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Lamingtons are an Australian delicacy consisting of light and fluffy vanilla sponge cake with a layer of rich chocolate topped with desiccated coconut. The subtle sweetness of the cake, the decadent chocolate, and the tropical flavours of coconut complement each other very well. Also, the soft texture of the cake exists in perfect harmony with smooth chocolate and crunchy coconut. Whether you want a self-indulgent treat or want to impress family and friends Lamingtons are a perfect choice.
These are those treats that seem like ultra-luxurious ones made with tons of expensive ingredients. Surprise, surprise! They aren’t. In fact, for a fancy-looking delicacy, lamingtons are not just easy but are made with some common kitchen staple ingredients. I am sure most of these if not all will be available in your pantry 24/7.
Are you a fan of simple cakes, try my coconut pound cake and classic marble cake for simple cake magic.
This is a fool-proof recipe for lamingtons. The recipe is so straightforward that even a non-baker can end up with delicious lamingtons. So without further waiting grab the tools and ingredients and start creating a delectable magic in your kitchen.
What do you need to make?
Tools and equipments required
Ingredients required to make
Following is a preview list of ingredients, for a detailed list with quantity required, find the recipe card below.
Cake
- Eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Vegetable Oil- Oil helps in creating a light structure. I’ve used vegetable oil you can use any neutral or flavourless oil. You can also use melted butter the resultant cake will be rich but a bit dense.
- Sugar (granules)
- Baking Powder
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
Chocolate Sauce
- Milk- You can also use dairy-free milk like soya or almond etc. You can also opt for water.
- Butter
- Dark Chocolate
- Cocoa Powder– I’ve used Dutch-processed cocoa powder for rich and intense flavour but feel free to use natural unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Desiccated Coconut
How to make lamingtons ?
Following is a simple instruction list, for detailed instructions, find the recipe card below.
Cake:-
- Preheat the oven and line a baking pan with parchment/butter/baking paper.
- Separate egg whites and yolks. Into the whites add half of the sugar and beat until stiff peaks appear. Into the yolks add the remaining sugar and vanilla. Beat till pale and yellow in colour. Mix egg whites and yolk mixture gently with a spatula.
- Into this add the dry ingredients and mix gently. Add vegetable oil and mix gently.
- Pour the batter into the baking pan. Bake till the skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. After some time transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool. Cut the cake into square shapes.
Chocolate icing
- In a saucepan cook milk, butter, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar until it comes to a boil. Mix in the chopped dark chocolate and set aside to cool.
Assembly
- Dip the cake squares in chocolate icing then roll them in desiccated coconut. Place on a wire rack and refrigerate till set.
Tips
- Ensure the eggs are at room temperature for proper mixing.
- After the addition of stiff egg whites mix with a spatula to maintain the airiness.
- Properly measure the flour to maintain the texture of the cake. Either use a scale or spoons of flour to fill the cup.
- Sift the dry ingredients such as all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt together to ensure even distribution which leads to an even rise.
- Add the dry ingredients in batches to avoid over-mixing and maintain airiness.
Storage
Room Temperature: Lamingtons can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Refrigeration: Place the lamingtons in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. They can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Freezing: Wrap each lamington individually in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer-safe container or a zip-lock bag. Frozen lamingtons can be stored for 3 months. To thaw, transfer them to the refrigerator or let them come to room temperature on the counter.
If you liked this recipe, try these!
Lamingtons
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 Eggs room temperature Large
- 150 g All-purpose flour 1¼ cups
- 75 g Vegetable Oil ⅜ cup
- 120 g Sugar (granules) ½cup+ 1½ tbsp
- ¾ tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- a pinch Salt
Chocolate icing
- 220 g Milk 1 cup
- 70 g Butter ¼ cup+1 tbsp
- 70 g Dark Chocolate ¾ cup
- 25 g Cocoa Powder 3 tbsp
- 100 g Desiccated Coconut 1 cup
Instructions
For the cake
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with butter/baking/parchment paper.
- Separate egg whites and yolks into two different bowls. Beat egg whites on medium speed till it froth Add half of the sugar (1 tbsp at a time) till well mixed. Keep beating the egg whites till stiff peaks are formed.
- Add the remaining sugar and vanilla essence to egg yolks and beat on high speed till well mixed and the batter should be pale yellow.
- Add 1/3rd of egg whites to the yolk mixture. Gently combine with a spatula. Add the yolk mixture to the egg white mixture and gently combine with a spatula so as not to deflate the egg whites.
- Add sifted all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt (1 tbsp at a time). Mix gently with a spatula till well combined.
- Add vegetable oil. Again gently mix with a spatula.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tin and bake for about 25-33 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- Leave the cake in the tin for about 10 minutes before placing the cake onto a wire rack to cool
- Using a serrated knife (ideally a long, serrated bread knife), cut the cake into 16 squares, or whatever size you wish.
For the chocolate icing
- Into a small saucepan add milk, butter, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar. Cook on medium flame. Whisk till all ingredients are well combined. Allow the mixture to come to a boil.
- Pour the mixture into a bowl containing chopped dark chocolate. Mix till the chocolate completely melts. The icing needs to be thick enough to coat the cakes, but runny enough to only leave a light coating.
- Leave till it slightly cools down (should be warm but not hot).
To assemble
- Pour the desiccated coconut onto a large plate.
- Using two forks, dip a piece of sponge into the chocolate mixture, making sure that all sides are coated, and allow any excess icing to drain off.
- Then roll the chocolate-coated cake in the desiccated coconut, and place the lamington on a wire rack to dry.
- Repeat with the remaining pieces.
- Place the lamingtons in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
Notes
- Notes:-
- Ensure the eggs are at room temperature for proper mixing.
- After the addition of stiff egg whites mix with a spatula to maintain the airiness.
- Properly measure the flour to maintain the texture of the cake. Either use a scale or spoons of flour to fill the cup.
- Sift the dry ingredients such as all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt together to ensure even distribution which leads to an even rise.
- Add the dry ingredients in batches to avoid over-mixing and maintain airiness.