Step 1

Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan). Position shelf in the middle of the oven.

Step 2

Loaf pan (Note 7): Use a 21.5 x 11.5 x 7 cm / 4.5 x 8.5 x 2.75" pan. Spray with canola oil then line the long side + base with a single piece of paper leaving some overhang (don’t worry about lining short sides).

Step 3

Topping: Mix the Demerara sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.

Step 4

Cinnamon Apple: Mix Cinnamon Apple ingredients in a bowl. Set aside while you prepare the batter (the sugar will make the apple sweat = good thing!).

Step 5

Batter: Whisk the Dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk Wet ingredients. Pour Wet mix into the Dry bowl, whisk just until smooth. Stir in apples (including all juices) and walnuts. Batter should be thick but dollop-able (not pourable in thin stream, nor thick like sticky bread dough). Scrape into loaf pan, smooth surface.

Step 6

Topping: Take 1/4 of the apple slices, fan out (so they're overlapping) then arrange on top. Repeat in two more lots of 1/4 of an apple. (I find to cover the surface, I only use 3/4 of the apple.) Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.

Step 7

Bake 60 minutes. Cover loosely with foil, bake for further 25 minutes or until skewer inserted into the centre comes out smooth.

Step 8

Rest 15 minutes in the pan then use paper overhang to remove to a rack. Cool at least 1 hour on rack before slicing!

Step 9

Serving - The bread is moist and flavoured enough to eat plain though nobody complains if it's lightly toasted and slathered with butter!