Is there anything more Australian than a Lamington? I'll wait..... no, there's not! Delicious little squares of chocolate-soaked cake that have been rolled in coconut, then cut in half and filled with raspberry jam and whipped cream. They're truly a cake lover's dream come true! And just perfect for your Australia Day BBQ or afternoon tea.
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Happy Australia Day guys! And to celebrate our magnificent day, I'm sharing how I make these iconic little Aussie cakes; the Lamington. And for those of you who have been scared off by the possible mess of making your own Lamingtons (they can be a nightmare!) fear not -I'm sharing how I avoid a coconut shit-storm!
WHAT IS A LAMINGTON?
Seriously, they're not that fancy, but they are AMAZING! They are made up of a sponge or butter cake that has been cut into squares, then dipped in a chocolate glaze and rolled in dessicated coconut. Some people leave them like that, which is perfectly fine, but I like to let them set, cut them in half and fill them with raspberry jam and Chantilly Cream. And if you leave them for a day (kept in the fridge) they are even better, as the fillings and chocolate soak into the cake....mmmmmm...
TOP TIPS FOR STRESS-FREE LAMINGTONS
Like most Aussies who loved Home Eco in school (that's Home Economics or Hospitality for you young folk), I've been making Lamingtons for as long as I remember. However, I've picked up some fabulous tips while reading through some of my favourite blogs...
So here's what I've discovered over the years:
- You can make any favourite plain cake -your favourite sponge cake recipe, or a simple butter cake. I love how simple a plain butter cake is (Lamingtons are meant to be easy!).
- After cutting your cake into squares, wrap each square and freeze it overnight. Dipping frozen pieces of cake into chocolate glaze is so much neater and easier than using fresh cake that drops crumbs everywhere! -thanks Nagi (RecipeTin Eats).
- When dipping your cake into the chocolate, do 3 pieces at a time, placing each dipped piece onto a cake cooling rack. Once you've done 3, go ahead and roll them in the coconut. By doing this, you allow the excess glaze to drip off. Now when you roll them in coconut, you won't leave big globs of glaze in there! And to save even more mess, place a sheet of alfoil under the cake rack to catch those drips....thanks Marie (Sugar Salt Magic).
- Make the Lamingtons the day before you need them (although they're perfectly delicious on the same day!). I love how the chocolate soaks into the cake overnight.
JAM AND CREAM OPTIONAL
These Lamingtons are absolutely delicious on their own, but my favourite way to serve them is with jam and cream. If you're taking them to a BBQ, perhaps leave them plain (the Aussie heat doesn't like cream!). But if you're able to keep them refrigerated, I would definitely go the jam and cream option! They're just a little fancier that way!
Whichever way you choose to serve them, I know you're going to love these Lamingtons! And please be sure to leave a comment or a rating on my recipe below. I love hearing from you and will make sure I answer any questions you may have. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram I’d love to see what you’ve made!
You may also like these great recipes for Australia Day:
Lamingtons
Ingredients
Butter Cake
- 185 g unsalted butter room temp
- 150 g caster sugar
- 4 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 270 g self raising flour
- 2 tablespoon milk
Chocolate Glaze
- 400 g pure icing sugar
- 60 g soft butter
- 7 tablespoon boiling water
- 2 tablespoon cocoa
Coconut Coating
- 150 g dessicated coconut
Optional Jam and Cream
- Raspberry Jam
- Chantilly Cream
Instructions
Butter Cake
- Pre heat oven to 180°C/160°FF
- Line a square 23cm x 23cm cake pan with baking paper
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 mins
- Gradually add the egg, stopping the mixer and scraping the sides once or twice
- Mix through the vanilla
- Add flour, alternating with the milk (⅓ of the flour, ½ of the milk etc.). Mix until just combined
- Scoop mixture into prepared pan, smooth over and bake for 25 minutes, until lightly golden and a cake tester comes out clean.
- Once cooked, cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cake cooler to cool completely.
- Once completely cool, cut into 16 squares, then wrap each square in glad wrap and place in the freezer until frozen (frozen cake squares are much easier to handle and coat!).
Chocolate Glaze
- Place the soft butter into a mixing bowl, then add the boiling water. Stir gently to melt the butter
- Stir through the icing sugar and cocoa until smooth and runny. Add a little more water if necessary.
Assembly
- Place the chocolate glaze on the bench, ready for dipping.
- Place a large cake cooling rack next to the chocolate glaze.
- In a bowl or small cake pan, place the dessicated coconut.
- Remove the glad wrap from the cake squares, then begin dipping....
- Using 2 forks, dip one of the squares into the chocolate glaze and flip it to coat. Allow the excess to drip off for a few seconds, then move it to the cake rack. Continue with 2 more cake squares.
- Now you will have 3 coated cake squares. Using 2 more forks, toss each square in coconut, flipping the coconut over the cake to ensure its completely coated. Return to another section of the cake rack and repeat with the other squares, working with 3 at a time.Working this way means you'll avoid messy globs of chocolate glaze in your coconut.
- Place into a container and refrigerate until required.
Optional Jam and Cream
- Once glaze has set, cut each Lamington in half and spread with raspberry jam. Pipe on Chantilly Cream
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve
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Marcus says
It is so tasty