Lamington Cake (Australia)

The world-famous Australian culinary icon Lamington consists of a sponge cake that is dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with finely desiccated coconut. The cake is believed to have been created by accident when Lord Lamington's maid accidentally dropped his favourite cake in melted chocolate. Lamington, the eighth Governor of Queensland, suggested that the cake should be sprinkled with coconut in order to avoid the mess while consuming it - and the erroneous cake was proclaimed a massive success by all. Today, the cake is extremely popular due to its climate suitability, as it lasts longer in the heat when it's cut in bite-sized squares and covered in coconut. It is also a staple of fundraising events due to the fact that it can be easily made in large quantities. The cake can also be found throughout Australia and New Zealand, in numerous supermarkets, cafés, and bakeries. An important thing to be mindful of is to prepare the sponge the day before.

1 cup + 1 Tbsp. butter, softened (125 g)
1 cup caster sugar (200 g)
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 eggs
1¾ cups self-raising flour, sifted (220 g)
½ cup milk (120 mL)
2 cups desiccated coconut (180 g)

Icing:
2½ cups confectioners' sugar (300 g)
¼ cup cocoa powder (30 g)
1 Tbsp. butter, softened
½ cup boiling water (120 mL)

Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Grease an 8x11" (20x30 cm) pan, then line it with baking paper. Make sure you leave at least 1" (2 cm) to overhang on the sides.

In a bowl beat sugar, vanilla, and butter with a mixer until pale and creamy, then start adding one egg at a time, beating after each addition.

Next, sift one-half of the flour over the butter mixture and stir. Then, add half of the milk and stir once again. Do this step once more with the remaining flour and milk.

Pour the batter into the pan and smooth out the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out without any crumbs.

When baked, leave in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn over onto a wire rack to cool. Cover with a cloth and leave overnight.

The following day to make the icing first sift confectioners' sugar together with cocoa into a bowl, then add butter and boiling water, and stir until smooth.

Cut the cake into 15 equal pieces, place the shredded coconut in a dish, and set a wire rack over the baking tray.

With a fork, dip one cake square into the icing, shake off the excess, and roll in coconut. Place each finished square on the prepared wire rack.

Once all are done, leave them to set for the next two hours before serving.

Makes 15 servings.

Cooking Notes:

• Icing: Even though both cocoa and chocolate icing are used in the original recipe, they give different results. Chocolate will give a thicker coat, while cocoa glaze will seep into the sponge and give lamingtons a softer texture. White chocolate icing, although perfect on its own, is also a great base to which you can add food colours. Often in recipes, lamingtons are dipped in fruit jelly which is also another great way to play with colours and flavour.
• Ingredients: Most recipes will make a butter cake for the squares, but you can replace it with any of the following: pound cake, sponge cake, Madeira cake, genoise sponge, or even store-bought sponges if you're pressed for time. An important thing to remember is that coconut should be dried and unsweetened, although freshly grated coconut will work even better if it's not additionally sweetened.