Lamington Recipe: 3 Tips for Making Lamington Cakes
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Jun 18, 2023 • 3 min read
With all the single-serving appeal of a petit four and less fuss, a basic Lamington recipe—the beloved Aussie “lammo” cake—is an easy crowd-pleaser.
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What Is a Lamington?
A Lamington is a vanilla cake square (usually sponge cake or butter cake) dipped in chocolate icing and coated in desiccated coconut. To make Lamingtons, bakers typically start by making a sponge cake, which they cool before slicing into even squares. Next, they use a fork or skewer to dip each square in chocolate icing before rolling it in coconut. Finally, the cake is chilled for a short period to allow the icing to set before serving.
This popular dessert from Australia is sometimes made as a sandwich, with cream, chocolate, or fruit filling, like strawberry jam, spread between two cake layers.
A Brief History of the Lamington
The Lamington cake, an Australian icon of bake sales and afternoon tea (though they’re also quite popular in neighboring New Zealand), was named for Lord Lamington, the governor of Queensland, from 1896–1901.
Most stories credit the invention of the sweet squares to his chef, Armand Galland, who pieced together bits of leftover sponge cake to serve a crowd on short notice. The addition of shredded coconut was especially notable at the time, as it was an exotic ingredient unfamiliar to most of the guests.
3 Tips for Making Lamingtons
There are many ways to personalize a Lamington, including the type of cake, filling (or lack thereof), icing, and coconut. Here are some tips to consider before making the cake recipe:
- 1. The Lamington sandwich. If you choose to make a Lamington sandwich, make the bottom slice of cake a bit thicker than the top—about ⅔ to ⅓—to prevent the filling from oozing out the sides. Use your fingers to dip the squares in chocolate, and place them in a bowl to shower in shredded coconut (instead of rolling to coat).
- 2. Adjust the chocolate to preference. The consistency—and chocolatey-ness—of the icing is a matter of personal preference among Lamington fans. A thinner sauce made with cocoa powder will soak into the outer edges of the cake, while a thicker, chocolate-based icing will act as a more traditional coating. Too thin, and the coconut won’t adhere—so ensure it coats the back of a spoon.
- 3. Toast the coconut. If you prefer a crispy, rather than soft, coating of coconut, lightly toast the shredded coconut in a small sauté pan until golden brown and let it cool completely before coating the Lamingtons.
Lamington Recipe
makes
24 Lamingtonsprep time
5 mintotal time
1 hr 5 mincook time
30 minIngredients
- 1
Lightly grease a 9 x13-inch cake pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- 2
Combine the all-purpose flour and salt in a medium bowl.
- 3
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large mixing bowl using a balloon whisk or an electric hand mixer), whisk the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed. Whisk until the egg mixture holds a ribbon trail for 10 seconds when the whisk is lifted, about 5 minutes if using an electric mixer.
- 4
Add vanilla extract and whisk until just incorporated, a few seconds more.
- 5
Sift one-third of the flour mixture over the egg mixture and gently fold to incorporate, careful not to deflate the egg mixture.
- 6
Sift the rest of the flour over the batter and gently fold to incorporate. Avoid overmixing.
- 7
Immediately pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven. Bake until the cake shrinks away from the sides of the pan, about 25 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake; if it comes back clean, the cake is done.
- 8
While the cake bakes, make the chocolate icing. Warm the milk and butter in a small saucepan, then set it aside. Combine the powdered sugar and cocoa powder in a large bowl, then whisk in the milk mixture until the chocolate becomes glossy and slightly thickens.
- 9
Place the shredded coconut in a separate bowl.
- 10
Leave the cake in the pan until it’s cool enough to handle, then invert it onto a wire rack and let it cool to room temperature before removing it from the baking pan and slicing.
- 11
Using a small, serrated knife, cut the cake into equal squares.
- 12
Use a fork or skewer to dip each cake square in the icing and transfer immediately to the bowl of coconut. Shake the bowl to coat evenly.
- 13
Place the finished Lamingtons on a wire rack to set. Store the Lamingtons in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to three months.
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