For the cake:

• 375 g castor sugar
• 8 fresh lavender flowers, rinsed and dried thoroughly
• 150 g butter, softened
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) grated orange zest (about 3 oranges)
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 375 g cake flour
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) baking powder
• 2.5 ml (½ tsp) fine salt
• 270 ml warm milk

For the orange syrup:

• 60 g castor sugar
• 60 ml (¼ cup) fresh orange juice
• 5 ml (1 tsp) finely grated orange zest
• 100 ml water

For the orange glaze:

• 250 g icing sugar
• 30 – 40 ml fresh orange juice

1.) Preheat your oven to 170°C and grease a 23cm ring tin or bundt tin well.

2.) Place the sugar and lavender in a food processor and blitz together until the flowers are finely chopped and mixed into the sugar.

3.) Cream the butter and lavender sugar together for a few minutes until fluffy. Add the orange zest and eggs and beat until well incorporated.

4.) Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a separate bowl. Add half of the dry ingredients into the batter, and mix. Add half of the milk and mix again. Mix in the remaining flour. Add the remaining milk and mix everything together until just combined.

5.) Scrape the mixture into your prepared tin and bake for 40 – 45 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

6.) Start preparing the orange syrup about halfway through baking. Place all the ingredients into a small saucepan and stir over a medium heat to dissolve the sugar. Allow to boil gently for 10 minutes until the syrup has reduced slightly.

7.) Pour the hot syrup over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven. Allow to cool for 15 minutes, then carefully turn the cake out onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool for another 15 minutes before adding the glaze.

8.) To make the glaze: sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Gradually add the orange juice until you have a pouring consistency (you may not need all of the orange juice). Pour the glaze over the top of the cake, allowing it to run down the sides. Slice and serve.