Punch Filling Ingredients:

2/3 cup strong dark tea
1/3 cup rum
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup softened chocolate
2 tablespoons apricot jam
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
Juice of one large orange

Directions for Cake Preparation:

1. Whisk egg yolks with 4 oz. (120 g) sugar, than gradually add spoon by spoon hot water and mix until mixture is thick and lemon-colored. Add peel and juice of one large lemon and mix well.
2. Preheat oven to 350º F (180º C).
3. Beat egg whites with 2 oz. (60g) sugar until stiff peaks form.
4. Slowly add sifted flour and beaten egg whites into egg yolk mixture.
5. Put mixture in two greased and floured 9-inch round cake molds and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
6. Cool 2 to 3 minutes, than remove from molds and cool to room temperature.
7. Cut each cake into 3 equal layers.
8. Spread layers of one cake with warm apricot jam, and set aside.

To Prepare Punch Filling:

1. Cut layers of second cake into small cubes and put into large bowl.
2. Put tea, rum and sugar in a sauce pan and bring to boil. Pour over the cake cubes.
3. Add jam, almond extract, softened chocolate, vanilla sugar and orange juice and mix well.
4. Spread filling between layers and press down lightly each layer.
5. Press cake with some big heavy pan or wood and leave for two hours.
6. Prepare pink icing and spread over the cake.

To Prepare Pink Icing:

1. Add a very little water into sifted icing sugar, add food color and rum, than add more liquid or sugar to obtain a smooth thick paste.
2. Spread icing over the cake and leave to dry.
3. Serve cake next day.

Makes 16 servings.