blood orange soaked cake

Serves: 6-9 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

3/4 cup boiling hot water

1/4 cup ghee melted

1 3/4 cups, spilt, flour, spelt flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon

1/4 teaspoon

1/2 fresh blood orange juice

1 cup chopped herb walnuts

fresh herbs and edible flowers of garnish

Blood orange syrup

1/4 cup fresh blood orange juice

One cinnamon stick

3 dried apricots, chopped

1/2 cup raw, honey

1 tablespoon fresh

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

One slice of the blood orange rind

Instructions for cake:

1. Put the chopped apricots in a blender and pour the boiling water over them. Blend to a smooth purée.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease an 8 inch baking dish with olive oil.

3. And a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, lime, zest, and salt.

4. Add the olive oil and orange juice to the apricot purée.

5. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and blend well. Fold in the walnuts.

6. Transfer the batter to the greased baking dish. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

7. While the cake is baking, prepare the syrup and garnishes.

8. In a small sauce pan combine 3/4 cup water, the orange peel, cinnamon, stick, and apricots, and bring to a boil over high heat, lower the heat, and simmer and covered for 10 minutes.

9. Remove the orange peel and cinnamon stick and let the cooked apricots cool down. Transfer to a blender and blend to a smooth consistency.

10. Pour the blended mixture into a small bowl and whisk the honey, blood orange juice, lime juice, and vanilla.

11. Cut the cake into triangle or square shaped pieces of your desired size.

12. Pour the orange honey syrup over the cake making sure to moisten around the edges corners and crevices. Allowed to soak for at least 30 minutes.

13. Garnish with zest from the blood oranges, edible flowers and herbs of your choosing.

14. Cake can be refrigerated for up to three days. Serve at room temperature.