Sticky Apple, Gingerbread and Pecan Loaf Cake

I just can't believe the wether has turned so cold again...well this of course meant that I needed to make something warming and it even smelt Christmassy hehehe :))

Sticky Apple, Gingerbread and Pecan Loaf Cake

150g unsalted butter, plus extra to grease
150g soft dark brown sugar
150g golden syrup
200ml milk
250g plain flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1½ tsp baking powder
2 large free-range eggs, beaten
75g pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
2 crisp eating apples, peeled, cored and chopped into chunks (about 245g peeled and cored)

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4.
Grease and line a 2 litre loaf tin. Melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a small saucepan. Set aside to cool.
Sift the flour with the dry spices and baking powder into a bowl. Add the chopped apples and mix in to cover the apples with flour (this will prevent them from sinking to the bottom) add the toasted pecans.
Whisk the eggs into the milk and pour into the cooled sugar mixture.
Make a well in the centre and pour in the cooled sugar/milk mixture. With a wooden spoon, slowly incorporate with the flour mixture using a circular motion. Try to be gently and don't over mix as you don't want it tough.
Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake in the oven for around 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then place on a wire rack.
Serve warm with some vanilla ice cream or mascarpone or cold in slices with mascarpone :))

I added a crumble topping, if you want to add this refer to my apple crumble pie recipe for the crumble recipe :)