The humble lamington: Australia's little square of happiness
Is there anything more Australian than a lamington?
A soft sponge cake, dipped in chocolate, rolled in coconut and served with a cup of tea. Simple, delicious and guaranteed to make you look like you've got your life together, even if the washing has been sitting in the basket for three days.
The lamington is a staple of school bake sales, country morning teas, community fundraisers and the sort of afternoon tea where you go in for one and leave having eaten four.
And let's be honest, the homemade ones are always better. Especially when they're made by someone who has been baking for 50 years and doesn't need a recipe because they have “a feel for it.”
Those are the same people who can make a sponge cake without measuring anything, identify a dodgy tomato from across the garden and tell you when rain is coming based on how their knee feels.
We respect these people.
We also need them to write their recipes down before they start saying things like, “Oh, I just do it from memory.”
The Great Lamington Debate, every family has its own rules. Some swear by plain sponge. Others insist the cake must be a day old so it doesn't fall apart when you dunk it in chocolate. Some people add a layer of jam in the middle. Others consider this a culinary crime punishable by removal from the family group chat.
And then there's the coconut situation.
You need enough coconut to coat the cake properly, but not too much. Our advice? Make a mess, have a laugh and don't worry too much about perfection. If your lamingtons are a little lopsided, call them rustic. If the chocolate icing is running down the sides, call them generously coated. And if you accidentally eat three before they've made it onto the serving plate, well, that's just quality control.
Here at the Alice Springs Show, we know that food is about more than what's on the plate…It's about the people who make it, the stories shared around the table and the recipes that bring generations together. It's the homemade jam entered into a competition, the cakes carefully carried through the Rumball hall and the family secrets that someone might finally be convinced to share.
Our Show celebrates the skills, creativity and community spirit that make Central Australia such a special place. From agriculture and livestock to cooking, baking, arts and crafts, there's something wonderful about seeing people put their talents on display.
And who knows? Your family's famous lamington recipe might just be worthy of a blue ribbon…Although, if your secret ingredient is a packet cake mix, don't worry. We won't tell the judges.
Righto, put the kettle on!
Grandma’s Lamington
Ingredients
For the buttery sponge
- 125 g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup caster sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 1¾ cups plain flour, sifted
- 3½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup milk
If you’ve got self-raising flour in the pantry, you can use that instead of the plain flour and baking powder. No need to make an extra trip to the shops, dear.
For the chocolate icing
- 4 cups icing sugar, sifted
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 150 ml boiling water
For the coconut coating
- 3–4 cups desiccated coconut
If you’re feeling a little fancy
- Strawberry jam
- 1 cup cream
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
Directions
1. Get the oven going
Preheat your oven to 180°C, or 160°C if it’s fan-forced.
Grease a 20 cm x 30 cm cake tin and line it with baking paper. Leave a little paper hanging over the edges so you can lift the cake out later without turning it into a jigsaw puzzle.
2. Make the sponge
First, sift your flour and baking powder together. There’s no harm in giving it a good sift — we want a nice light sponge, not a brick.
In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter, caster sugar and vanilla until the mixture is pale, light and fluffy. This should take about a minute or two with an electric mixer.
Add your eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Don’t go tipping them all in at once, dear. We’re making lamingtons, not an omelette.
Now gently fold in half the flour mixture, followed by half the milk. Add the remaining flour and milk and stir until everything is just combined. Don’t overmix it.
3. Into the oven it goes
Pour your mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Let the cake sit in the tin for five minutes, then use the baking paper to lift it onto a wire rack. Leave it to cool completely.
And I do mean completely. Patience is a virtue, especially when chocolate icing is involved.
4. A little trick before the chocolate
Once the cake has cooled, cut it into 15 squares or 18 rectangles.
Now here’s a little secret: pop those pieces into the freezer for about an hour to an hour and a half before coating them.
I know, I know, freezing cake sounds a bit peculiar, but trust me on this one. It helps the sponge hold together when you dip it into the icing, so you don’t end up with half your cake floating in a bowl of chocolate.
5. Make the chocolate icing
Place the sifted icing sugar, cocoa powder, butter and boiling water into a heatproof bowl.
Stir everything together until you have a smooth, chocolatey icing. You want it thick enough to cling to the sponge, but thin enough that you can roll the cake around in it.
If it gets too thick while you’re working, warm it in the microwave for about 20 seconds and give it another stir. Just be careful not to overheat it.
And whatever you do, resist the temptation to eat it all with a spoon. We need some for the lamingtons!
6. Time to get coconut everywhere
Pour your desiccated coconut into a wide, shallow dish. You’ll thank me for that later when you’re not trying to roll cake around in a tiny bowl.
Take a piece of chilled sponge and gently roll it in the chocolate icing using two forks. Make sure all the sides are covered, then let the excess icing drip off.
Transfer it straight into the coconut and roll it around until it’s nicely coated.
Place it on a tray and repeat with the remaining pieces.
This part can get a little messy, so don’t wear your best clothes. If you end up with chocolate on your apron and coconut on the floor, you’re doing it properly.
7. The hardest part — waiting!
Leave your lamingtons to stand for one to two hours, or until the icing has set.
Want to make them extra special?
If you’re partial to a cream-filled lamington, here’s what to do.
Whip the cream with the tablespoon of sugar until firm peaks form. Carefully slice each coated lamington in half horizontally, spread a little strawberry jam over the bottom half, then add a dollop of cream.
Put the top back on and pop them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
They’re a little more indulgent this way, so make sure you have a fresh pot of tea ready.
Grandma’s little kitchen notes
- Don’t rush the cooling. Warm sponge is far too delicate for dipping, so let it cool completely before cutting and freezing.
- Keep an eye on the icing. It thickens as it cools, so give it a gentle warm-up if it becomes difficult to work with.
- Use a wide bowl for the coconut. It makes coating the lamingtons much easier and saves you a fair bit of frustration.
- Storing your lamingtons: Without cream, keep them in an airtight container for three to four days, or freeze them for two to three months. Thaw before serving. If you’ve filled them with cream, keep them refrigerated and enjoy within two to three days.
And there you have it, dear. A good old-fashioned lamington, made with a little patience, a generous helping of chocolate and enough coconut to keep the vacuum cleaner busy.
Now, put the kettle on, cut yourself a generous piece and enjoy. Life’s too short for a tiny lamington!
From our kitchen to yours, with love from the Alice Springs Show.