A cake fit for a governor
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325398)
Rockingham, Australia
December 13, 2018 7:22am CST
Another iconic Australian dish is the lamington. This is a butter or sponge cake cut into squares then coated in a thin chocolate sauce and rolled in desiccated coconut. There are several variations with the small squares being cut in two and sandwiched with strawberry jam or cream or sometimes even both.
Several opinions have been put forward as to who the lamington was named after but it seems it was either Lord Lamington or his wife. The former was Governor of Queensland from 1896 to 1901.
Lamingtons are very popular in Australia and are often the subject of ‘lamington drives’ where dozens of boxes are sold to raise funds for a specific cause.
While I like lamingtons I prefer jelly cakes which are very similar. However the cakes are rolled in strawberry jelly (jello) then in coconut.
Several countries have similar confections but known by different names.
Photo: Chuck Norris [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons
17 people like this
17 responses
@allknowing (130067)
• India
13 Dec 18
A rose by any other name smells as good or whatever the quote. I like the way it is made and my only reaction has been
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325398)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Dec 18
@allknowing Oh sorry, my mistake. I should have known better.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (40425)
• United States
16 Feb 19
Those cakes look yummy! I'd love to try them sometime.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157494)
• United States
14 Dec 18
I think I would like the one with chocolate. We do have a commercial snack cake like the ones with the strawberry, with creme filling inside. They are good too.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325398)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Dec 18
They can be pretty messy to make so mostly I just enjoy them if they are on offer anywhere.
@snowy22315 (169653)
• United States
13 Dec 18
I am sure I would enjoy a lamington of either variety1
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325398)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Dec 18
They can be a bit dry especially if the cake is a butter cake rather than a sponge.
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
13 Dec 18
I never heard of a lamington but want to try one.
1 person likes this