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–+ servings
a plate of lamingtons coated in coconut.
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5 from 1 vote

Easy Australian Lamingtons

Chocolate lamingtons are an iconic Australian treat! Squares of delicious vanilla sponge cake are coated in a rich chocolate glaze and rolled in desiccated coconut. Perfect for morning or afternoon tea.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Freezing Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: baking
Cuisine: Australian
Servings: 12
Calories: 497kcal
Author: Andrea Geddes

Ingredients

For the vanilla cake

  • 125 grams unsalted butter - room temperature
  • 165 grams caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste - or vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 260 grams self raising flour
  • ⅔ cup milk

For the chocolate glaze

  • 375 grams icing sugar
  • 1 teaspoon butter - melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste - or vanilla extract
  • 1 heaped tablespoon cocoa powder - unsweetened
  • 1 tablespoon golden syrup
  • boiling water

For coating

  • 3-4 cups desiccated coconut - fine, desiccated coconut, unsweetened.

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 180°C (356 F). Grease a 20 x 20cm (8 x 8 inch) square baking tin and line it with baking paper, leaving the edges of the paper overhanging.
  • Using electric handheld beaters on high speed, cream the butter and caster sugar together until pale and creamy.
  • Add the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition.
  • Add half of the flour and mix on low speed until combined. Alternate adding the milk and the remaining flour and mix until just combined.
  • Spread the cake batter into the lined baking tin and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
  • Remove the cake from the oven and let it sit in the tin for 5 minutes. Then, use the overhanging paper to gently remove the cake and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Once the cake has completely cooled, use a serrated knife to cut the cake into 12 evenly-sized squares (or make them smaller or larger, to suit your preference).
  • Place the cake pieces into an airtight container lined with baking paper and place into the freezer for 1 - 1 ½ hours to harden.

Make the chocolate glaze

  • Set aside a shallow bowl filled with the coconut.
  • When you are ready to assemble the lamingtons, prepare the chocolate glaze by mixing the icing sugar, melted butter, vanilla, cocoa powder and golden syrup together in a heat-proof bowl.
  • Add boiling water, one tablespoon at a time, and mix until the glaze is thick enough to coat the cakes, but not too runny. It should have a honey-like consistency and be able to drizzle from the spoon.
  • Place the bowl carefully over a saucepan of boiling water to prevent it from setting. The bowl should fit snugly over the saucepan, without touching the water.
  • Place one piece of cake into the chocolate glaze and use a spoon or fork to gently roll and evenly coat the cake on all sides.
  • Use a spoon or fork to gently lift the cake out of the glaze and allow the excess glaze to drip from the cake.
  • Roll the chocolate-coated cake in the coconut, until covered on all sides.
  • Repeat with the remaining cakes.
  • Set the lamingtons aside on a plate (or a tray lined with baking paper) to set for around an hour. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Weigh your ingredients for accuracy. To avoid dry cake, use digital kitchen scales to measure flour. If you don’t have scales, fluff the flour and spoon it into a measuring cup before levelling the top with a knife.
  2. Gradually add water to the chocolate glaze until you achieve the right consistency. The lamington glaze should be thick enough to coat the cake without being too runny or thin. Add a tablespoon of boiling water at a time, to thin it out.
  3. Use room temperature ingredients.
  4. Cool the cake completely before slicing into squares. Use a serrated knife for neat slices.
  5. Don’t skip the freezing time. Freezing the cake squares makes it easier to coat them in the chocolate glaze and prevents the cake from crumbling apart when handling.
  6. Let the excess glaze drip off the cakes before rolling in coconut.
  7. You can use desiccated or shredded coconut. Just make sure it is unsweetened.
  8. Fill with jam and/or cream - this recipe is for plain chocolate lamingtons. However, once the lamingtons are assembled, you can use a serrated knife to slice them in half and fill with a thin layer of raspberry jam and/or whipped cream when you are ready to serve them. If filling with cream, store the lamingtons in the fridge.
  9. Storage - store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. The cake will stay moist thanks to the chocolate glaze.
  10. Freezing - after the lamingtons have been assembled, they can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw at room temperature.
  11. Please note that the nutrition information is based on the lamingtons being cut into 12 pieces, with one lamington being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings served with the lamingtons.
  12. This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary. I have included weights for the shortbread crust, to help with the exact measurements.

Nutrition

Calories: 497kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 30mg | Potassium: 176mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 344IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg