Lamington Cake

. October, 2015
Photography by Claire Aldous.
Lamington Cake

Individual lamingtons are lovely to make but they're quite time-consuming to assemble. An easier but equally delicious option is a generous slice of this beautiful, moist Lamington Cake.

INGREDIENTS

250 grams butter at room temperature
2 cups caster sugar
6 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup plain yoghurt
To assemble
200ml cream
200 grams dark chocolate, 62% cocoa, chopped
¾ cup seedless berry jam
1 cup cream, whipped
¼ cup shaved or shredded coconut, toasted
2 x 20cm cake tins, greased and bases lined with baking paper

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 150˚C.

Cake: Beat the butter and sugar until light and pale. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together and gradually beat into the butter until really well combined.

Combine the flour, baking powder and coconut together. Gently fold into the butter mixture along with the yoghurt.

Divide evenly between the tins and smooth the tops. Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. 

Leave the cakes to cool completely in the tins.

To assemble: Heat the cream until just below boiling point. Take off the heat and add the chocolate. Leave for 2 minutes then whisk until smooth and glossy. 

Cool until thick but still pourable. Place one cake on a serving plate. Spread with the jam then with a layer of the cream, serving the remaining cream separately. Gently place the second cake on top. 

Pour over the ganache and spread evenly, letting it drizzle down the side of the cake. Top with toasted coconut if using then leave the ganache to set.  Makes 1 generous cake.

The unfilled cakes can be made 2 days ahead of assembling. Wrap well in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container.