flipLamingtons
Lamingtons
Why this dish? The shared cake for occasions and departmental "morning teas": to celebrate an accepted publication or the end of an experiment campaign, you bring lamingtons to the break room.
Cubes of fluffy sponge cake dipped in chocolate icing then rolled in desiccated coconut. Soft, melting, a bit nostalgic — the quintessential Australian birthday and school fête cake.
When a paper finally passes review, I bring lamingtons to morning tea — it's the unwritten rule of the department. You cut the sponge into cubes, drown them in chocolate icing, roll them in coconut, and get it all over your fingers. It's terribly sweet and perfectly Australian. Take two, no one's counting.
- •Sponge cake (eggs, sugar, flour, butter) — one cake (base)
- •Cocoa powder and icing sugar — enough for icing (chocolate coating)
- •Desiccated coconut — a good bowl (final coating)
Lamingtons
Cubes of fluffy sponge cake dipped in chocolate icing then rolled in desiccated coconut. Soft, melting, a bit nostalgic — the quintessential Australian birthday and school fête cake.
Why this dish? The shared cake for occasions and departmental "morning teas": to celebrate an accepted publication or the end of an experiment campaign, you bring lamingtons to the break room.
When a paper finally passes review, I bring lamingtons to morning tea — it's the unwritten rule of the department. You cut the sponge into cubes, drown them in chocolate icing, roll them in coconut, and get it all over your fingers. It's terribly sweet and perfectly Australian. Take two, no one's counting.
Ingredients (period version)
- Sponge cake (eggs, sugar, flour, butter) — one cake (base)
- Cocoa powder and icing sugar — enough for icing (chocolate coating)
- Desiccated coconut — a good bowl (final coating)
Ingredients
- Eggs — 4 (sponge)
- Sugar — 150 g (sponge)
- Flour — 150 g (sponge)
- Melted butter — 30 g (moistness)
- Icing sugar — 300 g (icing)
- Cocoa powder — 40 g (icing)
- Milk — 120 ml (icing)
- Desiccated coconut — 200 g (coating)
Method
- Beat eggs and sugar until ribbon stage, gently fold in sifted flour then melted butter. Bake the sponge in a square tin at 180°C for about 25 minutes. Cool, ideally overnight (it cuts better when stale).
- Cut the sponge into regular cubes about 4 cm.
- Prepare the icing: mix icing sugar, cocoa powder, and warm milk until smooth and coating consistency.
- Spear each cube on a fork, dip into the icing to coat entirely, let excess drip off.
- Immediately roll in desiccated coconut.
- Place on a wire rack and let set for 1 hour before serving.
How it was made : The lamington appeared in Queensland at the turn of the 20th century, its name associated with Lord Lamington, then governor. It became a staple of school fairs and fundraisers ("lamington drives").
The contemporary twist : Fill the cubes with raspberry jam and whipped cream for the "jam & cream" version; or flavour the icing with coffee as a nod to the break room.
Colin MacLeod · Charactorium
