This kiwi lolly cake is a classic New Zealand treat. With just five ingredients is easy to make and even easier to eat. Perfect for kids and kids at heart.
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Who remembers eating lolly log cake at parties as a kid? A classic combination of malt biscuits and fruit puffs, stuck together with butter and condensed milk and coated in coconut, yum! It's the stuff of many nostalgic childhood memories and has been eaten by kids in New Zealand for generations.
To be honest it's not so much of a cake as a no-bake slice. It's very similar to the Northern Ireland traybakes called fifteens.
Recipe tips and frequently asked questions
Who invented lolly cake?
No one really knows who invented lolly cake but it has been around since the 1940s. It didn't become widely available in supermarkets until the 1960s. These days it's readily available from dairies, bakeries and supermarkets and of course you can easily make your own.
What is lolly cake made of?
Lolly cake is traditionally made of malt biscuits, fruit puffs or Explorer (formally Eskimo) lollies, sweetened condensed milk, butter and coconut.
How to make lolly cake in Australia and beyond
So many kiwis, my husband included, have moved to Australia and miss their homegrown treats. To make New Zealand lolly log cake in Australia and beyond you can try the following substitutions:
Fruit puffs or Explorer lollies: are a type of soft, chewy, foam-like lolly that can be purchased from Kiwi shops such as kiwishoponline or kiwitreatsinmelbourne (not sponsored and I don't have any associated with these shops, they are just one's I found googling). You could also try substituting with banana lollies in Australia, foam banana sweets (shrimps and bananas) in the UK or circus peanuts in the USA. Failing that you could try making it with soft liquorice lollies or even mini marshmallows.
Malt biscuits: again the traditional malt biscuits are available from some of the aforementioned kiwi shops in Australia. Otherwise the closest thing to taste in Australia is Malt 'o' milk biscuits but they won't have the same colour. In the UK try malted milk biscuits or in the USA you can get imported malted milk biscuits from Amazon or Walmart.
If you just can't get malt biscuits you could try using another type of sweet biscuit and adding a tablespoon of malted milk powder for flavour.
The other ingredients, butter, condensed milk and desiccated coconut, are readily available in other parts of the world.
Can I make this
Without coconut?
Yes you can leave the coconut off, or try rolling the log in crushed biscuits to make it prettier and less sticky.
Without butter?
Yes you can replace the butter with the same amount of margarine or vegan butter.
Without malt biscuits?
Yes you can replace the malt biscuits for the same amount of similar sweet biscuits such as milk arrowroot, Maries or Nice biscuits.
Without condensed milk
I am yet to find a good substitute for condensed milk in this. For a dairy-free alternative you could try coconut-sweetened condensed milk but be warned this is even sweeter than regular condensed milk.
Gluten free?
Unfortunately Griffins don't make gluten free malt biscuits. You can replace them with a similar gluten-free sweet biscuit such as arrowroot.
Ingredients
Malt biscuits: a classic biscuit with a distinct malty flavor. You could also use any other type of firm sweet biscuit such as milk arrowroot, nice or marie.
Sweetened Condensed Milk: adds sugar and all important stickiness to this easy slice. This is not the same as evaporated milk and you can not substitute with it.
Unsalted Butter: is best for this recipe to help bind it together.
Fruit Puffs or Explorer lollies: the traditional ingredient in lolly log and are readily available from shops and supermarkets in New Zealand.
Desiccated Coconut: is finely grated coconut, commonly used in baking. The fine texture helps it stick to the log. I don't recommend using shredded coconut, it will be too big to stick to the cake.
How to make Lolly Cake
Break up the biscuits can blitz them into crumbs in a food processor. Slice the fruit puffs in half. Add the fruit puffs to the biscuit crumbs.
Put the butter into a microwave-proof jug or bowl and melt the butter in the microwave. Add the sweetened condensed milk and mix well. Add the butter and condensed milk to the biscuit crumbs and fruit puffs. Mix well.
Divide the mix in two on some grease-proof paper. Shape each mix into a short log. Put the coconut into a shallow tin (a brownie tin works well) and roll it in the coconut to coat the outside.
Layout some cling film and wrap the log firmly in the cling film. Repeat with the other log. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour and up to overnight.
Once set slice into thick slices and enjoy!
How to serve
To serve the lolly role pop onto a plate and enjoy! Perfect for a kiwi kids' party!
How to store
This easy no bake slice will store well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, but I very much doubt it will last that long!
It can also be wrapped in cling film and stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months.
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📖 Recipe
Lolly Cake
Equipment
- Stick/immersion blender with chopping bowl attachment or food processor *optional
Ingredients
- 1 packet (250gms) Malt biscuits *see notes for possible substitutes
- 1 packet (150gms) Fruit puffs or Explorer lollies *see notes for possible substitutes
- ½ cup (125gms) Unsalted butter
- ½ tin (200gms) Sweetened consended milk
- ½ cup (40gms) Dessicated coconut
Instructions
- Break up the biscuits and blitz them into crumbs in a food processor. Slice the fruit puffs in half. Add the fruit puffs to the biscuit crumbs.
- Put the butter into a microwave proof jug or bowl and melt the butter in the microwave. Add the sweetened condensed milk and mix well.
- Add the butter and condensed milk to the biscuit crumbs and fruit puffs. Mix well.
- Divide the mix in two on some grease-proof paper. Shape each mix into a short log. Put the coconut into a shallow tin (a brownie tin works well) and roll it in the coconut to coat the outside.
- Layout some cling film and wrap the log firmly in the cling film. Repeat with the other log. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Once set slice into thick slices and enjoy!
Notes
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