Apricot, Walnut and Lavender Cake

I can't get enough of apricot cakes this summer. So here comes yet another recipe and I think, it's my favorite so far. As usual with Ottolenghi recipes, flavors are in perfect harmony. And doesn't this cake look beautiful?! I photographed it yesterday in the evening light. Guess what?! These are my very first food photos shot with a professional camera. It wasn't my own, though. I've always been quite happy with the results that I got out of my good old digicam in the past few years. But now, I think its days are numbered.

Recipe
(from here)

185g unsalted butter, diced and at room temperature
2 tbsp walnut oil
220g caster sugar
120g ground almonds
4 medium eggs, beaten
120g ground walnuts
90g plain flour
½ tsp vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1½ tsp picked lavender flowers, fresh or dry
Salt
600g (gross) apricots, halved and stones removed

For the icing:
50g icing sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Put the butter, oil, sugar and almonds in the bowl of a mixer and beat on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs bit by bit, making sure each addition is well incorporated before beginning the next, then fold in the walnuts, flour, vanilla, lemon zest, a teaspoon of lavender flowers and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt.

Line the base and sides of a 23cm cake tin with greaseproof paper. Pour in the cake mix and use a palette knife to level it out. Arrange the apricot halves skin side down and slightly overlapping all over the top of the cake, taking them right to the edge.

Bake for 70-80 minutes – cover with foil if the top starts to brown too much; also, note that when you insert a skewer to test for doneness, it will come out a little sticky because of all the moisture in the apricots.

While the cake is baking, whisk together the icing sugar and lemon juice until you have a light, pourable icing (adjust the amount of sugar or juice slightly, to suit your tastes). As soon as the cake is cooked, remove from the oven and brush the icing all over the top (we left that out). Sprinkle over the remaining lavender flowers and set aside to cool.