Lavender and honey cake

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line two 20-cm cake tins with baking parchment.
2. Sift the flour into a bowl and add half the sugar and the baking powder. Put the egg yolks, oil, water, lavender and almond extracts, honey and salt in a separate bowl and beat until just barely combined.
3. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, add the dry ingredients in small additions, until fully incorporated. At this point, the mixture will be stiff, but it will loosen up once you start adding the egg whites.
4. Put the eggs whites and cream of tartar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or into a mixing bowl and use an electric hand-held whisk, and whisk to stiff peaks. Add a little of the whisked whites to the cake mixture, to loosen, then gently fold in the remaining whisked whites. Divide the mixture evenly between the tins and bake for 20–25 minutes until a skewer inserted in the cakes comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before inverting on to a wire rack.
5. For the frosting, whisk the cream in a bowl, using a hand-held electric whisk, until medium-stiff. Add the mascarpone and honey and whisk for 1 minute. Finally add the icing sugar and whisk until incorporated. Spread half of the frosting onto one of the cakes. Place the other cake on top and, using a spatula, spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides. Decorate with lavender flowers.