Apple Chocolate Cake

I’m welcoming the Fall season a couple of days in advance with a delicious APPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE. This simple cake reminds me of the flavors and scents of the Italian Autunno (Fall), the beautiful time of the year when the colors of the nature are breathtaking. Fall in Italy marks the time to harvest and celebrate food : from chestnuts to mushrooms,  from pumpkins to apples. That’s the season for grapes harvesting and wine making too. Every region, town and village holds is own SAGRA (fair) in celebration of these precious Mother Nature’s gifts.

Enjoy the beauty of this season to the fullest!

Photo by Maurizio “OttO” De Togni  – BreadLoveAndDreams

Yields : 6 to 8 servings

Difficulty : easy

Prep Time : 20 min.

Cook Time : 35 min.

INGREDIENTS

1.5 cups flour type 00
1 (1/2 oz or 16 gr) sachet vanilla baking powder
4 apples
1 cup granulated sugar
10 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3 whole eggs
one pinch of ground cinnamon
1 container (6 oz) plain yogurt
3.5 oz dark chocolate chunks
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven at 325 F degrees.
Grease a 9-inch cake pan with baking spray or butter and flour.
In a large bowl sift together flour and vanilla baking powder, and set aside.
With a hand or stand mixer cream butter and sugar at medium speed.
Add the eggs (one at the time), cinnamon and yogurt.
Reduce the speed, then slowly add the flour mixture until well incorporated.
Peel, core and cut the apples into small cubes.
Pour half of the cake batter into the pan, then half of the apple cubes and half of the chocolate chunks.
Pour the remaining cake batter, then the remaining apples and chocolate chunks.
Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in its pan on a cooling rack.
Serve sprinkled with confectioner’ sugar.