Sagely is a tool to help you avoid allergens, not a guarantee, and it can miss them. You decide what goes in your food, so always check the ingredients and packaging yourself.
Ingredients
For the sponge cake
- 125 g butter, softened
- 125 g caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 185 g self-raising flour
- 60 ml milk
- ¼ tsp salt
For the chocolate coating
- 200 g dark chocolate, chopped
- 60 g butter
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 8 g icing sugar
- 5 g cocoa powder
For assembly
- 100 g desiccated coconut
Method
Make the sponge (do this the day before)
Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced. Grease a 20cm square cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.
Cream the butter and caster sugar together in an electric mixer for 3–4 minutes until pale and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Gently fold in the flour and salt in two additions, alternating with the milk. Mix until just combined—do not overbeat.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 25–30 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean and the cake is golden.
Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap tightly in cling film and refrigerate overnight.
Prepare for dipping
Remove the cold sponge from the fridge. Trim the edges neatly with a sharp knife, then cut into 12 squares (roughly 5cm × 5cm).
Place the sponge pieces on a baking tray lined with baking paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes before dipping—cold cake is more stable.
While the cake chills, set up your dipping station: place the desiccated coconut in one shallow bowl and prepare the chocolate mixture in another.
Make the chocolate coating
Place the chopped dark chocolate, butter, and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water).
Stir occasionally until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Whisk in the icing sugar and cocoa powder until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Let cool for 2–3 minutes until it reaches a good dipping consistency (warm but not too hot).
Dip and coat
Using a fork or dipping tongs, carefully dip each cold sponge square into the warm chocolate, coating all sides evenly. Allow excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl for 2–3 seconds.
Immediately transfer to the coconut bowl and roll or press gently on all sides until fully coated in the shredded coconut.
Place each finished lamington on a wire rack set over baking paper. Work quickly while the chocolate is still warm and sticky; this helps the coconut adhere.
Leave at room temperature for 30 minutes to set before serving, or refrigerate for 15 minutes if you prefer them firmer.
