Lamington Explained

Lamington
Region:Queensland
Type:Sponge cake
Main Ingredient:Cake, chocolate sauce, desiccated coconut

A lamington is an Australian cake made from squares of butter cake or sponge cake coated in an outer layer of chocolate sauce and rolled in desiccated coconut. The thin mixture is absorbed into the outside of the sponge cake and left to set, giving the cake a distinctive texture. A common variation has a layer of cream or strawberry jam between two lamington halves.[1] [2]

Origins

Lamingtons are believed to be named after either Lord Lamington, who served as Governor of Queensland from 1896 to 1901, or his wife, Lady Lamington.[3] [4] [5] Most sources incline to the former.[6] [7] [8] The earliest known reference to the naming of the lamington, from June 1927, links the cake to Lord Lamington.[9]

The identity of the recipe's inventor has also been debated. Most stories attribute its creation to Lord Lamington's chef, the French-born Armand Galland, who was called upon at short notice to feed unexpected guests. Using only the limited ingredients available, Galland cut up some left-over French vanilla sponge cake baked the day before, dipped the slices in chocolate and set them in coconut. Impressed by Galland's creation, Lamington's guests were said to have later asked for the recipe. This version of events is supported by Lady Lamington's memoirs.[10] Coconut was not widely used in European cooking at that time, but was known to Galland, whose wife was from Tahiti, where coconut was a common ingredient.

One account suggests that the lamington was first served in Toowoomba, when Lord Lamington took his entourage to Harlaxton House to escape the steamy heat of Brisbane,[11] whereas another claims that it was created by Galland at Queensland's Government House in Brisbane during the busy period leading up to Federation in 1901. A further alternative claim is that Lord Lamington's cook, presumably Galland, accidentally dropped a block of sponge cake into a dish of chocolate. It was later discovered that desiccated coconut, sprinkled over the top, made the cakes more appealing.[12]

The first known mention of "Lamington cake" appears in an 1896 newspaper account of a "Lamington Function" at Laidley in Queensland. The event was in honour of Lord Lamington (although it appears he did not attend) and also featured "Lamington Tea", "Lamington Soup" etc., so, in the absence of any description of the cake, the name of the cake might signify nothing more than the name of the event.[13] A 1900 recipe for Lamington Cakes has been found in the Queensland Country Life newspaper.[14] While the recipe originated in Queensland, it spread quickly, appearing in a Sydney newspaper in 1901[15] and a New Zealand newspaper in 1902.[16] However, none of these recipes indicate the creator of the recipe nor the reason for its name.

A 2014 April Fools' Day story from Guardian Australia falsely claimed the lamington to have been based on a previously unknown New Zealand cake known as a "Wellington".[17] [18] This hoax origin story was later repeated by other sources.[19] [20] [21] [22]

Lamingtons are typically baked in a Lamington pan named for the cake.[23]

Modern-day

Lamingtons remain a popular treat across Australia and New Zealand, and 21 July was designated as National Lamington Day in Australia.[24] Lamingtons are often sold at fundraisers for schools or charity groups, known as "lamington drives".[25] Some Australians shorten the name to "Lammo" (singular) or "Lammos" (plural).[26]

There are many variations on the basic lamington recipe, including different colours, flavours, and sizes.[27] [28]

Similar cakes in other countries

Hungary has a similar item is known as, or coconut squares.[4]

South Africa has a similar but smaller-sized confection is known in as ystervarkies (little porcupines).

In the U.S. city of Cleveland, they are called coconut bars.

The British Overseas Territory of St Helena Island has a similar variation called coconut fingers, made traditionally for special occasions such as weddings and birthdays.[29]

In Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, the čupavci is a similar cake.[30] [31] Čupavci are one of the most popular Christmas desserts in Croatia.[32] [33] Slovenia, Romania and Hungary have similar cakes.[30]

In Mauritius, there is a dessert which is a variant of the Lamington cake; It is called the "red Lamington cake", also known as "gato carré rouge" (lit. "red cube cake" or "red square cake" in English and in French) or "gato Francis" (lit. "Francis cake" in English or in French).[34] [35] [36] [37] Red dye is used to give the cake its red colour; square pieces of the cake are soaked in the red dye completely and then coated with desiccated coconut, and whipped cream is applied on the top surface of the cake. A half candied cherry or half a strawberry can also be applied on top of the cream as topping. The cake is sometimes strawberry flavoured.[38]

