SUNDAY DESSERT #81: Lamingtons
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Australia 🇦🇺
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Intermediate
INSPIRATION: Our kids love the Australian show Bluey (and we parents love it too)! In one episode, there is a reference to a Lamington. I had no idea what that was until I looked it up. I was so excited when I found out it was a dessert! "It's gotta be done!"
RECEPTION/COMMENTARY: Named after the governor of Queensland, Lord Lamington, in the late 1800s, the Lamington is the favorite and thus national cake of Australia. It is so Australian that it is right up there with kangaroos and Vegemite. It is so Australian that there is even a special holiday (July 21st) set aside where people eat and celebrate the Lamington. And you can be absolutely sure that now I feel a fool for being so keenly unaware of its existence up until now.
When you first look at a Lamington, it's obvious that the outer layer is desiccated coconut. I really dislike coconut in the dry flake form because the unpleasant, never-ending chewiness is unbearable to me. However, the coconut for this recipe needs to be chopped and then pulsed until very fine thus creating a feathery, powdery coating. Now THAT I can handle.
Beneath this coconut layer lies a moist, chocolate-dipped sponge cake. The chocolate coating helps retain the cake's moisture which is essential in the dry, Australian air.
But despite being a national and most beloved cake, we could only give it a 6 (maybe 7) out of 10 in rating. It tastes good. And the coconut isn't chewy or overpowering... which is great. But honestly? It's a yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Good, but not the most amazing thing ever in comparison to other desserts. Or maybe I've just become a dessert snob. That's probably it...
WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? Nah. I'd rather have the Pavlova.
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