CHOCOLATE & APRICOT SURPRISE
Ingredients
Cake Mixture
175g margarine
175g castor sugar
3 eggs size 3
175g self raising flour blended with1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons cocoa blended with 2 tablespoons hot water

Filling
125g pre soaked dried apricots
strip lemon rind
150ml Elmlea whipping cream whipped

Icing
50g margarine
225g icing sugar, sieved, less 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons cocoa powder blended with 2 tablespoons hot water

Method
Preheat oven to Gas mark 3/325F/160C.  Place all cake ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat together with a wooden spoon until well mixed.  Place in 2 x 20cm (8inch) greased and bottom lined sandwich tins.  Bake in oven for 30-35 mins until cooked.  Turn out & cool on wire tray.

Filling: place apricots, lemon rind & enough water to cover in a saucepan.  Cook for 10-15 minutes and puree with 3 tablespoons of the water.  Cool & mix with the whipped Elmlea.  Use to sandwich the cakes together.

Icing: place all ingredients in a bowl over a saucepan of hot water.  Stir until mixture is smooth & glossy.  Remove from heat and leave until cold.  Beat until mixture is thick enough to spread and cover top and sides of cake.