Here you go:
XmlDocument xmldoc = new XmlDocument();
xmldoc.LoadXml(@"
");
XmlElement node1 = xmldoc.SelectSingleNode("/root/level/node1") as XmlElement;
if (node1 != null)
{
node1.InnerText = "something"; // if you want a text
node1.SetAttribute("attr", "value"); // if you want an attribute
node1.AppendChild(xmldoc.CreateElement("subnode1")); // if you want a subnode
}