven’t missed a year since she began asking for it at age 10. It is sonmoist and it’s great in the morning with a cup of tea.
Kathy says
Hi Jan,
How lucky your daughter is to get this cake year after year for her birthday! I'm not certain where my aunt originally got this recipe, but it's a keeper!!!
Enjoy 🙂