Apricot, Apple and Pecan Loaf

First of all, when the oven has pre-heated, spread the nuts out on a baking sheet and toast them lightly for about 8 minutes, using a timer so that you don’t forget them. 

You can also watch how to roast nuts in our Cookery School Video.  After that remove them to a chopping board, let them cool a bit, then chop them roughly. Meanwhile take a large mixing bowl and sift the two flours, salt, baking powder and cinnamon into it, holding the sieve up high to give the flour a good airing (adding the bran from the sieve to the bowl as well). Then simply add the rest of the ingredients except the fruit and nuts. Using an electric hand whisk, begin to beat the mixture on a slow speed, then increase the speed to mix everything thoroughly till smooth.

Lightly fold in the apricots, apples and pecans. When everything’s folded in, add a drop more milk if necessary to give a mixture that drops easily off the spoon when you give it a sharp tap. Combine the cinnamon and sugar together. Pile the mixture into the lined tin, level the top with the back of a tablespoon and sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar. Bake the loaf on a lower shelf so the top of the tin is aligned with the centre of the oven for about an hour, then cover loosely with a piece of foil and leave to bake for a further 15–30 minutes or until the cake feels springy in the centre. When it’s cooked, remove it from the oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes before turning it out onto a wire cooling rack, leaving it in its liner.

Let it get completely cold before transferring to a cake tin.