♥ Sweet Lamigtons ♥ ~ I Love You

Few months back I was under the impression what the big deal about Lamingtons? but I was a total fool, trust me you need to try it to love it... Its a sure winner, though its just a basic sponge dipped and coated with chocolate and dessicated coconut, there is something really special about these snow flaked beauties. These have originated from Australia and are absolutely D-I-V-I-N-E

As kids we would have had honey cake back in India, do you remember a small square piece of cake with a light peachy orange color coated with dessicated coconut which would be juicy. Trust me if you are a honey cake fan wait till you try this. I guess the whole lamington craze is purely cos of the chocolate and coconut flakes. Its like having bounty and sponge cake :-) and me being a lover of the 2, making these lamingtons was in my cards for longggggggggggggg....

Cook & Prep time ~ 45 mins (refrigerating overnight *read tips below)

Makes ~ 16 pieces

Recipe Source ~ Joy of Baking

Method

For Sponge Cake ~

All purpose flour - 1 1/2 Cup

Baking Powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Egg - 2 

Unsalted Butter - 1/2 stick

Sugar - 3/4 Cup

Milk - 1/2 Cup

Vanilla Essence - 2 tsp

Chocolate frosting ~

Icing sugar - 1.5 cup

Unsweetened cocoa - 3 tsp

Unsalted Butter - 2 tsp

Milk - 1/3 Cup

Coating ~

1 cup dessicated coconut

Method

Sponge

• Pre-heat oven to 350 F/ 180 C, grease a 8" square pan/ sandwich tin and dust with flour or line with baking paper
• In a bowl sieve the dry ingredients thrice so that they are well combined - flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until soft and creamy, to this add the vanilla extract. Beat the eggs one by one to the creamed butter and sugar. Slowly combine the sieved flour and milk alternatively and gently folding it until everything is used up
• Pour the mixture into the baking tin and spread evenly using a spatula. Set for baking upto 30 mins until a skewer inserted in center comes out clean
• Once its baked let it cool in the pan for 15 mins and then flip it upside down in the cooling rack. When its completely cooled down cut into small cube size pieces (4*4) and place them in a plate in the refrigerator for 20 mins so that they get firm or you could also leave them overnight to be frosted later

Icing/ Frosting

• Bring milk and butter in a pan, warm until the butter is melted. In the meantime prepare a bowl with icing sugar and coco, mix well using a whisk (non-electric)
• Add the milk & butter to the powder ingredients and mix well using the whisk until you get a velvety texture. Line baking paper on the kitchen counter-top and place the cooling rack on top and spread the dessicated coconut in a plate
• Dip the sponge in the icing either by hand or using 2 folks, so that they icing is coated on all sides (you need to do this quickly), place the sponge on the rack, to let the extra icing dip away. Do the same for all the pieces of cake
• Now coat the sponge with the dessicated coconut by rolling it on all sides
• place them on a place to be refrigerated so that the chocolate is nice and set

Tips 

- Don't worry if your sponge is not in perfect squares, the coating hides a multitude of sins :-)

- I reduced the content of sugar in the cake as the icing itself gives enough sweetness

- Do not soak the sponge in the icing for long, it can get really wet, so make sure you are quick in coating the sponge

- Use the folk method to coat the desiccated coconut,  if you use your hands there is a chance of the coconut to look chocolaty

- Its best to refrigerate the finished lamingtons so that the chocolate is nice and set, so prepare beforehand 

Enjoy your sweet Lamingtons :-)