Chocolate Spiked Orange Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup almonds
2 large navel oranges
3 cups spelt flour
1 tablespoon soda
¼ teaspoon sea salt
⅓ cup cane sugar
1 cup maple syrup
½ cup olive oil
4 tablespoons Grand Marnier
1½  cups chocolate chips
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla or Grand Marnier

 Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Roast the almonds in the oven for 7 to 10 minutes.  Grind in a food processor or blender to make a fine meal.
• Wash and boil the oranges in a little water for 2 hours or pressure cook them for 20 minutes.  Remove the seeds and blend the entire orange.  You should have about 2 cups of orange puree.  Add water if necessary to make two cups.
• Combine the flour, soda, salt and sugar.  Add the nut meal as well.
• Add the maple syrup, oil and Grand Marnier to the orange puree.  Blend a few seconds.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry.  Fold in 1 cup of the chocolate chips.
• Pour the batter into a well-oiled spring form pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes.
• Melt the remaining ½ cup chocolate chips with the maple syrup and vanilla or Grand Marnier.  If the mixture is too thick, thin with a little water.
• Drizzle over the still warm cake.