My Dad has been asking me to make lamingtons for a couple of months and this morning he said, can’t you just make some for me and put them on that bloggy thing you do? LOL. I was like really? Bless his heart… but lamingtons… I don’t think so. Can’t I just go and buy some for you? Who makes lamingtons anymore? So I went to the shops and OMG, when did lamingtons get so darn expensive? $3.50 for a bit of butter cake with icing! I can make a whole slab for $5.00. So I have taken the plunge and decided to make them and put them up on “that bloggy thing that I do.”
Lamingtons are an iconic Australian cakes… in fact… it is an iconic Queensland cake, as the origins date back to Lord Lamington who was Governor of Queensland from 1896 – 1901.
It was originally a great way to use up stale sponge or butter cakes, as when you dip the stale cake into the runny chocolate and sprinkle with coconut, it gives it a new lease on life and then nothing is wasted. Today, most of us don’t have stale cake sitting around covered buy one of those old fashioned cake covers, so we have to make the cake first, then make the lamingtons. This recipe uses my large baking tin 25cm by 35 cm and make approximately 24 medium-large sized Lamingtons.
This recipe is one of those that I have developed over time using bits and pieces from lots of different recipes to get the cake constancy that I felt was right as I prefer the butter cake texture to the sponge cake. I was surprised at how wonderful they tasted and I am so glad that my dad kept nagging me as I haven’t made them in so long! Try this one and let me know! 🙂
Ingredients
250g Soften Unsalted Butter
1 cup castor sugar (200g)
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups of milk (300g)
vanilla
3 cups of Self Raising Flour (450g)
1 cup Cornflour (110g)
2 Teaspoons of Baking Powder (15g)
Ingredients Chocolate Sauce
3 Cups of Icing sugar (300g)
1/2 cup cocoa or cacao (65g)
40g butter
2/3 Cup of milk (160g)
Method
1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
2. Line 25cm by 35cm large baking tin.
3. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add vanilla.
4. Add eggs one at a time and beat well in-between.
5. Sift flours and baking powder together and add only half to butter mixture. Add in half of the milk and repeat that process until all flour and milk is combined.
6. Pour into prepared tray and bake for approximately 40 minutes.
7. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to completely cool and then place in the fridge to get completely cold.
8. Cut into uniform sizes and dip into chocolate sauce and coat with coconut.
Method Chocolate Sauce
1. Sift icing sugar and cocoa together
2. In a small pan heat butter and milk together until combined.
3. Gradually add liquid to dry ingredients until you get the constancy you require.
4. Use as required.
Just to let you know this is a fantastic Thermomix butter cake recipe if you want to make kids sculpted party cakes, as it is light, but holds together!
1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
2. Line 25cm by 35cm large baking tin.
3. Place sugar into mixing bowl and mill 10 seconds/speed 7.
4. Add Butterfly and soften butter and mix 20 seconds/speed 4 scrape down the slide of the bowl and repeat this 3 times. This recipe was made in the TM5, if you are using TM31 it may require more mixing at this and other steps.
5. Then mix 1 minute/speed 4 adding an egg every 15 seconds.
6. Scrape down the side of the bowl and mix 20 seconds/speed 4.
it takes a bit of love and care to get a light and fluffy butter cake
7. Remove butterfly and add all other ingredients mix 10 seconds/speed 6 scrape down the bowl and mix again for 20 seconds/speed 6.
Don’t stress if you feel the cake is too dry, it won’t be. If the cake is too moist, when you dip it in the icing, it will fall apart.
8. Pour into prepared tray and bake for approximately 40 minutes.
9. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to completely cool.
10. Cut into uniform sizes and dip into chocolate sauce and sprinkle with coconut.
Method Chocolate Sauce
1. Place milk and butter into mixing bowl and heat 2 minutes/Varoma/speed 2.
2. Add all other ingredients and mix 20 seconds/speed 4.
3. Use as required.
Here are some of the variations that I have made in the past.
1. Cream – Cut cakes into squares then cut in half and dip in chocolate and put a big dollop of whipped cream between them.
