• 4 medium eggs, separated
• 75g golden caster sugar
• 75g Manuka Honey
• 3 tbsp cocoa, sifted
• 225g ground almonds
• 1 tsp baking powder, sifted
• For the filling:
• 225g dried apricots
• 20ml orange juice, sieved
• 1 tbsp apricot jam, sieved
• 4 tbsp coarsely grated dark chocolate

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C (fan oven) or 200 C (electric oven) and butter a 20cm cake tin.
2. Whisk egg whites in a medium bowl. Also whisk together egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until pale and creamy.
3. Fold the egg whites into the yolk and sugar mix, then fold in the cocoa, ground almonds and baking powder.
4. Pour mixture into the tin, smooth the surface and bake for 35 minutes until the sponge starts to shrink from the sides and a skewer comes out clean.
5. While the cake is baking, prepare the filling. Place the apricots and juice in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, then simmer over a low heat for 20-30 minutes until the apricots are tender and have absorbed all the liquid. Puree the fruit in a food processor, transfer to a bowl, cover and leave to cool.
6. Slit cake in half; spread with apricot puree and sandwich together.
7. Brush the top of the cake with the sieved apricot jam and scatter over the chocolate.

4 medium eggs, separated

75g golden caster sugar

75g honey

3 tbsp cocoa, sifted

225g ground almonds

1 tsp baking powder, sifted

For the filling:

225g dried apricots

20ml orange juice, sieved

1 tbsp apricot jam, sieved

4 tbsp coarsely grated dark chocolate

Preheat the oven to 180 C (fan oven) or 200 C (electric oven) and butter a 20cm cake tin.

Whisk egg whites in a medium bowl.  Also whisk together egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until pale and creamy.  Fold the egg whites into the yolk and sugar mix, then fold in the cocoa, ground almonds and baking powder.

Pour mixture into the tin, smooth the surface and bake for 35 minutes until the sponge starts to shrink from the sides and a skewer comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, prepare the filling.  Place the apricots and juice in a small saucepan.  Bring to the boil, then simmer over a low heat for 20-30 minutes until the apricots are tender and have absorbed all the liquid.  Puree the fruit in a food processor, transfer to a bowl, cover and leave to cool. 

Slit cake in half; spread with apricot puree and sandwich together.  Brush the top of the cake with the sieved apricot jam and scatter over the chocolate.