For the Cake
• 1 ¼ cup apricots
• ½ cup stem ginger
• ½ cup dark chocolate
• 2 ½ oz. pecans
• ½ lb. butter (2 sticks)
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup self-rising flour

For the Butterscotch Icing
• 4 T.butter
• 6 T. whole milk
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
• Handful of pecans – chopped to serve

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and line 2 x 8” cake tins.
In a blender, stir together the apricots, ginger, chocolate and pecans until well chopped – or just finely chop these if you don’t have a blender.
Heat together the butter and sugar until well combined.
Leave to cool slightly and then whisk in the eggs.
Sift the flour and fold the mixture together with the blended fruit and nuts.
Divide the mixture between the two pans and bake for 30-35 minutes – until the cake is springy to touch and come away from the sides of the pan.
Once cooked, remove the cakes from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before tipping them onto a rack to cool completely.

Once the cake has cooled make the icing by heating the butter, milk and sugar to boiling and then simmer for 3 minutes.
Remove from the heat and sift in the powdered sugar. Whip the mixture until thick and lump free.
Assemble the cake immediately by spreading half the icing on one cake and topping with the other cake. Spread the remaining icing on top and then sprinkle with some extra pecans.
Let the icing to set for 10 minutes and then slice up to enjoy with a big mug of tea.

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