Lamington Layer Cake

Mile-high layers of fluffy coconut cake filled with chocolate frosting and raspberry jam.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 1 and 3/4 cups (265 grams) all purpose flour
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup (25 grams) unsweetened desiccated coconut
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (90 mls) coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut essence
• 3 large eggs
• 1 and 1/2 cups (275 grams) caster (superfine) sugar
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) mild flavoured vegetable oil (I used rice bran)

For the frosting:

• 3 cups (500 grams) icing sugar
• 1/3 cup (50 grams) dutch processed cocoa
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (90 mls) coconut milk
• 7 tablespoons (100 grams) softened butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To decorate:

• 3/4 cup raspberry jam
• desiccated coconut or coconut chips

– If using metric cups, reduce volume measures by 1 tablespoon for every cup of dry or liquid ingredients – 

Equipment:

• Electric mixer, hand-held or standing
• 2 x 7 or 8 inch round cake tins
• Thin sharp knife, or cake leveler

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Line the bottoms of two 7 or 8 inch round cake pans with baking paper. Grease the sides and instead of dusting with flour, coat with caster (superfine) sugar. I love the crunchy crust this gives on the sides of the cake – its particularly nice when you’re not going to ice the sides of the cake as well.

Sift the flour and baking powder together into a bowl and add the desiccated coconut. Mix the coconut essence and vanilla extract into the coconut milk and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the oil and beat until well combined. I recommend switching to mixing by hand at this stage. To get the tallest, fluffiest cake possible we need to keep as much air as possible in the batter.

Using a large spoon or spatula, fold in half the dry ingredients followed by the liquids then the remaining dry ingredients.

Divide the batter between the two pans, if you want you can weigh them but I usually just eyeball it (we’re going for charming not military today). Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden and the cakes spring back when lightly pressed in the centre.

Cool the cakes for about 10 minutes in the tins then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cakes cool, make the frosting. And by make I mean put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix on medium high speed until fluffy.

When the cakes are cold, we need to split them into two layers each. If you are using a knife to do this, score the layer all the way round first so that as you cut across you can use it as a guide to keep the layer level.

Now it’s time to assemble the layers. The very top and very bottom layers should be the tops of the two cakes you made. Start by putting one of the tops crust side down on your serving plate.

We are putting two different fillings between each layer which can be tricky unless you know the secret. Jam goes straight down on the layer, and chocolate icing goes on the bottom of the layer that goes on next, and then gets inverted on top. Easy peasy. Keep going until you run out of cake.

Then ice the top and sprinkle with a little extra coconut. I was out of coconut chips the day I made this, but toasted flakes of coconut as also an awesome finishing touch.

– This cake will keep in an airtight container for 2-3 days, but is best the day it is made – 

Adapted from World’s Best Cakes.

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