Passion for Baking: Lamingtons

Lamingtons. We love them. Really love them. An iconic Australian cake, and popular with most Aussies.

In our house here in the UK, they are simply our favourites. I always have the idea to make a batch, keep a couple out to eat, and then freeze the rest so we can enjoy them for longer. It rarely happens as we just can't resist them!

Anyway, I am going to give you two cake recipes here - choose the one that suits you the best; they both make good lamingtons but one makes them egg and dairy free (& soya free if needed too) and the other is a standard sponge using egg and butter.
Regardless of the recipe you choose, the procedures are still the same.

Lamingtons
Makes approximately 20 cakes

Vanilla Cake

Ingredients:

150g butter, softened

200g caster sugar

125g plain flour

250g self-raising flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp bi-carb soda (baking soda)

3 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

200ml milk

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160 deg C and then line the bases of a 20 cm x 30cm tin with baking parchment.

2. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy - this will take about 10 minutes so that it is very pale. This adds essential air into the mixture. Sift the flours, baking powder and bi-carb of soda together into another bowl

3. Add the eggs, one at a time into the mixture, beating well after each one. Adding a spoonful of the flour mixture helps prevent curdling.

4. Once all the eggs are incorporated, add the rest of the flour and mix gently until it is all just combined.

5. Pour in the milk and vanilla and mix slowly until it forms a batter consistency.

6. Gently measure equal amounts into the two tins, flatten it out very carefully and then cook for 20-25 mins. Check they are cooked by lightly touching the top- it should spring back. You can also insert a probe - if it comes out clean your cake is cooked.

7. Remove cakes from the oven and allow to cool slightly in the tins. Tip out onto a baking rack to cool completely.

Egg/Dairy Free Cake

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups self raising flour + 2 heaped tablespoons
1 cup caster sugar
pinch salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 cup water

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees celsius. Grease and line a 20cm x 30cm tin with parchment paper.
2. Sift dry ingredients together.
3. Add wet ingredients and mix on high until smooth. Pour into the tin.
4. Bake for 20-25 mins or until a skewer comes out clean.

For both cakes, cool completely and then cut into 4cm x 4cm squares (approximately).

Coating

3 cups icing sugar (powdered sugar), sifted
3 heaped tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 cup milk (or soya/coconut/almond milk - any non dairy milk if choosing that option)
50 g unsalted butter (or dairy free alternative)
2 cups desiccated coconut - use 1 cup at a time.

1. Sift icing sugar and cocoa into a medium sized bowl.
2. Warm the milk gently in a small saucepan and add the butter. Stir until melted.
3. Add to the icing sugar and stir thoroughly to remove all lumps. The chocolate mixture should be runny - you might need to add more milk to make it thin enough to coat the cake without running off the sides completely. This takes a bit of trial and error to get right. You might need to try a cake square to gauge the consistency and adjust accordingly. If it is too runny, add a small amount of sifted icing sugar to thicken it. Be careful, only use a small amount at a time.
4. Using two forks, dip a cake square into the chocolate mixtures, coating completely. Lift and allow excess chocolate sauce to drip off the cake, then roll in the coconut, coating thoroughly on all sides.
5. Place onto a wire cooling rack - place some baking paper underneath to catch any drips. If your coating is too thick, you'll get more drips than if it is thinner and the excess has run off before adding the coconut.
6. Repeat for all cake squares.

Lamingtons are best eaten after being allowed to rest and set for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.

This week I made one giant lamington cake for my husband -same principle but coating in chocolate required me to use a tray to soak it in the chocolate sauce. I made it a bit too runny, so the chocolate coating wasn't as thick or as sweet as it should have been.