1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a medium loaf tin with baking paper.
2. If you need to grind your almonds, add whole almonds (100g) to the bowl and grind Speed 8 / 5-10 seconds. Set aside in a small bowl.
3. Slice one apple half (from 1 apple only) into thin slices and drizzle with lemon juice (squeeze). Set aside in a small bowl.
4. Add the remaining cored and quartered apples (1.5) to the bowl. Blitz Speed 5 / 5 seconds. Scrape down sides.
5. Add the cubed butter (175g), brown sugar (175g), eggs (3), vanilla extract (1 tsp), ground almonds (100g), baking powder (3 tsp), plain flour (175g), ground cinnamon (2 tsp) and ground nutmeg (1 tsp) to the bowl. Combine Speed 5 / 30 seconds.
6. Add the mixed dried fruit (100g) to the bowl. Combine Reverse+Speed 3 / 10 seconds. Finish combining the mixture with a spatula if necessary.
7. Transfer the batter to the prepared tin and decorate with the prepared apple slices.
8. Bake for 45 minutes. Check with a skewer. If the skewer is clean you can remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tin. After that, lift onto a wire cooling rack and leave to cool.
9. If the skewer does not come out clean, turn down the oven to 140C, cover the cake with aluminium foil and bake for a further 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove and leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then lift onto a wire cooling rack and leave to cool.
10. Heat the apricot jam (1 Tbsp) in a small saucepan until bubbling or microwave for 30 seconds in a small container. Brush over the top of the cake and leave to set before slicing.
11. Enjoy!

Make your own!
*Make your own apricot jam with the 8 Minute Dried Apricot Jam recipe from The Tea Party Issue.