There is no cake more Australian than Lamingtons! A moist butter sponge dipped in chocolate then coated with coconut, this is The Cake sold at every suburban bakery and weekend fundraisers.
You’ll get coconut everywhere making them and eating them. But that’s all part of the Aussie experience. It’s how we do it Down Under! 🇦🇺
Lamingtons – an Australian classic!
A soft buttery sponge cake coated all over with chocolate icing and coconut.
Even if you’ve never heard of these before, you just know it’s going to be good. We Aussies know great tucker – and this is as Aussie as it gets!! (OK, OK, maybe as Aussie as Pavs, Anzac Biscuits, Sausage Rolls, Party Pies, weekend sausage sizzles and Sunday Roast Lamb😇)
How to make Lamingtons
On the face of it, it sounds simple enough:
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make a buttery vanilla sponge cake
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cut into squares, dip into chocolate icing, coat with coconut
The one little extra step I add that is going to make your Lamington making life a total breeze is to mostly freeze the cake before rolling in icing. A firm, semi frozen piece of cake is much easier to handle when coating in icing and rolling in coconut. Try doing it with fresh sponge, and you’ll be battling crumbling cake as you try to coat it. Been there, done that, multiple times!
The cake will thaw as the icing sets and the cake is as fresh as it was straight out of the oven.
Here’s a bit more background to explain why I freeze the cake before coating – to make sure I fully convince you so you don’t skip that step!
Why I Freeze The Cake before coating
Lamingtons are one of those cakes that recipes say are easy to make, but most are just downright lying to you. The first few times I made them involved screeches of frustration and serious foot stomping.😤 I emerged on the other side looking like I’d been in a mud-wrestle with a plate of something that barely resembled the neat squares you see in this post.
The challenge is this: The sponge has to be tender and moist enough to eat plain, but trying to roll such a delicate cake in icing is a disaster. The cake crumbles into the icing, making it thicker and impossible to work with.
And once the crumbling begins, imagine the mess when you try to roll it in coconut.
The solution offered by traditional recipes is to leave the cake out overnight, essentially letting the outside become a bit stale so it’s easier to handle. This works pretty well – but the cake is a bit drier than ideal.
The 21st century solution:
FREEZE THE CAKE.
It’s even easier to handle for coating, and the bonus is that the cake stays fresh and moist – no need to leave it out to dry out!
This will change your Lamington Life forever.
Butter Sponge Cake for Lamingtons
The sponge cake for Lamingtons is a terrific recipe that I use as a base for other recipes (strangely, none that I’ve shared here – yet). Simply made with pantry staples, it’s soft and buttery, and not too sweet which is what we want because we get extra sweetness from the chocolate icing.
The big debate:
Do Lamingtons have jam and cream?
Classic Lamingtons made the traditional old-school way do not have jam or cream sandwiched in the middle. But you’ll come across many Aussies who won’t have Lamingtons any other way (some RecipeTin family members included).
My view – Lamingtons should stand as a great cake without any filling. Jam and cream is optional – it should make it over the top good!
If you’re a Lamington fan, I think you’ll approve of this recipe! The butter cake is moist, tender and buttery. The chocolate coating is thick enough so you get a great hit of chocolate, but thin enough so it soaks into the sponge, a sticky enough to glue on plenty of coconut.
The added bonus is that using the little trick to freeze the cakes before coating, they are neat and tidy so they look as great as they taste! – Nagi x
PS It will be messy making these. And that’s totally ok. Because it’s part of the great Aussie tradition that you get coconut “everywhere” when you’re making them and eating them!
PPS When better to make Lamingtons than for Australia Day??
