Lamingtons
Australian squares of sponge cake dipped in thin chocolate icing and rolled in desiccated coconut
Lamingtons are said to be named after Lord Lamington, Governor of Queensland at the turn of the twentieth century, and they're the cake of Australian school fundraisers, Country Women's Association stalls and morning tea at work; there's even a National Lamington Day on 21 July. Cubes of light butter sponge are dunked in a thin, glossy chocolate icing and rolled in desiccated coconut, so each one has a soft, chocolate-soaked outside and a fluffy middle. Some bakeries split them and fill them with jam and cream. Chef's tip: bake the sponge a day ahead, or freeze the cut squares for an hour; fresh sponge crumbles in the icing, firm sponge dips cleanly.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 4 ½ oz buttersoftened
- 5 ½ oz caster sugar
- 3 eggsat room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 oz self-raising flour
- ½ cup milk
For the icing
- 14 oz icing sugar
- 1 ⅜ oz cocoa powder
- ⅔ oz butter
- ¾ cup milkboiling
To coat
- 9 oz desiccated coconut
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Grease and line a 20 × 30 cm tin with baking paper.
Step 2: Beat 4 ½ oz butter and 5 ½ oz caster sugar until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in 3 eggs one at a time, then 1 tsp vanilla extract.
6 minStep 3: Fold in 8 oz self-raising flour in two goes, alternating with ½ cup milk, until smooth. Spread into the tin.
3 minStep 4: Bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden, springy when pressed and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then on a rack. Ideally wrap and leave overnight.
30 minStep 5: Trim the edges and cut the sponge into 16 squares. Freeze them on a tray for 1 hour so they're firm.
60 minStep 6: Sift 14 oz icing sugar and 1 ⅜ oz cocoa powder into a wide bowl. Add ⅔ oz butter and ¾ cup milk and stir until smooth and runny, like thin cream. Set the bowl over a pan of hot water to keep it fluid. Spread 9 oz desiccated coconut in a shallow dish.
5 minStep 7: Using two forks, dip one square at a time into the icing, turning quickly to coat all sides, and let the excess drip off for a few seconds. A common mistake is leaving the sponge in too long: it soaks up icing, goes soggy and breaks apart. A quick 2–3 second dunk is enough.
15 minStep 8: Roll each square in the coconut until fully coated and set on a rack. Leave for 1 hour until the icing sets. They keep in an airtight tin for 3 days.
60 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lamingtons take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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