Serves 12

Bake time: 70min

Enjoy a slice of this easy-to-make apple-topped fruit and nut loaf with a cup of tea as you gaze out of the window at the falling leaves. The perfect flavours for a moment of autumnal peace!

Method

1. Position a shelf in the centre of the oven. Preheat to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/Gas Mark 4. Line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with baking paper.
2. Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl, then rub in the Trex with your fingertips. Stir in sugar, apricots and walnuts.
3. In a jug, beat together the eggs and milk. Put the lemon juice into a bowl. Reserve a quarter of the apple, then peel, core and chop the rest and toss it in the lemon juice. Add the apple to the dry ingredients with the egg mixture and stir until combined.
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin. Core and thinly slice the reserved apple, toss it in lemon juice, then arrange the slices over the top of the cake. Sprinkle the Demerara sugar over them.
5. Transfer to the oven and bake for 1hr – 1hr 10min until risen and golden. To test that the cake is cooked, insert a fine skewer — if it comes out clean, the fruit and nut loaf  is cooked. Cool on a wire rack.