Lamingtons
Watch how to make it
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Lamingtons
Ingredients
Butter Sponge
- 125 g / 4.5 oz unsalted butter , softened
- 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 eggs , room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups (260g) flour , plain/all purpose, sifted (Note 1)
- 3.5 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) milk (low or full fat)
Icing
- 4 cups (480g) icing sugar (confectionary sugar), sifted
- 1/3 cup (22g) cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp (15g) unsalted butter
- 150ml (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) boiling water
Coating
- 3 - 4 cups desiccated coconut
Optional: Jam and Cream
- Strawberry jam
- 1 cup (250 ml) cream
- 1 tbsp white sugar
Instructions
Butter Sponge
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F (or fan forced 160C/320F).
- Sift flour and baking powder together.
- Grease a 20 cm x 30 cm / 8" x 12" cake pan. Line with baking paper (parchment paper), leaving an overhang on all sides (to make it easy to remove).
- Beat butter, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium high speed until light and fluffy - about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
- Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition so the batter is smooth, not curdled.
- Add half the flour and gently fold to combine, then stir in half the milk. Repeat with remaining flour and milk.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Stand for 5 minutes then use the overhang baking paper to lift the cake out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Prepare Cake to Coat
- Cut cake into 15 squares (5 x 3), or 18 rectangles. Freeze for 1 to 1.5 hours. (Note 2)
Icing
- Combine the Icing ingredients in a heat proof bowl and mix until smooth. Should be a syrup consistency, but not watery. (Note 2)
Coating
- Place coconut in a shallow bowl or pan with a largish surface area (Note 3).
- Place a piece of cake in the icing and roll to coat using 2 forks. Transfer it into the coconut and quickly roll to coat all over in coconut. Transfer to tray.
- Repeat with remaining sponges.
- Stand for 1 to 2 hours, or until set. Then serve with tea and coffee!
Optional: Jam and Cream
- Beat cream and sugar until firm peaks form.
- Cut coated Lamington in half horizontally. Spread with jam then pipe or dollop on cream. Top with lid, keep refrigerated.
Recipe Notes:
No cream: Store in airtight container for 3 to 4 days, or freeze for 2 - 3 months then thaw before serving.
Cream: Store in refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. 5. Nutrition per serving.
Barely adapted from this recipe from taste.com.au. Ingredients the same, the main thing I changed is the process (especially the coating process, to make it easier!)Nutrition Information:
Originally published 2014. Post refreshed with better photos, recipe video and process steps added. No change to recipe!
More Aussie Tucker favourites
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Pavlova – Meringue cake with marshmallow centre topped with cream and berries
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Sausage Rolls – Juicy pork filling encased in puff pastry. We think ours rivals Bourke St Bakery!
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Party Pies – Mini pies filled with slow cooked beef
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Scones – One of the best things the English brought to our shores!
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Caramel Slice – chocolate, caramel and shortbread. Home run!
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Sunday Roast Lamb with Gravy – also try this amazing Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb!
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Big bucket of fresh cooked prawns with dipping sauces – a summer favourite!
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Browse the Australia Day recipes collection!
Life of Dozer
You think it’s hard making recipe videos? Trying make them with THIS in your line of sight….
Just made them. The glaze is waaaaay too sweet. Next time I will use the same sponge, but definitely a different icing recipe. Even my sweet tooth husband could not eat more than one and simply said “Too sweet”.
I feel like I wasted the ingredients, but at least I learned that putting 4 cups of powdered sugar into the icing is a BAD idea.
Hi Lana, sorry you found them too sweet – did you adjust the recipe by any chance? They definitely aren’t overly sweet, did you use unsweetened cocoa powder? N x
Hi Nagi! Thanks again for yet another superb recipe. My homesick Melbourne hubs was craving lamingtons, so I thought anything from your website would not disappoint and I was correct…. waiting for three more hours before we can have this for iftar.
Love from Penang.