2. Jam – Do the same with jam as above
3. Jam and Cream – oh now it is getting exciting… as above with jam and cream in the middle
4. Jelly Lamingtons – make up a batch of jelly (any colour) as per instructions. When it cools a little (not too much you don’t want it to set) dip lamington squares into the Jelly then quickly cover with coconut and put straight back into the fridge to set… very nice. It is a great idea for kids parties as you can make any colour you like! You could also make your own jelly using fruit juice so you know what is going into your Jelly lamingtons.
Lamingtons also freeze extremely well and are fantastic for lunch box treats. Have fun making these delicious Australian iconic cakes, they are a bit messy, but so worth it.
Please note that you will need to cut the edges of you cake off so that the chocolate icing soaks in better (and then you get a better shape)! Don’t throw out the cake, either eat it or make a trifle… post to come!
You know I love it when you drop by so please leave a comment and tell me what you think! 🙂
Enjoy Irresponsibly!
Liz x
If you like this recipe maybe you will enjoy these too?
Liz xx
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My son has requested a giant lamington for his birthday cake this week.. I’m so pleased I found this, I’m going to give it a go.. Do you think the melted sauce will work as icing on the slab of cake, as I won’t be dipping the cake in it?
Hi Kylie I would maybe make the slab, cut it in half or better yet cook it in two square tins so then you could cover each in icing and coconut and maybe put som jam or cream inbetween the cakes so it looks more like a big lamington 🙂 I hope that helps? Liz xxx
Thankyou for your reply! That sounds perfect. It’s my job for today!
O.M.G.!!! I am never using another cake/ cupcake recipe again! This is the fourth recipe I have used of yours. Fail proof every time! All my wk colleagues think I am a culinary genius! Even for just following ur recipes!
Oh I am so glad Louise 🙂 thank you for the compliment… If you are ever in Queensland, make sure you pop onto my Facebook page so we can catch up 🙂
Liz xx
Yum – just made for a school international day lunch – great success 🙂
That is fantastic Pip, thank you so much for dropping buy and letting me know 🙂 xxxx
I think we have experiences with those lamingtons at the supermarket that sit on the shelves for months whereas a freshly made one like this is so delicious! 😀
Fresh is always best 🙂 Liz x
Made these 2 weeks Ago and they were fantastic. My young children helped make them (yes a little messy) and asked for them everyday afterwards
Rainy day and first day of holidays and my boys want a double batch !!
That’s great Sam… and what is a little mess for some wonderful fun with your kids…I’m so glad that you liked them…. I’m still eating the first batch I made as I put them individually the freezer so I can enjoy them when ever I like… I’m sure they wouldn’t last that long in your house 🙂 Thanks or stopping by and leaving a comment! Liz x
Your dad & his ‘bloggy thing’ comments – Bless!! Who doesn’t love a homemade lamington right. I remember making some of these with Mom years ago, thinking the same thing about bought lamingtons….. but, once you’ve had a homemade one…… there is no comparison. Thanks for walk down memory lane.
Yes… dad is so funny, but he does use it to his advantage all the time… he knows that Tuesday is my cooking day… so at around 11am today, he toddles into my flat as asks me what food I’m making as it any good for lunch 🙂 I think I could just write a blog on the adventures of Tom and Liz! Thanks for always dropping by! I will see what has been going on in your world on Thursday 🙂 Thursday is my reading and writing blog day… Liz x
As an Aussie it is so strange to hear people say they have never heard of let alone eaten a Lamington before!
I know Barb… I must say I was a bit surprised… But it is uniquely AUSSIE! 🙂 Liz x
Never heard of lamingtons before, they look delicious.
Hi Cheri… They are an Australian Cake… very iconic.. and very yummy! 🙂 Thanks for dropping by! Liz x
Im s ooooo excited to make these for the staff
at work who have never tried them….thanks bits xxx
You are very welcome Sara… Just make sure that you have a big cake/slice tin 25cm by 35cm as it makes a slab of butter cake 🙂 Oh and I seriously think I have hit the jackpot with this one… near perfect! Liz x