Saturday 28 July 2012

Olympic Challenge - Oceania – Lamingtons




Well, the 2012 games have kicked off and in what style! The opening ceremony was fantastic and made me feel very proud to be British! Can't believe Her Maj is the new Bond girl, but thankfully there were no gratuitous bikini shots! Whilst watching I sifted through the entries for the Olympic Challenge.

For Oceania, there seemed to be one main front-runner to make and that was Lamingtons. Thanks to all those who suggested them, including ‘Laura Loves Cakes’ and  ‘TheCharmed Cupcake’.

To be honest, I had only ever heard of Lamingtons when watching Australian soaps in my mis-spent youth. Bobby always seemed to be knocking up a batch for Ailsa’s Diner I remember. And I never had a clue what they were. But researching several recipes, I discovered they are a sponge cake, cut into blocks then dunked into a chocolaty icing, tossed in shredded coconut.  So I have been feverishly baking today. Olympic Challenge Oceania coming up…


Yield: 24 Lamingtons

Ingredients:

Cake
110 grams unsalted butter, softened
180 grams granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
250 grams plain flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
120 ml milk

Icing
500 grams icing sugar
40 grams of unsweetened cocoa powder
30 grams unsalted butter, melted
120 ml milk
I large bag of desiccated coconut

Method:
Preheat your oven to 180oC and grease and flour a 9”x9” baking pan.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.
In a separate bowl beat together the butter and sugar until pale yellow and fluffy. Next add the vanilla extract and eggs one at a time. Beat until the mixture is smooth and slightly thicker looking. Add the flour to the wet mixture, in three lots, alternating with the milk and ending with the flour. Mix well after each addition. 



Pour the batter into the baking pan and pop into the oven for around 30 minutes, until lightly golden and when a toothpick in the centre comes out clean. Let cool and remove from pan. Leave for a few hours to harden up (If you have the time, make the cake the day before as it will go slightly drier and makes it easier to ice) then cut into approximately 24 blocks.









To make the icing combine the cocoa and icing sugar in a bowl. Melt the butter, in a saucepan with the milk until warm. Pour onto the icing sugar mix and stir well. To create the lamingtons, dip each sponge cake block into the icing and then in a separate bowl, roll the iced block into the coconut. Transfer to a wire rack to dry. And when dry they are ready to eat!



The lamingtons are lovely with a cup of tea. The icing melts in your mouth and tastes great with the coconut and buttery sponge. Very moreish – now tuck in….


8 comments:

  1. Chocolate, sponge and coconut - what's not to love! They look like a chocolate-y version of English madeleines, which use jam to hold the coconut in place.

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    1. Strewth! I never thought of that - Madeleine's are lush too ;)

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  2. Bloomin' heck Stuart. I can't keep up with all your posts. You are on overdrive. These look fab and the blog is looking pretty good too :)

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    1. Thank you - 2 or 3 recipes a week, about my max - doesn't leave much time hehe!!

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  3. I LOVE lamingtons! one of my sisters was born in Oz and she makes a mean lamington! There really couldn't have been anything else in my opinion for Oceania! Next time you are in London you should check out Bill's - a really cool eatery, just the kind you'd find along the streets of Melbourne - I went to one of their branches in Brighton last weekend and had a super tasty lamington from the menu! I love how yours are choc full of coconut!

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    1. Thanks Gem, Bill's sounds great! Will definetly check it out when we are next down!

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  4. I've learned something new with this post . . . about Lamingtons! Sounds great! I, too, just LOVED the opening ceremonies of the Olympics and will always remember the Queen as a Bond girl and in the parachute. Both my husband and I appreciate British humor, music, and all of the contributions to the world. I'd be so proud to be a Brit too!!!!!

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    1. I think the closing ceremony will be quite a spectacle too Roz!

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