Lamingtons. Deliciousness from Down Under.

Last year we went to a wedding.  It was an amazing day not only because the couple are incredible and the reception was held at London Zoo, but also because the wedding cake was a stack of the most delicious lamingtons.  An Australian cake for the Australian bride.

The wedding was the first time I had ever eaten lamingtons  ('lamingtons' plural as I ate far more than my quota) and they were unbelievably addictive.  Soft, slightly vanilla-ry sponge, covered in chocolate icing and dessicated coconut.  What's not to love?

After a long lamington chat the next day, the mother of the bride kindly emailed me her own recipe all the way from Oz when she returned.  It has taken me a whole year to get round to trying out the recipe but that is no reflection on its success or my joy on having an authentic Australian recipe...I had three for breakfast today.  Let's leave it at that...

Ingredients (converted from Australian Imperial)

125 g unsalted butter
175 g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, free-range
300 g self raising flour
pinch of salt
125 ml milk
500g icing sugar
4 dessertspoons cocoa
1 dessertspoon melted unsalted butter
125 ml milk
375 g desiccated coconut

Method

1. Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla together, using an electric whisk, until light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Fold in the sifted flour and salt alternately with the milk.  Add a little more milk if necessary to get a slow 'dropping' consistency i.e. the mixture slowly drops from your spoon when lifted out of the bowl.

4. Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined 20 cm x 28 cm cake tin and bake at 180C for 30 minutes or until risen and golden brown.
5. Allow the cake to stand in the tin for a few minutes before turning it over, removing the greaseproof paper and allowing it to cool on a wire rack.
6. Leave the cake in a tupperware for 1-2 days to slightly dry out before cutting and icing.
7. For the icing, sift the icing sugar and the cocoa into a bowl.
8. In a jug mix the milk with the melted butter.
9. Add enough milk/butter mixture to the icing sugar to get a smooth coating consistency.  Place the bowl of icing over a saucepan of hot water to stop it thickening up while you coat the cakes.
10. Cut the cake into small squares, I made 44 canape-sized squares out of my cake (or if you prefer a larger lamington go for  larger pieces).  Trim off the brown top and sides of the cake if you're a perfectionist (I'm not).

11. Now set up a production line...cake, then icing, then coconut, then wire rack.
12. Dip each cake into the icing, preferably using a two pronged fork, then hold above the bowl until the excess icing has dripped off.

13. Gently put the cake into a bowl full of coconut and gently toss around using a kitchen fork rather than your fingers until it is completely covered.

14. Stand the cake on a wire rack to dry out and repeat until all the cakes are coated.

So delicious and perfect for a sugar low, a sweet canape, a proper afternoon tea or for a child's party...get the cake prepared and set the kiddies to work coating the cakes ready for their tea.  What fun.

Thank you for the recipe.