A lamington is a sponge cake dessert coated in chocolate icing and dusted with coconut. It’s a favourite between our favourite foods.
Lamingtons were originally created as a way to use stale cake. Today it’s one of Australia’s favourite cakes. Lamingtons are a sponge cake or a butter cake cut into cubes and then covered in a layer of chocolate icing followed by a coating of desiccated coconut. Another version of the Lamington has two layers with cream and/or strawberry jam between them.
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Almost all bakeries and supermarkets in Australia sell this popular treat.
How did the Lamington get it’s name? There are various stories, but one of the most well known is that they’re named after Charles Cochrane-Baillie, 2nd Baron Lamington. He was the Governor of Queensland from 1896 to 1901.
As the story goes, the Government House kitchen had a large amount to stale cake. To find a way to make it taste better, they dipped it in chocolate and then in coconut. It’s said that Governor Lamington didn’t like Lamingtons. However, the public loved them and Lamingtons and the rest, as they say, is history.
In case you were wondering, desiccated coconut is simply dried, flaked coconut. It’s available in most grocery stores.
Australian Recipe
Australian Lamingtons
What do you do with day old cake?
Coat it in chocolate of course!
This is an easy and fun recipe to do with your children.
Ingredients
| 1 | day-old sponge cake or fresh butter cake |
| 660 grams (3 cups) | sugar, caster (sugar, granulated) |
| 250 ml (8 ¾ fl. oz) | water |
| 55 grams (½ cup) | cocoa |
| 1 teaspoon | vanilla essence (vanilla extract) |
| 250 grams (3 cups) | coconut, desiccated |
Method
| 1. | Purchase the cake or make your own in a slab cake pan |
| 2. | Cut the cake into equal size cubes 5cm to 6cm (or 2 to 2½”) |
| 3. | Spread out the desiccated coconut on a large plate and set aside |
| 4. | Mix the sugar with the cocoa in a pan. Slowly add the water until the mixture is thoroughly mixed |
| 5. | Boil gently for about 12 minutes without stirring |
| 6. | Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Stir for 1 minute and then let cool slightly |
| 7. | Using a fork, quickly dip the cake cubes into the chocolate mixture |
| 8. | Roll the chocolate covered cubes in the desiccated coconut until covered as much as desired |
| 9. |  Place on a wire rack or a wax covered plate or flat pan so that the cake cubes do not touch either other. When completely cooled the coating will be set and the Lamingtons will be ready to eat. |
Note: the cake will be firmer and easier to handle if you make the cake the day before you plan to make it into Lamingtons.
We hope you enjoy this recipe!
