Damon Mcknight
Lamingtons are an iconic Australian dessert. They are squares of vanilla or butter sponge cake coated in chocolate and desiccated coconut. The cake is usually dipped in chocolate sauce, and the coconut is sprinkled on top. Lamingtons can be filled with cream, jam, or extra chocolate icing. The cake is often served on Australia Day and is a popular treat in countries like New Zealand, Croatia, Romania, and the United States. To make this delicious dessert, you will need ingredients such as flour, baking powder, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and desiccated coconut. The cake is baked, cooled, and then cut into squares before being dipped in chocolate and coated with coconut.
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What You'll Learn
Making the vanilla sponge cake
In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with the remaining sugar and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Then, gently incorporate the yolk mixture into the fluffy whites. Once combined, fold in the flour and baking powder. The exact measurements for these ingredients can be found in the full recipe.
Pour the batter into a parchment paper-lined baking pan. The size of the pan may vary depending on the desired thickness of your cake. Bake for about 20 minutes at 180°C (350°F) or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. It is important to ensure that your oven is preheated to the correct temperature before baking.
Once the cake is baked, let it cool completely before cutting it into squares. This step is crucial, as it ensures that the cake holds its shape when dipped into the chocolate sauce. The vanilla sponge cake is now ready for the next step in the lamington-making process!
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Preparing the chocolate sauce
To make the sauce, add the cream to a medium saucepan and simmer for about 5 minutes. While the cream is still hot, add in vanilla or rum extract and the chocolate. Stir the sauce until the chocolate is fully melted.
Once the chocolate sauce is ready, you can dip each square of sponge cake into it. You can use a fork to make this process easier. Coat each lamington in coconut and transfer to a serving plate. Repeat until all the sponge cake squares are covered.
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Coating the cake with chocolate
First, make sure your sponge cake is completely cooled, then cut it into squares. The size of the squares is up to you, but they should be easy to handle for the coating process. Next, prepare the chocolate sauce. This can be done by melting the chocolate in a saucepan over low heat, stirring continuously until it is smooth and glossy. You can also add a small amount of milk or cream to the chocolate to thin it out and make it easier to coat the cake.
Once your chocolate is ready, you can start dipping the sponge squares. Use a fork to carefully dip each square into the chocolate, ensuring that all sides are coated. Allow any excess chocolate to drip off before placing the coated square on a wire rack or baking sheet. Repeat this process until all your sponge squares are coated in chocolate.
If you want a thicker coating of chocolate, you can double-dip the squares, allowing the first layer of chocolate to set slightly before dipping again. You can also sprinkle desiccated coconut onto the chocolate-coated squares for added texture and flavour.
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Covering the cake in coconut
To cover the cake in coconut, you will need desiccated coconut. This is available at most supermarkets. Spread out the coconut on a large plate or tray. You will want a generous amount of coconut, as the chocolate-coated squares of cake will need to be rolled or dipped in it. You can use a fork to help you coat the cake with coconut, and you can add more coconut to the plate or tray as needed.
If you are making a large batch of lamingtons, you may want to prepare a second plate or tray with coconut, so that you can move on to coating the next batch while the first batch sets. You can also add more coconut to the first plate or tray and reuse it for the next batch.
Once you have coated the cake squares in coconut, place them on a serving plate and refrigerate for about an hour before serving.
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Adding fillings and toppings
While traditional lamingtons do not contain any kind of filling, adding a layer of jam or cream can be a popular variation. If you want to add a filling, there are two ways to go about it. The first method is to cut the cooled cake in half horizontally (like a hamburger bun) and spread strawberry or raspberry jam on the cut side of one half. Then, place the other half back on and follow the cutting and coating instructions. For the second method, cut each coated lamington in half through the centre. Spread jam or more chocolate frosting on the bottom half and place the top half back on. You can also add whipped cream if you wish, but then the lamingtons will need to be stored in the refrigerator and enjoyed within 24 hours.
If you want to get creative, you can fill your lamingtons with any type of jam, curd, or sauce. You can also experiment with different toppings, such as thick ganache or whipped cream, for added richness and flavour.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need caster or granulated sugar, good-quality dark chocolate, heavy cream, butter, eggs, milk, flour, baking powder, and desiccated coconut.
First, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a baking pan (dimensions vary depending on the recipe) and line it with greaseproof or parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then beat in the vanilla. Finally, add the flour and baking powder, and milk or water. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes. Allow the cake to cool completely before cutting it into squares.
Prepare a chocolate sauce by adding chocolate and vanilla or rum extract to a saucepan and simmering until melted. You can also make chocolate icing by adding milk to the chocolate and mixing until you reach the desired consistency.
Dip each square of sponge cake into the chocolate sauce or icing, then coat with desiccated coconut. If desired, you can add a filling of jam, cream, or additional chocolate icing by cutting the cake in half horizontally and spreading the filling on one half before sandwiching the layers together. Refrigerate the Lamingtons for about an hour before serving.
Storage Instructions:
Lamingtons can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days if plain or filled with jam. Cream-filled Lamingtons should be refrigerated for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen for up to 2-3 months.
