Baking

Australian Lamingtons: Sponge + Chocolate + Coconut = Love

2 min

Bake the sponge a day ahead and leave it uncovered on the counter overnight. A fresh, soft crumb tears apart the second it hits the warm chocolate glaze, but a slightly stale square holds its edges and drinks up the coating without falling to pieces. Cut the cooled cake into 16 squares, set up your dipping line with the glaze in one bowl and shredded coconut in another, and work one piece at a time so the chocolate stays loose enough to coat all six sides.

By Nora Calloway

A little backstory

The favorite story is that lamingtons were named for Lord Lamington, governor of Queensland around the turn of the 20th century, and that his cook improvised them after sponge offcuts needed using up. Whether the governor actually liked them is up for debate, since he reportedly called them something rather less flattering. They've been an Australian and New Zealand bakery staple ever since, and the two countries still argue over who deserves the credit.

Lamingtons are Australia’s gift to the dessert world.

Light, buttery vanilla sponge. Dipped in silky chocolate glaze. Rolled in shredded coconut. They’re small. They’re poppable. They’re dangerously good.

Makes 16 lamingtons.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1 1

Make the Sponge

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×8 baking pan.

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla.

Fold in flour alternately with milk. Pour into pan.

Bake 25-30 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

2 2

Cut the Cake

Cut cooled cake into 16 equal squares (about 1.5 inches each).

3 3

Make the Glaze

Whisk powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, and melted butter until smooth.

4 4

Dip and Coat

Dip each cake square into chocolate glaze, turning to coat all sides.

Immediately roll in shredded coconut. Place on wire rack to set.

5 5

Serve

Let glaze set for 30 minutes. Serve with tea or coffee.

Summary

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 25-30 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 16 lamingtons

Difficulty: Easy

Storage Notes

Room Temp:

Store in an airtight container for 5 days.

Freezer Friendly:

Freeze for 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Pro Tip:

Day-old sponge is easier to cut and dip. Make the cake a day ahead.

The Ingredients

Everything you need.

Prep

20 minutes

Cook

25-30 minutes

Total

1 hour

Yield

16 lamingtons

For the Sponge Cake:

½ cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1½ cups self-rising flour
¼ cup milk

For the Chocolate Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup milk
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For Coating:

2 cups shredded coconut (unsweetened or sweetened)

Instructions

1
Make the Sponge. Make the Sponge. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×8 baking pan. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Fold in flour alternately with milk. Pour into pan. Bake 25-30 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely. 2 2
2
Cut the Cake. Cut the Cake. Cut cooled cake into 16 equal squares (about 1.5 inches each). 3 3
3
Make the Glaze. Make the Glaze. Whisk powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, and melted butter until smooth. 4 4
4
Dip and Coat. Dip and Coat. Dip each cake square into chocolate glaze, turning to coat all sides. Immediately roll in shredded coconut. Place on wire rack to set. 5 5
5
Serve. Serve. Let glaze set for 30 minutes. Serve with tea or coffee
6
Room Temp:. Room Temp:. Store in an airtight container for 5 days
7
Freezer Friendly:. Freezer Friendly:. Freeze for 3 months. Thaw at room temperature
8
Pro Tip:. Pro Tip:. Day-old sponge is easier to cut and dip. Make the cake a day ahead

Swaps & Substitutions

Self-rising flour → use 1½ cups all-purpose flour plus 2¼ tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt.
Salted butter → fine to use; skip any added salt and the sponge will read a touch saltier.
Dairy milk → oat or soy milk works in both the sponge and the glaze with no real change in texture.
Unsweetened coconut → sweetened shredded coconut works too and pushes the whole thing sweeter, so pull back the powdered sugar slightly if you do.
Unsweetened cocoa → Dutch-process cocoa gives a darker, mellower glaze; the color deepens but the recipe still works.
Vanilla extract → almond extract at half the amount is a good swap, though it changes the flavor noticeably.

Questions & Answers

Why is my glaze too thick to coat the squares?

Powdered sugar varies, so the ¼ cup milk is a starting point. Whisk in milk a teaspoon at a time until it pours off the whisk in a smooth ribbon; it should coat the cake, not sit on it in a lump.

Can I make these ahead?

Yes. The sponge actually benefits from being baked a day early. Once coated, lamingtons keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days.

My cake crumbled when I dipped it. What went wrong?

Usually the cake was too fresh or too warm. Cool it completely, ideally overnight, and use two forks to lower each square into the glaze rather than your fingers.

Can I freeze lamingtons?

They freeze well. Set them on a tray until firm, then store in a container with parchment between layers for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for an hour.

How do I know the sponge is baked through?

A toothpick pushed into the center should come out clean, with no wet batter clinging to it. That lands around 25 to 30 minutes at 350°F in an 8x8 pan.

Australian Lamingtons: Sponge + Chocolate + Coconut = Love