Method
Cook the apples with about 6 tablespoons of water until soft. Mash them with a fork into a puree and leave to cool.

Preheat oven to 350F/180c/Gas mark 4 and grease and line the cake tin. Soften the butter and then cream together with the sugar intil smooth, lifht and fluffy. Beat each egg before adding to the mixture. (If it curdles a little then add a little flour). Add the mixed spice, cinnamon,bicarbonate of soda ans salt to the flour and sift into the mixture. Followed by the dried fruit and cherries. Lastly add the leon rind to the apples and add to the rest of the ingredients.

Transfer the mixture into the cake tin and level out. Sprinkle the top with the demerara sugar to make a cruchy topping.

Bake for 45 mins or until golden brown. (check after 30 minutes as some ovens varie. Let the cake cool for ¼ hour before turning out onto a cake rack. (if you haven't got a cake rack use the wire rack from your grill pan)

to keep the cake fresh for a few days keep in an air tight container once completely cooled.

Based on a recipe from "favourite cake recipes"