Inspired by Lorraine and Claire, I attempted my first ever batch of lamingtons for Australia Day. They worked so well that I had to make a second batch the following day!
Named after Lord Lamington, former Governor of Queensland, lamingtons are an indisputably Australian cake, and the backbone of many a fundraiser as I was growing up.
Like Claire, I used an old Australian Women’s Weekly recipe, specifically one from the now out-of-print Cakes and Slices Cookbook. The recipe included the unusual step of adding melted butter and hot water to the sponge, resulting in a light cake, which absorbed the icing like..um..a sponge.
I substituted coconut thread for the dessicated coconut, much to the delight of both Big Boy and Pete, neither of whom are fans of the latter, and tinkered just a little with the methodology.
Sponge:
- 6 large (59g) eggs
- ¾ cup (165g) caster sugar
- 1 cup (150g) self-raising flour
- 1/3 cup (45g) cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1/3 cup (80ml) hot water
- 15g (1 tablespoon) butter, melted
- coconut thread, or dessicated coconut, about 3 cups (250g)
Icing:
- 4 cups (500g) icing sugar mixture (confectioner’s sugar)
- 1/3 cup (40g) cocoa (I used dutched)
- 15g (1 tablespoon) butter, melted
- ½ cup (125ml) milk
1. Line a 23cm/9″ baking tin with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 175C/350F or 160C/320F with fan.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and cornflour. In a cup, stir together the hot water and melted butter.
3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs together with an electric mixer until thick, then gradually add the sugar, beating well between each addition. The batter will be thick and frothy.
4. Carefully fold in the sifted flours, then quickly but gently fold in the hot water and butter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for about 35 minutes.
5. Stand for five minutes in the tin, before removing to cool on a wire rack. Allow the cake to cool completely before proceeding.
6. Cut the cooled cake into 25 squares, trimming any rough edges as required.
7. In a large heatproof bowl, sift together the cocoa and icing sugar mixture. The original instructions are to then add the milk and butter, and stir the mixture over hot water until smooth. Instead, I heated the milk and butter in a microwave-proof cup, and gradually whisked it into the icing sugar and cocoa until smooth.
8. Using a fork, dip the cake squares into the liquid icing, then toss them in the coconut threads. Allow to set on a wire rack.
Click here for a printable version of this recipe
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
is this the National Cake of Australia? They look very tea time and cups and saucers and like something from another era –
Sounds like you had fun making them too! :)
Hmm..I think so. There’s no argument about their origin, unlike pavlova and Anzac biscuits. Very old recipe too – from the turn of last century!
Celia my new oven arrived today and although there is a slight hiccup with the unusual plug (meaning we can’t plug it in yet) I think I’ll be trying these out as one of the first baking exercises – I do love a lamington!
Sarah, the blogosphere will be dancing a little happy dance when you finally get a working oven back! :) Hope you post some pics of it, would love to see what you finally chose..
I want one, NOW!
They look like a good amount of work but delicious.
These look irresistible! So much more tempting than a large piece of cake, and more of the flavourful coating too!
Ahhhh! yes, the great Australian lamington. One of the many things accustomed to school and girl guide fundraising days. I remember many a fun time making these!Now adays I’ve opted for the magical cupcake form.
Don’t you just love lamingtons?
They look lovely and yellow inside from your gorgeous eggs.
I used to like eating frozen lamingtons…made them last longer.
Oh I like that the icing soaked into the cake too … sounds wonderful!
Maz, Suelle, Deb, thank you! Yes, a bit fiddly, but worth it! :)
Yvette, remember lamington drives? I don’t remember my kids having those anymore – now it’s Krispy Kreme donuts – perhaps there aren’t hordes of stay at home mums willing to bake lamingtons for fundraising anymore.
Brydie, frozen lamingtons! :) Weren’t they rock hard?
Gill, you’d be proud, I put my customised chocolate dipping fork to good use – made the whole process much easier. :)
These look marvelous!
I’m planning on a Valentine’s tea and these with fairy cakes and scones with creme fraiche would be perfect.
Thanks, Celia!
They look totally professional and perfect Celia. Mine have never been as exact, and remember what happened on Master Chef. Are you sure these aren’t from Woolies or the CWA? If not you must have nerves of steel and a very steady hand!
That’s what I wAnt, a decent amount of choc coating, sorry about grammar sometimes IPad thinks it knows better than me….
