Apricot Walnut Soda Bread

3 cups all purpose flour
½ cup plus 2 tbs granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ cup plus 2 tbs cold butter
1 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots
¾ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 ¼ cups buttermilk
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. With a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in apricots and walnuts.
In a two-cup liquid measuring cup, measure buttermilk. Add egg and vanilla and blend with a fork. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in buttermilk mixture. Use fork to bring wet and dry ingredients together, just until incorporated.
Turn dough out of bowl onto a floured surface. Knead until dough comes together into a ball, five or six times (dough will be sticky). Pat into a flattened circle, about 7 inches in diameter and 2 ½ inches tall. Transfer to a Silpat-lined baking tray. Bake at 350F for 35 minutes. Turn tray, reduce temperature to 325F, and continue baking for about another 25 minutes, until bread is well browned and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Place bread on a cooling rack to cool completely.