Lamingtons
Lamingtons are named after Lord Lamington, governor of Queensland in the early 20th century, though the exact story of their invention remains disputed — one version says his cook improvised the dessert for unannounced guests. The recipe's simplicity, using only day-old sponge, chocolate, and coconut, made it easy to recreate in any kitchen. Today, July 21st is officially celebrated as National Lamington Day in Australia, and the cake remains one of the most popular fundraising sales through schools and charities.
A simple square, loved by all
Cubes of sponge cake dipped in chocolate and coconut, a fixture at Australian afternoon teas for generations.
The sponge should be a day old
A sponge left to firm up for a day slices cleanly and soaks up the coating without falling apart.
Coconut gives the finishing texture
Finely shredded desiccated coconut sticks to the still-wet chocolate coating and forms the signature crust.
The jam-filled version
Many families slice the cubes in half and add a layer of raspberry jam or cream before closing them.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 4 eggs
- 150g sugar
- 150g flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 200g icing sugar
- 40g cocoa powder
- 80ml milk
- 20g melted butter
- 150g desiccated coconut
How to make it
- 1Beat the eggs with the sugar on high speed until pale and tripled in volume.
- 2Gently fold in the sifted flour and baking powder with an up-and-down motion.
- 3Bake the batter in a greased square tin until risen and a skewer comes out clean, then let the sponge rest at room temperature for a day.
- 4Cut the firm sponge into even cubes, a few centimetres each.
- 5Whisk the icing sugar with cocoa, milk, and melted butter until you get a glossy coating.
- 6Dip each cube into the chocolate coating, letting the excess drip off, then roll it immediately in the desiccated coconut.
- 7Leave the cubes on a rack until the coating sets completely before serving.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
