Cakes

Lamington Layer Cake


 Prep Time : 15 + 45 Minutes | Cook Time : 45 Minutes | Total Time : 3 hours | Difficulty : Easier than you think

Lamington Layer Cake

Hello my lovelies! How was your week? I’ve been hanging out for the weekend because it means I am on holiday from my day job for a whole week yay! Which means lots of time experimenting in the kitchen (and learning how to use a pressure cooker – how hard can it be?) In the meantime I made you some cake. For those not familiar, the lamington is a small sponge cake that is dipped in either chocolate or raspberry coating, then rolled in coconut. The best ones are then split down the middle and filled with whipped cream. It’s an inspired flavour combination but there is a better way to achieve it!

Please please don’t be intimidated by layered cakes. This cake is a great way to start off – the cake is easy, the frosting is easy and I have a couple of tips to make the layering easy. And let’s be honest this is waaay less fiddly and annoying than cutting squares of sponge cake and dipping them into chocolate coating, then in coconut. And getting coconut on the floor. And dripping chocolate everywhere. And having the cake tear apart in the coating. Let’s put all that behind us and throw together this hassle-free, mile-high cake that’s guaranteed to impress.

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.

Lamington Layer Cake

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.

Lamington Layer Cake -2

While the cakes cool, make the frosting. And by make I mean put all the ingredients in a bowl and beat until fluffy. So easy.

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 the scoring as a guide to keep the layer level.

Lamington Layer Cake -3

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:

Lamington Layer Cake -4

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.

Lamington Layer Cake -5

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.

Lamington Layer Cake -7

Lamington Layer Cake


Prep Time : 15 +45 mins | Cook Time : 45 mins | Total Time : 3 hours | Difficulty : Easier than you think | Makes : 1 x 7-8 inch 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.

© 2015 The Winsome Baker. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.

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2 thoughts on “Lamington Layer Cake

    1. I use a cake leveler – they’re pretty cheap (under $10) and they take all the stress out of it! There’s a link in the post if you’re interested in getting one 🙂

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