👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F, Gas Mark 4). Grease and line a 23cm (9-inch) square baking tin with parchment paper. Ensure the lining goes up the sides slightly to help with removal. A square tin is crucial for achieving the characteristic cube shape of lamingtons.

   ⏱️ 10 minutes
2. 2

   In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and caster sugar together using an electric mixer on medium speed. Beat for approximately 5-7 minutes until the mixture is very pale, light, and fluffy. This process incorporates air, which is key for a light sponge. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well for about 30 seconds after each addition to ensure they are fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract.

   ⏱️ 10 minutes
3. 3

   Sift the self-raising flour into a separate bowl. Add about one-third of the sifted flour to the butter and egg mixture and gently fold it in using a spatula or large metal spoon until just combined. Then, add half of the milk and fold again. Repeat with another third of the flour, the remaining milk, and finally the last of the flour. Be careful not to overmix; stop folding as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour. Overmixing can result in a tough cake. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and gently smooth the top with the back of a spoon or spatula.

   ⏱️ 10 minutes
4. 4

   Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. The cake is ready when it's golden brown on top, springs back when lightly touched, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes before carefully inverting it onto a wire rack. Allow the cake to cool completely. For easier handling and cleaner cuts, it's highly recommended to wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight, or even freeze it for a couple of hours.

   ⏱️ 35 minutes baking + overnight cooling/chilling
5. 5

   Once the cake is thoroughly chilled and firm, use a sharp serrated knife to cut it into 16 equal cubes, aiming for approximately 5cm (2-inch) pieces. If the cake is very cold, it will slice cleanly without crumbling. If you haven't chilled it sufficiently, pop the cut cubes back into the fridge or freezer for another 15-20 minutes before proceeding.

   ⏱️ 15 minutes
6. 6

   Prepare the chocolate icing. In a medium heatproof bowl, sift together the icing sugar and cocoa powder. Add the melted butter and the boiling water. Whisk vigorously until you have a smooth, glossy icing. The consistency should be thick enough to coat the cake but still fluid enough to dip easily. If it's too thick, add a teaspoon more boiling water; if too thin, add a little more sifted icing sugar. Keep the icing warm over a bain-marie (a bowl set over simmering water) or in a microwave-safe bowl, gently reheating if it starts to set.

   ⏱️ 10 minutes
7. 7

   Set up your dipping station: place the desiccated coconut in a shallow dish or bowl. Have your wire rack set over a baking sheet or tray to catch drips. Working with two forks (one to hold the cake, one to help turn), carefully dip each chilled cake cube into the warm chocolate icing. Ensure all sides are coated, then lift the cube and allow any excess icing to drip back into the bowl for a few seconds. Speed is important here, as the warm icing will start to set on the cold cake.

   ⏱️ 20 minutes
8. 8

   Immediately after dipping, place the iced cube into the desiccated coconut. Gently roll and press the cube to ensure an even coating of coconut on all sides. Place the coated lamington back onto the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining cake cubes. Allow the lamingtons to set completely on the wire rack, which will take about 1 hour at room temperature. Once set, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

   ⏱️ 1 hour setting time