Lamingtons

Do you know what I love about travelling?  The food.  OK, so it may not be the ONLY thing that I like about travelling but it's right there at the top of my list of favorites.  Before I even book a hotel or rent a car, I spend a ridiculous amount of time researching and investigating where to find the best food before I travel to any new city or town.  Admittedly, my priorities are out of whack but I there's no question that I love sampling local food in new places.  

Believe it or not, I've even booked vacations based on the food.  At the top of my bucket list right now - New Orleans.  I want to sample the beignets at Cafe Du Monde, devour a plate of barbecued shrimp at Nola and indulge in a big bowl of seafood gumbo at the Gumbo Shop.  Of course there are other things that I want to see and do on my trip to New Orleans but sampling the local fare is at the top of my list.  

I also live vicariously through friends who travel.  When I hear them describe a new and interesting goody that they discovered on a trip, I like to try and recreate them.  My friend from New Zealand has been telling me about these delightful little treats called Lamingtons, for years now.  I don't know if it was her description of the coconut covered confection in her lovely New Zealand accent or the idea of a mid afternoon tea cake that was more appealing but I couldn't resist the temptation any longer. 

Since a lamington is not something that is readily available in my neck of the woods, I had to do a little research to try and figure out how to make them for myself.  And my Kiwi friend's birthday gave me the perfect excuse to whip up a batch of Georgia Lamingtons.  With the assistance of the very helpful sister of said friend, I landed on this Lamington recipe from Jamie Oliver.  If you've never experienced a Lamington - and you are not travelling to Australia or New Zealand anytime soon - this is your opportunity.  These little tea cakes are just as delightful as I imagined them.  

Lamingtons
Sponge Cake
4 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
4 Tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

Icing
1 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup milk
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar

​6 cups desiccated coconut

Grease an 8" square baking dish.  Line bottom with parchment paper.

Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla until pale and thick.  (3 minutes)

Sift flour and baking powder over egg mixture. Fold in using a rubber scraper. 

Gently mix in melted butter a little at a time. 

Pour batter into prepared pan. 

Bake 25 minutes at 350.

Cool cake completely on wire rack. 

Cut into bite sized pieces.  Let sit overnight.

For icing, melt butter and stir in milk.

Whisk in cocoa powder. 

Slowly whisk in sugar.  Pour into 2 separate bowls. 

Dip cake squares in icing and then roll in coconut.

Adding a new place to my travel bucket list - New Zealand - I'm comin for ya.  

​Ciao!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe