Australia Day celebrations are not complete without the Australian Dessert Lamington Cake. On the happy occasion of Australia Day 2024, the most famous Lamington sponge cake is prepared. It is a special recipe for Australians and they love to eat it. Every year Australians celebrate National Lamington Day on 21st July. The Lamington cake is also famous in New Zealand too. Australian people prepare Lamingtons on various occasions of their life and normal routine. The Lamington cake is very widely used in Australia and some Australians called it “Lammo” or “Lammos”.
What are Lamingtons?
Lamingtons are basically related to the sponge cake category. Lamington is a very famous Australian sponge cake. This cake is made from sponge cake or squares of butter cake. The outer layer of the cake is made of chocolate sauce and dipped in desiccated coconut to get a distinctive texture. The strawberry jam or cream is most commonly used between two lamington halves to give variation in lamington cake.
Australian Lamingtons History:
According to history, the Lamington cake is invented in Lord Lamington’s time period who was a Governor of Queensland(from 1896 to 1901). This cake was given the name on the name of Lord Lamington and it has a very wonderful history. Various thoughts exist about Lamington cake, according to one thought Lord Lamington’s chef, Armand Galland invented this cake to feed the unexpected guests. According to another thought Amy Schauer, a cooking teacher at Brisbane (Central) Technical College invented this cake. While another story about the invention of this cake is claimed that a maidservant of Lord Lamington, presumably Galland, accidentally dropped a sponge cake into melted chocolate and sprinkled desiccated coconut on it. It was an error that turned into a beautiful dessert that Lord Lamington loved too much. Others also claim that lamington had been invented in Scotland or New Zealand before the Australian lamington. The lamington cake recipe was very quickly spread and shown in Sydney’s newspaper in 1901 while this recipe also appeared in a New Zealand newspaper in 1902. The lamington cake is also considered as “Heritage Icon” of Australia and this name is given by the National Trust of Queensland in 2006. The lamington cake is very often sold by lamington drives to raise money for schools, Scouts, charity groups, or other community organizations.
How Lamington Cake Prepared?
Below the necessary ingredients and steps for the preparation of Lamington Sponge Cake are given. Have a look at how a lamington cake is prepared.
Australia Day Lamington Cake Recipe:
Preparation Time: 25 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins | Ready In: 1 h 55 mins |
Ingredients For Lamington Cake:
These are the following ingredients for the Lamington cake.
- All-purpose flour: 2 cups
- Baking Powder: 2 Teaspoons
- Milk: 1/2 Cup
- Salt: 1/4 Teaspoons
- Butter: 1/2 Cup Butter, Room Temperature
- Sugar: 3/4 Cup Sugar (granulated)
- Eggs: 2 Large Eggs
- Pure Vanilla Extract: 1 Teaspoon
Ingredients For Chocolate Frosting:
- Milk: 1/2 Cup
- Butter: 3 Tablespoons
- Powdered Sugar: 4 Cups (confectionery sugar)
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: 1/3 Cup
- Unsweetened Decimated Coconut: 2 Cups
Directions or Steps for Lamington Cake:
- The oven should be preheated to 375 Degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Oven rack must be at the middle position.
- Spray or butter the 8-inch pan bottom and sides; set aside.
- Take a large bowl put the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix them all and set aside the bowl.
- In another large bowl beat 1/2 cup butter and 3/4 cup sugar with the help of an electric mixer until fluffy and soft. Now add the eggs one at a time, and beat the mixture well after adding each egg. The mixture should be lighter in color. Add the vanilla extract in the mixture and mix it very well. Pour in the flour mixture with the milk, and mix it well till just incorporated.
- Spread the whole batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the help of a spatula.
- Now, bake it in the preheated oven for approximately 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. Remove cake from the oven. Now let the cake cool in the baking pan for approximately 5 to 7 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
- When the cake cooled, cut it into 16 or 24 squares and wrap it with plastic wrap. Put the cake squares at room temperature overnight or in the refrigerator for at least 2 or more hours.
Chocolate Frosting or Icing Instructions:
- Now put the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, butter, and warm milk in a large heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of warm water. Stir the mixture well until smooth and create a fluid.
- Now remove it from heat. Do not need to get the liquid too thin because the cake will not absorb the frosting correctly.
Assemble the Lamingtons Cake:
- Take some paper under the wire racks and place the cake pieces on it.
- Place the cake pieces on the racks and by using a fork, dip each square piece of lamington cake into the icing, and chocolate frosting, coating all sides very well.
- Quickly pour the shredded coconut into a bowl and roll the cake in the shredded coconut.
- Now place the coated cake pieces on the rack to dry.
- The Lamingtons cake can be stored for 5 days in an airtight container.