Strawberry Lamingtons

Have you ever had a lamignton? Light fluffy sponge cake soaked in chocolate or red jello then coated with flaked coconut. Delicious! The original lamington is made with a chocolate coating, however a raspberry versions has also become incredibly popular. Today is national strawberry day so I am sharing my recipe for strawberry lamingtons.

What do you need to make strawberry lamingtons?

The ingredients in strawberry lamingtons are very simple.

• Flour
• Baking powder
• Eggs
• Salt
• Sugar
• Butter
• Strawberry jello
• Shredded coconut

The first six ingredients are use to make the sponge cake that is then coated in the jello and coconut. You can always skip the sponge making steps and use a store bought sponge instead.

Making the sponge

A good sponge cake is light and airy, but this can sometimes be hard to achieve. The key to a good sponge is beating the eggs and sugar until they are thick and pale yellow. This process can be time consuming, usually between 7-10 minutes. This process allows air to incorporate into the mixture resulting in a light airy cake.

Start by adding the eggs and salt to a large bowl, then beat with a stand or hand mixer to combine the yolks and whites. Next add the sugar and beat on high until the mixture is thick and pale yellow. The mixture should ‘ribbon’ off the beater.

Next, fold in sifted flour and baking powder until just combined. You do not want to over mix the batter as you will undo all your hard work beating the eggs by deflating the air. Follow the same process with the melted butter, folding until just combined.

Finally pour the batter into a square cake pan lined with parchment paper and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes of until cake springs back when lightly touched. Using a square cake pan is best for this recipe as it will make cutting the sponge into squares (the traditional lamington shape) so much easier!

Let the sponge cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to continue cooling. Making the sponge the day before you intend to make the lamingtons will make it easier to cut. This sponge recipe is adapted from the classic 1st edition Edmonds Cookbook.

Coating the strawberry lamingtons

A good lamington coating is wet, yet sticky. You want the mixture to be wet enough that it will soak into the sponge, but it also needs to have some body and ‘stickiness’ so that the coconut will stick. When using a jello based coating you want to set the jello to egg white consistency (about an hour). If you find the jello has firmed up a little too much put it in the microwave for 10 seconds to loosen.

Dip the squares of sponge into the jello mixture insuring each side is coated then gently roll in the coconut ensuring an even coating. You do not want to leave the sponge submerged in the jello as it will become too soggy. A quick dip on each side is all it take. Place the lamingtons in the fridge to set.

Variations of lamingtons

As I mentioned earlier, the original lamingtons were made with a chocolate coating rather than strawberry as I have used in my recipe. In New Zealand raspberry lamingtons are also very popular. You will often see both chocolate and raspberry lamingtons on in the case at the local bakery.

While lamingtons are GREAT on their own it is not uncommon to find them filled with fresh whipped cream and jam. Simply slice the lamington in half, spread one half with jam, top with whipped cream and slap the other half on top. This is how I prefer to enjoy my lamingtons.

Looking for other classic kiwi recipes?

Looking for other recipes popular in New Zealand? Check out our other great Kiwi options!

If you try these delicious strawberry lamingtons let me know your thoughts in the comments below. And as always, don’t forget to tag us in your lamington pics on Instagram!

Print Recipe

Strawberry Lamingtons

Author: Mandy

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 15 min Cook Time 25 min Rest Time 2 min Total Time 42 mins Servings: 16

Description

Lamingtons are a Kiwi classic! These strawberry lamingtons are made from soft sponge cake dipped in strawberry jello and rolled in shredded coconut. Enjoy them as is, or slice them in half and top with strawberry jam and fresh whipped cream. 

Ingredients

Servings

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 large eggs
• salt
• ³⁄₄ cups baker's sugar
• 50 grams butter (melted)
• 3 ounces strawberry jello crystals
• ³⁄₄ cups boiling water
• ³⁄₄ cups cold water
• 1 ¹⁄₂ - 2 cup shredded coconut

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F

2. Line an 8x8' baking pan with parchment paper and set aside

3. In a small bowl sift together flour and baking powder and set aside

4. In a large bowl beat together eggs and salt with a stand or hand mixer until well combines

5. Add sugar and continue to beat until thick and pale yellow, about 8-10 minutes

6. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and mix until just combined, do not over mix

7. Fold in melted butter

8. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched

9. Let sponge cool in pan for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to finish cooling

10. Once sponge is cooled cut into squares and set aside

11. In a medium bowl mix jello and boiling water until completely dissolved, approximately 3 minutes

12. Add cold water to jello mixture and stir to combine

13. Refrigerate the jello until it reaches an egg white consistency, stirring occasionally (about an hour)

14. Dip the sponge cake squares in the jello mixture, ensuring each side is coated (do not leave the sponge submerged in the jello or they will become soggy)

15. Gently roll the coated sponge cakes in shredded coconut

16. Refrigerate to set

Notes

According to Edmonds is best to make the sponge the day before you plan to make the lamigntons

If the jello mixture surpasses the egg white consistency place in the microwave for 10 seconds 

You can cut the sponge into less pieces for larger lamingtons

Lamingtons can be stored in the fridge in an air tight container for up to a week

Keywords: Strawberry Lamingtons, Lamingtons, Coconut, Strawberry