Celia, these are a very good first ever effort and I’ll bet they taste brilliant. I love home-made lamingtons – especially because I can make them so much more chocolatey than the shop ones – but they are such messy little treats to make, aren’t they?
Heidi, they’re fun to make, albeit messy! Hope you enjoy them! :)
Chef, I didn’t watch Masterchef! What happened? I doubt Woollies would use shredded coconut on their lamingtons..;-)
Roz, thank you – a friend of mine had a funny iPad moment – the spell check kept correcting “kindy” to “kidney”. So she sent me a long email about how her child was on “kidney break”. :)
A, thank you, they were very nice, but there was chocolate and coconut everywhere afterwards..hahaha…
Very sad, very bad and wonky lamingtons. The CWA ladies were judging and were embarrased by the selection to be judged.
Yum. I love a good lamington. Haven’t made one myself…must rectify!
I’m glad I was so inspiring Celia! Yours look much better than mine though. Such perfect squares. You’re right about the sponge soaking up the icing. The ones that lasted a few days had icing seeping close to the middle…mmmm.
Wow, you’re a pro girlfriend, those little babies look gorgeous.
I’m not normally a Lamington fan, something about the coconut overpowering? But I’ve been saying since before Christmas that the Lamington is going to make a come back.
LOL re IntolerantChef – Your lamingtons are perfect. Very impressive Celia. :)
Happy Australia Day Celia!!! As usual I’m in love with what you make. Girl you blow me away!!! B:-)
Claire, thank you for the prompt! Gotta love those old AWW recipes! :)
Anna, thanks love, they were fun, and I can’t believe I’ve never tried making them before. Bought some more coconut thread at the markets this morning for next time.. :)
Beth, thank you! It was lovely to get a holiday Wednesday, made the week seem very civilized.. :)
I didn’t know lamingtons were Australian! I made something that looked the same on the outside, but the cake was much firmer and used a totally different recipe. Maybe an imitation? It was a bit messy, but I’ll try your recipe once things slow back down again and I have a bit more time. Your lamingtons look delicious.
I have always wanted to give these a go. About time I did I think and I am sure they would taste heaps better than the ones you can buy
They look delicious! Must admit that I have never made them either – also bad memories of a lamington drive where thé chocolaté sauce arrived in big buckets and we also ended up coated in coconut and chocolate. I made pikelets on thé 26th although French children asked for knife and fork to help eat them.True.
I’m going on a Lamington making spree next Thursday (for a colleagues leaving do) – I love that t hey are perfect mouthfuls.
I am looking forward to using a real lam sponge – now I have the benefit of two great recipes to follow. Have a superb weekend
Ooh these look great Celia and to make a second batch would mean that they were an unqualified success! I would love to be called Lady Lamington. I might talk to Mr NQN about changing his name to Lord Lamington :)
These look much neater and more professional than the batch I posted a few months back (http://therovinglemon.blogspot.com/2010/08/carpe-ing-practice.html), and seeing yours has got me craving them again. Do you think it would be sacreligious to make them with chocolate cake?
Mmmm, they look terrific!
Your lamingtons are just lovely. Eating these would be a joy. I have a linky party on my blog right now called “Sweets for a Saturday” and I’d like to invite you to stop by and link this up.
Manuela, thank you, these are often made with butter cake as well, which would make them firmer. And yes, very much Australian! :)
Jen, Chantel, thank you!
Anna, pikelets, now there’s a very Australian treat. Did you serve them with jam? :)
Oz, thank you, hope your weekend was wonderful too!
Lorraine, you would make a perfect Lady Lamington, methinks! Thank you – second batch means the first batch was eaten before all the neighbours got to try them, and people were sad that they missed out! :)
Nancy, in my cookbook, there are chocolate cake lamingtons, called “honey lamingtons”, made with melted chocolate in the batter!
Lisa, thanks for dropping in!
Oh my, I haven’t had a lamington in YEARS!
:-) Mandy
Celia, did you use that “moist coconut” by McKenzie (I think) on the outside?? They look incredible!
My chocaholic friend brought lamingtons over on Australia Day too!
Mandy, I hadn’t either, so it was particularly nice to revisit! :)
MamaV, I bought “coconut thread” from a fruit and nut supplier (Jackson’s) at Flemington Markets. It’s dried, shredded coconut flesh. I was planning to try and make a beef rendang, but ended up with lamingtons instead! :)
You look like you did a marvelous job!! Lamingtons are an all time favourite of mine too, and they freeze wonderfully
xxx
Thank you! I didn’t know you could freeze them, that’s good to know for future.