Raspberry Lamingtons (Printable)
Sponge squares dipped in raspberry jam and coated in coconut for a fruity Australian treat.
# What You'll Need:
→ Sponge Cake
01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour (125 g)
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - ¼ teaspoon salt
04 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (115 g)
05 - ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 g)
06 - 2 large eggs, at room temperature
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - ½ cup whole milk (120 ml)
→ Raspberry Coating
09 - ⅔ cup raspberry jam (200 g)
10 - ⅓ cup hot water (80 ml)
→ Coconut Coating
11 - 2 cups desiccated coconut (160 g)
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer until pale, light, and fluffy, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - Gradually add the sifted flour mixture to the wet ingredients in two additions, alternating with the milk. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Once completely cool, trim the edges if desired and cut the cake into 12 even squares. Place the squares in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up, which makes coating much easier.
09 - Warm the raspberry jam with hot water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth and pourable. Transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl.
10 - Spread the desiccated coconut evenly in a separate shallow bowl or plate. Set up a wire rack over a baking sheet nearby.
11 - Working one at a time, dip each frozen cake square into the warm raspberry mixture, turning to coat all sides evenly. Allow the excess to drip off briefly, then roll the square in the desiccated coconut, pressing gently to adhere. Place each coated lamington on the wire rack.
12 - Let the lamingtons set at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or until the coating is firm to the touch, before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The raspberry coating seeps just slightly into the sponge, creating a gooey fruity layer that traditional chocolate lamingtons cannot match.
- Freezing the cake squares before dipping is a small trick that saves you from a crumbly mess and keeps every piece looking neat.
02 -
- Skipping the freezing step leads to cake squares that crumble into the jam coating, turning your neat lamingtons into a lumpy pink blob situation.
- Do not be tempted to add more hot water than called for, because a too thin coating will slide right off and pool beneath the cakes instead of clinging to them.
03 -
- Use two forks for dipping, one to hold the cake and one to turn it, so your fingers never touch the sticky coating.
- Day old sponge actually works better than fresh for lamingtons because slightly stale cake absorbs the jam without falling apart.