Chocolate Apple Cake

Take the butter out of the fridge ahead of time to let it soften. Place it in a bowl, add the sugar, and cream the ingredients thoroughly until smooth.

Add the two eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Pour in the hot, strong coffee and mix again. The batter might look a bit curdled, but its texture will smooth out once the dry ingredients are added.

Fold in the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Add a pinch of salt and the cinnamon. Mix until you have a smooth chocolate batter.

Roughly chop the nuts. Pit the dates and dice the flesh into small pieces. Peel the apples if desired and cut them into cubes.

Fold the nuts, dates, and apples into the batter. Stir gently so the mix-ins are evenly distributed.

Transfer the batter into a baking pan and smooth the top.

Bake the cake in a preheated oven at 180 °C (350 °F) for about 35 minutes. Check for doneness with a wooden skewer: when inserted into the center, it should come out clean without any wet batter.