Lamingtons
A lamington is an Australian cake, I fondly remember eating them as a child. These lamingtons take me back... They take me 16,896km home to Melbourne...
Squares of sponge are filled with a layer of raspberry jam and chilled. The sponge is then dipped and drizzled in a decadent chocolate icing, then sprinkled and rolled in desiccated coconut.
Once the chocolate icing sets it forms a crust encasing the sponge. The intense chocolate flavour is divine, it's a contrast to the texture of the coconut. Once you reach the soft sponge it's exquisite, the lush layer of raspberry jam just intensifies the lamington experience!
Jam or no jam is debateable! It's a personal preference. I add raspberry jam to half our lamingtons whilst the cake is still warm, the warmth makes the jam sticky, once it cools down it sets and binds the cake together.
My children love making lamingtons. One dips and trickles the chocolate icing whilst the other sprinkles and rolls the sponge in desiccated coconut. They argue at times and lick everything when they think I am not watching. It's a real sense of achievement for the kids and the reward is ever so sweet!
Gluten Free? You can use your favorite sponge recipe or buy a store bought gluten free sponge and follow how to Chocolate Ice Lamingtons.
485g Icing Sugar (confectioners sugar)
75g cocoa powder (dutched)
120ml of boiling water (* you may need more to hand)
75g unsalted butter, melted
260g desiccated coconut (*only use 1/3 at a time)
raspberry jam is optional
Sponge Ingredients
150g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
5 large eggs (room temperature)
165g caster sugar
70g unsalted butter, melted
* or 1 store bought sponge
Method
1. Preheat oven to 160°C/ 325F. Line the base of a 23cm x 33cm baking tray with grease proof paper.
2. Weigh out all of your ingredients. Melt the butter, set aside to cool.
3. Combine the caster sugar and eggs by hand using the whisk attachment. Then mix on medium speed, increasing to a high speed. Beat for 10-12 minutes on high. The mixture will become mousse like in texture, a pale cream colour and trebled in volume. To test the consistency, remove the whisk attachment scoop some mixture and draw a figure of 8, the mixture should still be slightly raised from start to finish. If the mixture is not, continue mixing (you will notice the trail of mixture from the whisk as it thickens) this step is very important.
4. Whilst the mixtures whisking, combine the plain flour and baking powder, then sift it twice onto some grease proof paper and set aside.
5. Once the mixtures thickened, sift half the flour into the mixing bowl. Then using a metal spoon, gently fold the flour to combine. Follow the same direction, scoop the mixture from the bottom of the bowl in a cutting motion and turn. The flour pockets will open as you fold, when its almost combined repeat with the remaining flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the spoon to avoid deposits of flour.
6. Once the flour is almost absorbed, pour the melted butter down the side of the bowl. Then gently fold the butter into the mixture, do not over mix the batter.
Please Note; This recipe is very similar to a genoise sponge with the addition of a small amount of baking powder. Be gentle when folding in the dry ingredients and melted butter.
7. Pour the cake batter into the lined cake tin. Using a spatula tease the remaining batter from the bowl. Gently tease the batter to the sides of the pan. Place the sponge in the middle of the oven to cook.
8. Bake for 18-20 minutes. A beautiful aroma will start to fill your kitchen. Look through the oven door, the sponge is cooked when its golden brown in colour, its slightly retracted from the tin and the sponge springs back to the touch. IMPORTANT; do not open the oven whilst the cake is baking, the sudden drop in temperature will affect the sponge, it may deflate.
9. Place the cake tin on a wire rack, rest for 5 minutes. Place a cake rack over the cake tin and carefully invert the tin to flip it over. Remove the cake pan, then place another cooling rack over the base and invert again. The sponge will be delicate, do not try to handle it without the support of the oven rack.
10. For Lamingtons without jam, rest your cake until completely cool. Using a serrated knife, trim the crust of the sponge. Using a saw like back and forth motion, slice the cake into 5cm squares or what ever size square you would like then select here for the chocolate icing method. I like to use a tape measure, however you can use a ruler or go free style.
11. For Lamingtons with jam, using a serrated knife, cut the warm cake horizontally through the center using a saw like motion back and forth (if you are making the whole sponge jam, I would cut the sponge into smaller sections to make it easier to move the top layer). Rest the sponge on the top of the knife and gently move the top layer to the side.
12. Evenly spread a thin layer of raspberry jam (or jam of your choice) over the base of the sponge. Then place the top layer of the sponge on the base, its important to line up the sides then leave it to cool down. You will find the warm sponge will make the jam sticky, it will in turn help cement the sponge together. Once the sponge cools, using a serrated knife trim the edges of the sponge and cut the sponge into 5cm squares or what ever size square you would like, I like to use a tape measure, however you can use a ruler or go free style. Wipe the blade of the knife with a cloth to prevent jam streaking along the sponge. Then refrigerate for 1 hour or freeze until chilled. Then select here for the chocolate icing method.
Top Tips;
- Weigh all ingredients.
- Take your time whisking the eggs and sugar, you want to maximise the volume.
- If using store bought sponge, skip straight to chocolate icing select here.
- Trim the top of the sponge to remove the crust.
- Once the cake is cut, place on a plate and refrigerate for an hour or place in thefreezer for 20 mins, then you are ready to ice.