I’m so glad you love them Amy! N x
Thank you Nagi, great recipe, I love it, followed your note and it came out fabulous..
keep it up💜
My family loved these!!. My hubby loves lamingtons and now my 4yr old is a convert. The buttery cake sponge alone is beautiful. My first attempt at making lamingtons and I was super impressed, great recipe and so much better than the store bought ones. Thank you Nagi x
I’m so glad they were a hit Dani!! N x
Hi Nagi,
Would love to try this recipe. If I use self raising flour, do I still add the baking powder please? Thanks
Hi Luana, yes – I make it using both and it works fine 🙂 N x
Second time making them…. 3 words… De-Lic-ious!!!! And an easy to follow recipe. I’ve never made lamingtons before so thought i should give it a go, so much better than preservative laden store bought. Will definitely keep making them, this recipe… a firm favourite in our house!! Ps. Recipe Tin Eats is my go to for cooking, keep up the awesome work, love it.
here’s a little trivia, The popular origin story claims a maidservant of Lord Lamington, the governor of Queensland in 1901, accidentally dropped a sponge into some melted chocolate. Rather than waste the cake, Lord Lamington suggested she cover it in coconut and the lamington was born. and it became a favoured treat of his lordship and the nation ever since
i love lammies have sold thousands of them as fundraisers for youth groups over the years.
we had the whole family and friends selling for us, it was rare we didn’t sell the most.
a dozen for 5 dollars.
mum spent hrs helping make & package them
Oh I love this story!!! N xx
Made these today. They were delicious! Better than the storebought version thats for sure! Also the idea to freeze the lamings for 1 hour is brilliant. How are you so creative?!
Hi Nagi: what a fabulous blog site you have.
The Butter Sponge Recipe is addictive and together with plain icing and cherries is a wow afternoon tea cake. Thank you. Margaret
I have been making Lamies for the past 50yrs since I was a girl at primary school. Working bees with the CWA ladies for the fundraiser Lamington Drives. Hours of messiness with icing and cake but oh so worth the pain.
I not only made this recipe but I took on board your advice of freezing the fresh cake and then icing, wow it works brilliantly can’t believe how much easier the process was and soooo less messy. I will be making way more Lamies in the future because of this fab tip. Thank you.
SOOO much easier Helen! You’re totally converted now – I love that it’s made your life a little easier 😂
Hi Nagi, I love how buttery and fluffy this cake is. Do you think I could make this chocolate but substitute some of the flour for cocoa powder and maybe the milk for boiling water? I noticed your chocolate cakes are all made with oil instead of butter and just love this texture
Hi Linda, I haven’t tried to be honest! N x
Best lamington recipe ever!! So moist and delicious and so easy to make!
That’s great to hear Natalie!!
Hi Nagi, do you have a recipe for pink lamingtons?
Hi Nagi, how would you recommend storing these Lamingtons?
yummy x 10000000
freezing the sponge for 90 minutes first made it simple to achieve the perfect lammo 😀
Hi nagi, Can you freeze the sponge overnight before coating with the choc? or will that dry out the sponge too much? Love all your recipes
Sure can Rebecca! Enjoy!! N x
Can’t believe I found lamingtons! What is caster sugar and is there a substitute? Just came across your site in looking for bun cha Hanoi and can’t wait to try all your recipes! Thank you!!
WOOT! Caster sugar is fine white sugar – you can use white sugar in its place. I hope you try them and love them Christine!!
Many year ago my Mum would put ordinary sugar through the blender/food processor to make it finer.
Hello Nagi,
I just baked this amazing tasty Lamginton and they are all snapped out at work today!
Thank you so much for sharing the recipe, along with the notes, it saved me from the baking disaster..
Ling / Singapore
What changes need to be made in your lamingtons to bake at high altitude (Denver Colorado)
I made your lamington recipe today and it was such a hit. It was my first time making lamingtons but freezing them first definitely sounds like it’s a game changer in lamington-making. They were all gone in no time. Will definitely be making them again and again! Thanks for thinking through the steps and tweaking them so we don’t have to! (Btw, I just found your site and this is the third recipe I’ve made from your site this week! All went so well!)
Wahoo, I’m so glad they were a hit Pris!!!
Freezing the cake was a revelation! Love this recipe and I have shared it with so many friends already!
It’s a game changer isn’t it Aoife!