Lamingtons are an iconic Australian dessert you’ll love! Chocolate and coconut coated squares of tender sponge cake — they’re simply heavenly! Perfect for a small crowd, they’ll definitely disappear in a flash.
I love serving lamingtons just as they are. I think the combination of buttery vanilla sponge cake, rich chocolate icing, and desiccated coconut is flavorful enough to stand on its own. But you can add a fruit jam filling if you like! I have all the info on how to do that in this post. For more dessert recipes, try my coconut cupcakes, German chocolate cookies, and coconut macaroons.
What Are Lamingtons?
Lamingtons are a popular dessert hailing from Australia. Tender vanilla sponge cake squares are dipped in a chocolate glaze before being coated in desiccated coconut. This delicious dessert is often enjoyed on Australia Day, and it’s also become popular in other countries around the world.
Ingredients
Flour — all-purpose flour makes a light and butter cake.
Baking powder — baking powder helps the fluffy sponge cake rise.
Butter — use unsalted butter so the cake does not end up being too salty.
Sugar — you need superfine sugar (also called caster sugar) so the cake has a fine crumb.
Eggs — large eggs help to bind the ingredients in the cake batter.
Vanilla — use good vanilla extract for the best flavor.
Milk — whole milk adds moisture for a tender crumb.
Chocolate icing — for the chocolate glaze, you need powdered sugar (icing sugar), unsweetened cocoa powder, butter, and boiling water.
Coating — desiccated coconut is the traditional coating choice.
How To Make Lamingtons
1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set the flour mixture aside for the moment.
2. In a separate large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until combined between each addition. Stop to scrape down the sides as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract.
4. With the mixer on low speed, add a third of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients mixture.
5. Then add half of the milk. Repeat, alternating between another third of the flour mixture and the remaining milk until both are fully combined. Stop to scrape down the bowl occasionally.
6. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan (a greased 8×12-inch cake pan fully lined with parchment paper). Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 18 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the sponge cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Invert onto a wire cooling rack, remove the parchment paper, and let cool completely.
7. Once the cake has cooled, place it on a cutting board, and cut it into 24 squares with a serrated knife. If the edges are crisp, trim them off.
8. To make the dark chocolate icing, whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, butter, and boiling water until smooth in a medium heatproof bowl. Pour desiccated coconut into a small shallow bowl. Line a baking tray with parchment and place a wire rack on top. This way, your coating station is ready!
9. Using a fork to move the pieces of cake, coat the squares in the chocolate sauce. Allow the excess icing to drip off.
10. Then, roll in the coconut to coat. Place the coated cake square onto the prepared rack to dry. Repeat with the remaining pieces of cake. Let dry completely before serving, for about 20 minutes.
Do I Have To Freeze The Cake?
You don’t have to (it’s not required for my recipe), but it can make things a little easier if you aren’t used to working with a soft sponge. If the cake feels too crumbly and soft after cutting it into squares, freeze the cubes for about 1 hour until they feel firm. Then, make the icing and coat as directed in the recipe.
Should Lamingtons Have A Filling?
While lamingtons are most often served plain, they are also delightful with a filling! Jam, whipped cream, and even additional chocolate icing are all lovely choices.
If you want to add a filling, there are two ways to go about it:
- The first method is to cut the cooled cake in half horizontally (splitting it into 2 layers, essentially–like a hamburger bun!) and spread strawberry jam or raspberry jam on the cut side of one half. Then, place the other half back on and follow the cutting and coating instructions as written.
- For the second method, cut each coated Lamingtons in half through the center. Spread jam or more chocolate frosting on the bottom half and place the top half back on.
Feel free to add whipped cream if you wish, but remember to then store the Australian lamingtons in the refrigerator, not at room temperature, and enjoy them within 24 hours.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Weigh the flour. The most accurate way to measure flour is with a kitchen scale to avoid dry sponge cake. If you don’t have a scale, fluff the flour in its container, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level off the top with a knife.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Set the eggs and butter out about an hour before you start baking so they are not completely cold when you start baking. If you forget, place the eggs in a bowl of warm water for a couple of minutes, and for the butter, follow my easy steps for how to soften butter quickly.
- You can also bake this recipe in a 9×13-inch baking pan with great results! The bake time will be shorter, so start checking it at 15 minutes.
- If the chocolate icing hardens while coating, add a splash of hot water and stir until it reaches the desired consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store lamingtons in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
Yes. After they’ve dried, place them in a freezer-safe container in a single layer and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the kitchen counter for a few hours.
In a pinch, you could finely chop unsweetened shredded coconut to use in place of desiccated coconut. If you only have sweetened shredded coconut, toast the coconut first, then finely chop it.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Lamington recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Lamingtons Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric mixer
- Cake pan
- Baking Sheet
- Wire rack
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1¾ cup all-purpose flour (210g)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113g)
- 1 cup superfine sugar (caster sugar) (200g)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole milk (120ml)
For the Chocolate Icing:
- 4 cups powdered sugar (icing sugar) (480g)
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (25g)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ cup boiling water (120ml)
For the Coating:
- 3 cups desiccated coconut (240g)
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease an 8×12-inch cake pan and fully line with parchment paper, letting the excess extend over the sides.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until combined between each. Stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Beat in the vanilla.
- With the mixer on low speed, add a third of the flour mixture, followed by half of the milk. Repeat, alternating between another third of the flour mixture and the remaining milk until both are fully combined. Stop to scrape down the bowl occasionally. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Invert onto the cooling rack, remove the parchment paper and let cool completely.
- Once cooled completely, cut the cake into 24 (2-inch) squares. (Trim off the edges if they are a bit crisp.)
For the Icing:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, butter, and boiling water until smooth.
For the Coating:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment and place a wire rack on top. Pour desiccated coconut into a small shallow bowl.
- Using a fork to move the pieces of cake, coat the cake squares in the icing. Allow the excess icing to drip off before moving to the coconut and rolling to coat. (If the chocolate icing hardens while coating, stir in a splash of hot water or more until the desired consistency is reached. )
- Place the coated cake square onto the prepared rack to dry. Repeat with remaining cake squares. Let dry completely before serving, about 20 minutes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
Notes
- Weigh the flour. The most accurate way to measure flour is with a kitchen scale to avoid dry sponge cake. If you don’t have a scale, fluff the flour in its container, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level off the top with a knife.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Set the eggs and butter out about an hour before you start baking so they are not completely cold when you start baking. If you forget, place the eggs in a bowl of warm water for a couple of minutes, and for the butter, follow my easy steps for how to soften butter quickly.
- You can also bake this recipe in a 9×13-inch baking pan with great results! The bake time will be shorter, so start checking it at 15 minutes.
- If the chocolate icing hardens while coating, add a splash of hot water and stir until it reaches the desired consistency.
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