Orange and Almond Cakes

These little morsels are so delicious and light. I'm quite surprised as I thought the almond meal would make them heavy.

I have adapted a recipe found on taste.com to such an extent that I'm calling it my own. The cakes are not gluten free, but are wheat free and high fibre, low GI. I used coconut sugar, but rapidura would work just as well.  These were made in the Thermomix, but an ordinary mixer or food processor would work just as well.

200g raw almonds (or 200g almond meal)
150g butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1 orange
100g coconut sugar (2/3 cup)
1/2 cup white spelt flour
1/2 cup wholemeal spelt flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bi-carb soda

Preheat oven to 175 C. Place muffin cases in 2 x 1/2 cup muffin trays to make 12. I use silicone trays.
Grind almonds in Thermomix or processor until fine. Remove from bowl and set aside.
Place melted butter, eggs and finely grated rind and juice of orange into TM bowl. Blend on speed 4 - 5 for 20 seconds.
Add coconut sugar and blend on speed 2 for 1 minute. This helps dissolve the sugar as it has quite large crystals.
Add flours, rising agents and almond meal to mixture and blend on speed 3 for a few seconds. Scrape down and mix again on speed 4 to 5 until combined. Divide among the muffin cases, filling to top of the cases if muffin tray is deep.
Bake for around 25 to 30 minutes or until the top of a muffin bounces back when pressed lightly.

Serve dusted with icing sugar. Delicious when eaten warm (I had to try one!)