Spiced Apple Cake

For the cake:

300g/10oz SR flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tsp ground mixed spice

113g/4oz butter, softened (or sunflower spread/marg)

113g/4oz brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
about 360-375g/ 12-13oz unsweetened stewed apple
50 g/2oz walnuts, roughly chopped

For the icing:

50g/ 2oz/ 1/2 cup icing sugar

1 – 2 tbsp maple syrup

1 - 2 tsp water

1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Preheat oven to 180 C/gas mark 4. Grease a large loaf tin.

1.  Whisk together flour, salt, and mixed spice.

2.  Cream butter/marg, brown sugar, and vanilla until pale and fluffy.

3.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in stewed apple.

4.  Gently fold in flour mixture until just combined, then stir in walnuts.

5.   Spread evenly in loaf tin and bake until golden brown and a skewer inserted into centre of the cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes. Loosen by running a knife around edge of tin, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

6.   For the icing, put the icing sugar, cinnamon and maple syrup in a large bowl and stir to combine, adding water if necessary to make a smooth consistency

Drizzle the icing over the cooled cake.