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Australian Lamingtons

These lovely chocolate coated and coconut dipped little cakes are uniquely Australian. Bright cherry jam is sandwiched between two layers of light but springy vanilla sponge cake. Each square in dipped in chocolate and then rolled in coconut. They are perfect on a dessert table, or for afternoon coffee break.

Course Dessert
Cuisine Australian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Servings 20 squares

Ingredients

Cake

  • 3 large eggs separated
  • 1 cup + 1 tbsp (220 grams) granulate sugar 220 grams granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp (100 grams) butter, softened at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups (300 grams) AP flour
  • 4 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • scant 1 cup (230 ml) milk

Filling

  • 6-7 oz (175-200 ml) cherry conserve or jam of your choice

Chocolate and Coconut Coating

  • 6 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 2/3 cups (155 grams) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
  • 2/3 cup 155 ml boiling water
  • 2 1/2 oz (75-80 grams) dark chocolate, chopped
  • 7 oz (200 grams) desiccated coconut

Instructions

Sponge Cake

  1. Heat the oven to 350F (180C) and line the base and sides of a deep 10x10 inch (23x23 cm) square pan with parchment paper going in both directions, with the edges overhanging
  2. In a clean bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the egg whites with one third of the sugar until soft peaks form.
  3. In your stand mixer (or another bowl with a hand mixer), beat the remaining sugar with the butter, egg yolks and vanilla extract for about 3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
  4. In a medium sized bowl, use a whisk to blend the flour, cornflour and baking powder together. Adding one third of this at a time, beat into the butter and egg yolk mixture, alternating with the milk, until smooth.
  5. Whisk one third of the meringue into the batter to loosen it, then carefully fold in the remaining meringue until fully incorporated, do not overmix.
  6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. This should take about 45-55 minutes.
  7. Leave it to cool in the pan set on a cooling rack for a couple of minutes, then turn out onto the rack and leave until completely cold.
  8. Once the cake is completely cold, use a sharp serrated knife to level the top and trim the edges so that they are straight. Slice the cake into 20 evenly sized squares. I do this by slicing the cake into 4 equal strips. Take each strip and cut it into 5 pieces. The colder it is, the less crumbs you will get when slicing.
  9. You can do this the day before assembling. Store in the fridge.

Assembling, Chocolate and Coconut Coating

  1. Slice each square in half and sandwich the two halves back together with a dollop of jam. If you find when slicing the pieces in half that the tops of some are not as neat as you would like, turn it around and use the cleaner side as the top.
  2. Whisk together the cocoa powder, icing sugar and boiling water in a large bowl, then add in the chocolate until melted and smooth, set aside until cold. Place the coconut in a shallow dish.
  3. One at a time, dip each square in the chocolate mixture, making sure that it is completely coated, use a couple of forks to help you turn it, then roll it in the desiccated coconut until all sides are covered.
  4. Place the finished lamingtons on a wire rack and leave for a couple of hours until set.

Recipe Notes

This recipe is a riff on the one found here by Domestic Gothess, who used Dan Lepard, renowned Australian baker's version.