It doesn't get much better than the combinatin of apple, sugar, cinnamon, and walnuts (plus others). Fennel seeds may seem out of the blue but they are actually in keeping with the spiced quality of the cake, adding their own brand of licorice flavor. The apple is folded into the batter, but the walnuts are sprinkled over the batter in the pan before baking, and jam is brushed over the top once it's out of the oven.