Lamington Cake Recipe

By
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
An internationally recognized culinary authority, Kristina Vanni is well-known for her recipe development, food photography, and experience as a TV show host.
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Updated on 06/3/22
Lamington Cake

 The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Cool: 60 mins
Total: 2 hrs 5 mins
Servings: 24 servings
Yield: 24 cakes

These classic Australian cakes are believed to be named after Lord Lamington, who served as the Governor of Queensland at the turn of the 20th century. Legend has it that his pastry chef was called upon at short notice to feed some unexpected guests. With limited ingredients and time, the chef decided to cut up leftover sponge cake and dip it in chocolate and coconut. This innovative dessert was a huge success and Lord Lamington asked for the same treat again and again.

This version of the Australian favorite includes a layer of raspberry jam sandwiched between two layers of cake. Not only does it add flavor, but it's a beautiful surprise when you first cut into the individual-sized cakes. They make a lovely treat for tea time or a shower.

Ingredients

For the Cake Layers:

  • 8 ounces (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

  • 2 cups granulated sugar

  • 4 large eggs

  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  • 2 2/3 cups cake flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup milk

  • 2/3 cup store-bought or homemade raspberry jam 

For the Chocolate Glaze and Topping:

  • 6 ounces dark chocolate

  • 3/4 cup milk

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 2 tablespoons boiling water

  • 3 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

Steps to Make It

Make the Cake Layers

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Lamington Cake ingredients
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  2. Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease two 9 x 13-inch baking pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper and dust with flour. Tap out excess and set pans aside.

  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

    Butter and sugar in a bowl
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  4. Add the eggs and vanilla, one at a time, beating each time until incorporated.

    Eggs and vanilla with butter mixture
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  5. In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt.

    Dry ingredients in a bowl
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  6. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

    Mixing wet and dry ingredients
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  7. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Place in the preheated oven and bake until a cake tester inserted into middles comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

    Cake batter in prepared pans
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  8. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes then turn out cakes onto wire racks. Carefully pull away the parchment paper and allow to cool completely.

    Cooling Lamington Cake
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  9. Spread one of the cooled cakes with the jam filling and place other cake on top.

    Jam spread on Lamington Cake
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  10. Using a serrated knife, trim the edges of the sandwiched cakes. Cut into 24 2-inch squares.

    Lamington Cake slices
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Make the Glaze and Assemble

  1. In a heat-safe bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stir the chocolate, milk, and butter until melted and blended.

    Chocolate, milk, and butter melting
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  2. Add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder to the melted chocolate mixture. Add 2 tablespoons boiling water and whisk to blend.

    Add powdered sugar and cocoa to melted chocolate mixture
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  3. Place the coconut in a medium bowl. Working one cake cube at a time, dip a cake cube into the chocolate glaze to coat, then transfer the cakes to a wire rack to allow excess chocolate to drip off. Wait for about 15 minutes to ensure as much chocolate has dripped off as possible.

  4. Working with 1 chocolate-coated cake cube at a time, roll in shredded coconut to coat. Allow the coconut coated cakes to sit until set.

    Lamington Cakes
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  5. Enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Tip

  • The cakes can be made a day in advance and chilled or frozen before icing and coating with coconut.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
389 Calories
20g Fat
51g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories 389
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 25%
Saturated Fat 14g 68%
Cholesterol 57mg 19%
Sodium 93mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 51g 19%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 34g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 1mg 5%
Calcium 62mg 5%
Iron 2mg 14%
Potassium 160mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)