Lamington Cake
Prepared and Photographed by: 
Recipe Source: Jamila Cusine
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8
 
Introduction: Lamington is an Australian dessert. It consists of squares or rectangles of sponge cake coated first in a layer of traditionally chocolate sauce, then in desiccated coconut. The chocolate coating is a thin mixture, into which cubes of sponge cake are dipped, and the chocolate is absorbed into the outermost layers of the sponge where it sets. It sounds intriguing and mouth watering, isn't it? My "old" friend Daniel,who lives in Australia, posted pictures of fresh Lamingtons he made to honor Australia's National Day. They looked so amazing such I all week I could think of nothing but Lamingtons. Saturday morning I made them in a hurry, and they were amazing indeed.
Ingredients
For the sponge
  • 1 cup granulated sugar = 200 grams
  • 1 cup of butter at room temperature = 200 grams
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup of milk = 250 ml
  • 3 cups of all-purpose (plain) flour = 350 grams
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
For the icing
  • 1½ cup of chocolate chips
  • 1 cup of milk - 250 ml
  • 2 tablespoons of sugar (only if you used unsweetened chocolate chips)
To assemble
  • Around 4 cups desiccated coconut
Instructions
The sponge
  1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F/180˚C/gas 4
  2. Grease and flour a 9' x13' (20cm x 30cm) pan, lining the base of the pan with parchment paper. Beat the butter with sugar, salt and vanilla in a mixer bowl at low speed until it becomes creamy
  3. Scrape the bowl walls and add the eggs, one by one, mixing slowly after each egg
  4. Add the half of sifted the flour, mixing slowly, one tablespoon at the time
  5. Add half of the milk, mixing slowly, add the baking powder, remaining flour and milk until all incorporated
  6. Pour the batter in the greased and floured pan, level with a spatula and bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean
  7. The cake should spring back when lightly touched in the center
  8. Turn cake onto a wire rack to cool.
  9. Cut cake into even, bit-sized pieces about 4-5cm. You will probably end up discarding the edge pieces, as they won’t be completely square
The Icing
  1. In a small saucepan put the milk and warm the milk up, without boiling it
  2. Add the sugar and the chocolate chips, take off the heat, let the chocolate melt for about three minutes
  3. Stir the mixture until the chocolate melted and homogenized into the milk, set aside to cool
Assemble the cake
  1. Using a fork, dip the cake cubes into the chocolate mix and roll them around to completely coat
  2. Drain any excess mixture off the cakes then drop them in the coconut and roll them around lightly to coat evenly with coconut.
  3. Set the cake cubes on the serving plate. You can refrigerate the cakes to help set the icing, then bring them to room temperature before serving. They are absolutely delicious! Enjoy!
Recipe by Claudia's Home Cooking at http://www.claudiashomecooking.com/?p=4498