Happy Australia Day !  As I’m feeling a little left out of the celebrations this year (my friends are already sending me photos of BBQs and sunny beaches) I have decided that this week’s recipe should be an Antipodean classic, the humble Lamington.  The lamington is the most Australian dessert I can think of, appearing in childhoods all across the country. Loved by Australian families, they are easy to make and joyously received by everyone, from tots to grandparents.  So why not make an Aussie’s day by baking them a batch, and if you’ve never tried one you’re in for a real treat! Enjoy, Katie x

 

Lamingtons with Raspberry Cream

Serves: 16

Cooking time: 30 minutes plus construction time

 

Ingredients

225 g butter

225 g caster sugar

4 eggs

200ml milk

400 g self-raising flour

1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla essence

Pinch of salt

 

Icing

50g cocoa powder

200g icing sugar

1 tbsp. butter

90ml boiling water

150-200g desiccated coconut

 

 

Raspberry cream

100 g raspberry jam

200g whipping cream

1 egg white

 

• Preheat your oven to 180°C
• Grease and line a square 9-inch cake tin.
• Start by creaming your butter and sugar together with a beater until light and fluffy.
• Lightly beat your eggs and then gradually add, ensuring they are well combined before adding more.
• Then add the vanilla and a pinch of salt.
• Sift in the four and add gradually, alternating with the milk and fold in until smooth.
• Pour into the baking tin and leave to cook for 30 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.
• Leave to cool on a wire rack
• While waiting for the cake to cool, start on the raspberry cream: beat the whipping cream until forming soft peaks.
• Then add the jam and continue to beat until medium peaks form.
• In a separate small mixing bowl beat your egg white until it holds still peaks. Then fold a little through the raspberry cream to start and then the rest of it.  This will help keep the mixs mousse like texture.
• When the sponge has cooled, cut into squares (size is completely up to you, but I have cut 16 pieces)
• Then prepare the icing: in a mixing bowl mix the icing sugar, cocoa powder, butter and boiling water together until well combined and there are no lumps. Pour the coconut onto a plate.
• Dip each piece of cake into the chocolate icing and then roll in the coconut and set aside. They will take a couple of hours to set.
• Slice in half and add the raspberry cream to the center or simply eat as is.
• Enjoy!