2 1/2 cups organic whole-wheat pastry flour

2 1/2 cups organic unbleached flour

1/2 cup Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Sucanat

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup brown-rice syrup

5 tablespoons canola oil

1/3 cup maple syrup, organic preferably

1/2 tablespoon vanilla

1/2 cup toasted, blanced hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly oil and flour two 9x9-inch baking pans.  Sift together the flours, Sucanat, sea salt and baking powder.  In a separate bowl, combine the brown-rice syrup, oil, maple syrup and vanilla with 7 tablespoons of cold water.  Add dry ingredients, stirring until smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pans.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over batter.  Bake until a cake tester comes out clean from the center of the pan, about 20 minutes.  Cool and slice.