My life made better in two ways… Lamingtons and Molly

I have blog posts backing up like it’s Operation Stack on the M20! The simple reason is that Ed and I bought our new puppy Molly home at the weekend and she’s been taking up lots of my time, if I’m not training her then I’m cuddling her on the sofa. She’s just so cute! But don’t take my word for it, see for yourself…

Molly wants to help with the baking...

Don’t worry though; I washed the scales thoroughly after this picture was taken. It just seemed like the easiest way to weigh her.

Well that’s one exciting addition into my life from last week, now on to the next one. I discovered Lamingtons. These chocolatey, coconuty, cakey treats hail from Australia where by all accounts they are a national institution. The chocolate sauce is just shy of being icing. Instead it’s a viscous sauce that soaks into the outer layer of the sponge providing a fourth texture.

The soft vanilla sponge surrounded by the moist chocolate soaked layer covered in silky chocolate sauce and wrapped in slightly crunchy desiccated coconut has to be one of the most delectable cake combinations ever created. Lamingtons, you have found a fan!

Lamingtons (Calorie content..? I don’t want to know and you probably don’t either!)
 

Lamingtons.... check out the way the chocolate soaks into the sponge!

 

Makes about 20 Lamingtons.

First things first, time to make the sponge…

150g unsalted butter, softened

300g caster sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 medium eggs, separated

400g self-raising sponge flour

1 tsp baking powder

300 ml milk

 

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4

2. Cream the butter and the caster sugar

3. Beat the eggs and vanilla extra with the milk and add into the butter and sugar mix. Give it a brief whizz (with an electric whisk if you have one). Just enough to froth it up a little. Don’t whisk for too long though as there’s a risk that the mix could curdle.

4. Sieve in the flour and baking powder, half at a time and fold the mixture until it is all well combined.

5. Transfer the mixture to a lined square baking tin and put in the oven for approximately 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

6. Leave to cool in the tin then cut into squares. I found that 16-20 gave good sized lamingtons, not too much or too little cake (although I’m not sure it’s possible to have too much cake where such delightful morsels are involved!).

 

Now to make the sauce…

This cake tin of Lamingtons wasn't full for long
once I opened them in the office.

200g caster sugar

120ml semi-skimmed milk

200g dark chocolate

20g cocoa

 

1. Heat the sugar and the milk over a low heat.

2. Whisk in the cocoa powder and the chocolate until the chocolates completely melted.

3. Take off the heat and allow to cool until it is tepid.

 

On to the fun part – building your Lamingtons…

 
200g desiccated coconut


1. Spread the coconut out onto a plate.

2. Dip the lamington square in the chocolate sauce until well covered.

3. Roll in the coconut and set aside on greaseproof paper.

 

And that’s it. They may not be the quickest, there’s a lot of baking and waiting time involved but these Lamingtons certainly aren’t difficult and I’d bet they’d be loads of fun to make with kids.

Another homemade delight so I'm including it in the Made With Love Mondays challenge.

Don't miss a recipe, come and follow me on Twitter

 

@BCTinyKitchen