59.1 kB
For the May challenge Marcellina from Marcellina in Cucina dared us to make Lamingtons. An Australian delicacy that is as tasty as it is elegant
When I first hosted in December 2012 our culinary journey took us to Italy as we baked Panettone. On this occasion I would like to introduce you to one of my all time favourites – the Lamington. The classic Australian Lamington is a cube of vanilla sponge cake dipped in chocolate icing then coated with desiccated coconut. Sounds simple but it is delicious! It is said that the cakes were named after Lord Lamington who was the Governor of Queensland, Australia from 1896 to 1901. Stories abound as to why the cakes came about. I like the one that tells of Lord Lamington’s maid-servant accidentally dropping a freshly baked sponge cake into some melted chocolate. Apparently Lord Lamington disliked wastage so he suggested coating the chocolate coated cake in desiccated coconut to avoid messy fingers. A good idea, I think. Some New Zealanders actually like to claim the Lamington as their creation! However the Lamington came to be, it is now firmly embedded in the Australian culture. Sold in bakeries, cafés, supermarket, at bake sales and everywhere you expect and don’t expect. The Lamington is also a star at fund-raisers with “Lamington Drives” very popular with schools, sporting clubs and many other fund-raising ventures.
Usually the cake within the Lamington is a vanilla genoise sponge made by whipping eggs and sugar
until very thick and pale. Flour (in my recipe cornflour otherwise known as cornstarch) is sifted well with baking powder and is very carefully and delicately but thoroughly folded into the eggs and sugar. A little bit of melted butter can be folded in at the end. This is optional but does add a bit of moisture to the cake. This cake is quite prized in Australia for being of a light and fluffy texture and a good sponge cake baker is highly regarded. The sponge is a little difficult to master but the key is a light hand, accurate measuring, room temperature eggs, and knowing just how long to bake it. Oh, and don’t open the oven door to peak or your cake will flop.
Classic Lamingtons
Sponge Cake
Servings: 24
Ingredients:
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (240 ml) (225 gm) (8 oz) castor (superfine) sugar
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups (300 ml) (200 gm) (7 oz) cornflour (cornstarch)
1 ½ teaspoons (8 gm) baking powder
1 tablespoon (15 ml) (15 gm) (½ oz) butter, melted (optional)
2¾ cups (660 ml) (250 gm) (9 oz) unsweetened desiccated coconut, to assemble
Directions:
2. Prepare a 4 ½ cm (1¾ inch) deep, 23cm x 33cm (9”x 13”) baking pan by lining with non-stick paper.
3. In a stand mixer bowl place eggs, sugar and salt. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high for 15
minutes.
4. While the eggs and sugar are beating sift the cornflour and baking powder at least 3 times.
5. After 15 minutes add vanilla and beat on high for another 5 minutes. The mixture should have at
least tripled in size, be light in colour and very foamy.
6. Sift flour mixture over the egg mixture. I like to use a whisk but you can also use a large metal
spoon to lightly fold the flour in. Some people like to use a wooden spoon but I find it too heavy.
Heavy handling now will result in a flat tough sponge. If you are using butter, thoroughly fold it in
now but lightly.
7. Spread mixture into your prepared pan and smooth out evenly. Some cooks at this stage drop the
pan onto the bench top to even out the air bubbles! I have never had that much courage!
8. Bake in preheated moderate oven for 22-25 minutes. The sponge will rise quite a lot but then settle
back down. Don’t be tempted to open the oven to peak. I also warn the family to walk gently past the
oven! When baked the sponge will have shrunk very slightly from the sides and should feel springy
when pressed gently.
Directions:
To assemble the Lamingtons:
Cut the sponge cake into 24 rectangular pieces – 6 across and 4 down. To be particular you can trim
the crusts.
Keep the icing over the hot water to keep it melted. Place desiccated coconut in a shallow bowl.
Dip each piece into the chocolate icing, allow excess to drip off
Toss gently into the coconut.
Stand cakes on a wire rack to set, about 2 hours.
Ingredients
Sponge Cake:
- 5 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup (225 gm) (8 oz) castor (superfine) sugar
- Pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups (200 gm) (7 oz) cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon (15 gm) (½ oz) butter, melted (optional)
- 2¾ cups (250 gm) (9 oz) unsweetened desiccated coconut, to assemble
Chocolate icing
- 3 ¼ cups (400 gm) (14 oz) icing (powdered) sugar
- ⅓ cup (40 gm) (1-⅓ oz) cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon (15 gm) (½ oz) butter, melted
- ½ to ¾ cup (120 ml to 180 ml) milk
Instructions
Sponge Cake:
- Preheat oven to moderate 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
- Prepare a 4 ½ cm (1¾ inch) deep, 23cm x 33cm (9”x 13”) baking pan by lining with non-stick paper.
- In a stand mixer bowl place eggs, sugar and salt. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high for 15 minutes.
- While the eggs and sugar are beating sift the cornflour and baking powder at least 3 times.
- After 15 minutes add vanilla and beat on high for another 5 minutes. The mixture should have at least tripled in size, be light in colour and very foamy.
- Sift flour mixture over the egg mixture. I like to use a whisk but you can also use a large metal spoon to lightly fold the flour in. Some people like to use a wooden spoon but I find it too heavy. Heavy handling now will result in a flat tough sponge. If you are using butter, thoroughly fold it in now but lightly.
- Spread mixture into your prepared pan and smooth out evenly. Some cooks at this stage drop the pan onto the bench top to even out the air bubbles! I have never had that much courage!
- Bake in preheated moderate oven for 22-25 minutes. The sponge will rise quite a lot but then settle back down. Don’t be tempted to open the oven to peak. I also warn the family to walk gently past the oven! When baked the sponge will have shrunk very slightly from the sides and should feel springy when pressed gently.
- Turn the sponge out immediately onto a wire rack to cool and reverse sponge so as not to mark the top. Allow to cool. It is best to keep the cake for a day before making the Lamingtons as the cake will be easier to handle.
Chocolate Icing:
- Sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a heatproof bowl.
- Stir in the butter and ½ cup milk. Set the bowl over a pan of hot water. Stir until icing is smooth adding more milk to thin the icing if needed. I find I need more than ½ cup but not quite ¾ cup of milk
To assemble the Lamingtons:
- Cut the sponge cake into 24 rectangular pieces – 6 across and 4 down. To be particular you can trim the crusts.
- Keep the icing over the hot water to keep it melted. Place desiccated coconut in a shallow bowl.
- Dip each piece into the chocolate icing, allow excess to drip off
- Toss gently into the coconut.
- Stand cakes on a wire rack to set, about 2 hours.
Nutritional Information Per Serving
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Francijn
Thank you for the May Challenge, Marcellina! My children love you 🙂
sweetartisan
Hi Marcellina....thank you so much for the Lamington Challenge. I absolutely enjoyed making them . Love....
Shillpa bhaambri
Thank you for such a simple yet delicious lamington challenge Marcellina.....making the genoise was absolute bliss !!
inchbyinchlittlesnail.com
Hi there! I just learned about these fun challenges over on Korena in the Kitchen. Are you ladies on instagram? I bet an app or something with monthly reminders would be really fun for all the bloggers who want to play along!
crumbsoflove
Thanks for a tasty treat! While I was too busy to post about it, I did make them. Three different kinds! I just didn't take any pictures until they were finished.... Life has been too busy lately and it seems to take me hours to get a post up.
I really liked your sponge recipe. What really caught my eye was that it only used cornstarch (no flour). Loved it.
Best, Sandie
Korena
What a fun challenge Marcellina! Thanks for the great recipe!
Joanne T Ferguson
Thank you so much Marcellina for this wonderful challenge and allowing us all to go wild with our creativity!
My blog post is now live and what a great challenge I am now proud to complete too!
Joanne What's On The List
liana
Thank you for the challenge, Marcellina! The Lamingtons are known far away from Australia, in Romania where they have a funny name, but I never made them until now. Loved you sponge recipe, the cakes are so incredibly light!
What's for dessert?
Thank you for the delicious challenge! I love Lamingtons and they have different name in Croatia
athomewitharwen.com
I like the taste of the sponge cake recipe you provided. Unfortunately mine didn't hold their shape very well (I think it might be my oven's fault). Thank you for hosting the Daring Baker's Challenge!