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Close up lamington filled with jam and cream.
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5 from 1 vote

Lamingtons

These classic Australian lamingtons are perfect for Australia day or any other day you need a delicious morning or afternoon tea.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time40 minutes
Cooling and freezing time2 hours
Total Time3 hours 40 minutes
Course: afternoon tea, Dessert, morning tea, Snack
Cuisine: Aussie, Australian, Kiwi, New Zealand
Keyword: Classic Australian, Iconic Australian, Iconic dessert
Servings: 9 large pieces

Equipment

  • Square cake tin or rectangular 9' x 12' slice tin.
  • Double boiler or a heat proof bowl you can put over a pot of boiling water.

Ingredients

Sponge cake

  • 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon (125gms) room temperature butter
  • ¾ cup (165gms) white sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 and ½ cups (225gms) self raising flour
  • ¼ cup (35gms) corn flour
  • ½ cup (125mls) full cream milk

Chocolate icing

  • 2 and ⅓ cups (375gms) icing sugar or powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup (25mgs) cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon (20gms) room temperature butter
  • cup plus 1 tablespoon (90mls) full cream milk

Coating

  • 1 to 2 cup ( gms) desiccated coconut

Optional filling

  • ¼ cup strawberry jam
  • ½ cup whipped cream

Instructions

Sponge cake

  • Pre-heat your oven to 355°F/ 320°F fan forced (180°C/ 160°C).
  • Grease and line the cake pan.
  • Sift the flour and corn flour together three times. This helps ensure a light fluffy sponge.
  • Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla together
  • Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.
  • Add half the flour and corn flour in the butter and sugar mix. Fold in gently.
  • Add the milk, fold in gently.
  • Add the rest of the flour and corn flour, fold in gently. You want to make sure its all mixed together properly, but be gentle with the mix.
  • Transfer to lined cake tin and bake for 30 minutes or until starting to go golden brown.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool completely and at least ten minutes before removing from the tin.
  • Cut cake into squares. Transfer back to cake tin and freeze for one hour.

Chocolate icing

  • Boil the water for the bottom of the double boiler.
  • Sift the icing sugar and cocoa. Add the sugar, cocoa, butter and milk to the top of the double boiler. Put the pan on low and stir until icing is mixed in well and melted together.

To assemble the lamingtons

  • Put the coconut into a shallow baking tray.
  • Set up your assembly area with sponge cake on the left, chocolate icing in the middle (put something heatproof under the pot to protect the work surface), then tray with coconut, then cooling rack on a tray.
  • Drop the sponge cake pieces into the chocolate icing one at a time. Flip the cake piece over with a fork, ensuring the all of the cake is coated. Carefully lift the cake on the fork, allowing the excess chocolate to drain off.
  • Place the cake onto the tray of desiccated coconut. Using two different forks to the one you used to dip the cake, carefully move around the cake, ensuring its coated in coconut on all sides. You can pile the coconut on and around the cake and gently pat it down to help with this process.
  • Transfer the coconut coated cake to the cooling rack. Repeat with the other pieces of cake.
  • Allow to dry for 30 mins before transfer to a plate.

Optional filling

  • Cut the lamingtons in half, add a spoon full of jam and whipped cream, then close.
  • Transfer to a plate, dig in and enjoy!