Awards

In 2009, as part of the Q150 celebrations, the lamington was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for its role as an iconic "innovation and invention".[39]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Michael Symons. One Continuous Picnic: A History of Eating in Australia. 1984. Penguin Books Australia. 978-0-14-007167-2. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170314214233/https://books.google.com/books?id=SH_fAAAAMAAJ. 14 March 2017. dmy-all.
  2. News: Wong . Jennifer . Everything you need to know about lamingtons, the most Australian cake . 28 January 2019 . ABC Life . . 24 January 2019 . 27 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201227023823/https://www.abc.net.au/everyday/everything-you-need-to-know-about-lamingtons-australian-cake/10720880 . live .
  3. Book: French, Maurice. The Lamington Enigma: A Survey of the Evidence. Tabletop Publishing. 2013. 978-0-9874322-0-9. 23 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20170315023151/https://books.google.com/books?id=IPQ8lwEACAAJ. 15 March 2017. live.
  4. News: Lamingtons – provenance unproven but tastiness unquestioned . Veenhuyzen . Max . 15 May 2014 . . . Great Australian dishes . 17563224 . 21 April 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160428071739/http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/australia-food-blog/2014/may/16/lamingtons-provenance-unproven-but-tastiness-unquestioned . 28 April 2016 . live .
  5. News: Martell . Ally . A slice of the action - the lamington demands recognition. 10 September 2016 . . . 1038-8761 . 25 June 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161016164151/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/life/food-wine/a-slice-of-the-action-the-lamington-demands-recognition/story-e6frg8jo-1226668996800 . 16 October 2016.
  6. Book: Darra . Goldstein . Darra Goldstein . The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets . 2015 . . 978-0-19-931339-6 . 34 . 23 May 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170315023141/https://books.google.com/books?id=jbi6BwAAQBAJ&pg=PA34 . 15 March 2017 . live .
  7. Book: Davidson, Alan . Alan Davidson (food writer) . Tom . Jaine . Tom Jaine . The Oxford Companion to Food . 2014 . . 978-0-19-104072-6 . 3rd . 456 . 23 May 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170314215055/https://books.google.com/books?id=bIIeBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA456 . 14 March 2017 . live .
  8. Book: Santich, Barbara . Bold Palates: Australia's Gastronomic Heritage . 2012 . . Adelaide . 978-1-74305-094-1 . 203 . 23 May 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170314213953/https://books.google.com/books?id=RkHKFAzc_5AC&pg=PA203 . 14 March 2017 . live .
  9. News: Some Special Recipes . . . Women's World . 29 June 1927 . 1 February 2015 . 37–38 . . 27 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201227023826/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/169146899/16919776 . live .
  10. News: Galland attempt to please a Lady takes the Cake . Cosima . Marriner . . . 0312-6315 . 6 June 2009 . Lady Lamington refers to the cake in memoirs she wrote for her children. "She makes the point the lamington was created by their French chef Armand Galland," curator Katie McConnel says. . 27 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180515041945/https://www.smh.com.au/national/galland-attempt-to-please-a-lady-takes-the-cake-20090605-bylq.html . 15 May 2018 . live .
  11. Web site: Ed . Halmagyi . A brief history of lamingtons . 6 July 2011 . www.fast-ed.com.au . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055930/http://www.fast-ed.com.au/a-brief-history-of-lamingtons/ . 21 September 2013 . dmy-all.
  12. Web site: Lamington or Lemmington?: The Oz ‘National Dish’. . May 1999 . Aussie Words . 11 October 2006 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080607040705/http://www.anu.edu.au/ANDC/pubs/ozwords/May_99/6._lamington.htm . 7 June 2008.
  13. News: Notes on the "Lamington Function". . . XXXVII . 5469 . 28 July 1896 . 17 January 2015 . 3 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20160307020819/http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/123358617 . 7 March 2016 . live .
  14. News: Useful Recipes . . Brisbane . 17 December 1900 . I . 10 . 18 April 2014 . 29 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20160309183957/http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/101452826 . 9 March 2016 . live .
  15. News: The Ladies' Page . . 12 October 1901 . 17 January 2015 . 938 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20160724050402/http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/165233945 . 24 July 2016 . live .
  16. News: The Table . Woman's World . 17 January 2015 . . Auckland . XXXIX . 12055 . 27 August 1902 . 3 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20170728205710/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19020827.2.13 . 28 July 2017 . live .
  17. News: Lamington invented in New Zealand, new research proves 'beyond doubt' . Priol . Olaf . April Fools' Day . 1 April 2014 . . . Australia news . 1 December 2017 . 17563224 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171201182813/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/01/lamington-invented-in-new-zealand-new-research-proves-beyond-doubt . 1 December 2017 . live .
  18. Web site: Go coco for lamingtons - it’s World Lamington Day . SBS . 6 April 2020 . 21 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190921114409/https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/2019/07/19/go-coco-lamingtons-its-world-lamington-day . live .
  19. Web site: Leeder . Erin . Foods Australia And New Zealand Love To Bicker About . Culture Trip . 4 April 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191116074245/https://theculturetrip.com/pacific/australia/articles/5-foods-australia-and-new-zealand-love-to-bicker-about/ . 16 November 2019 . live .
  20. Web site: 10 things Australia have tried to steal from New Zealand and claim as their own . The Edge . 4 April 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180914075717/https://www.theedge.co.nz/home/sponsored/primo/10-things-australia-have-tried-to-steal-from-new-zealand-and-cla.html . 14 September 2018 . live .
  21. Web site: Bristow . Mark . Food Fight – are pavlovas, lamingtons and flat whites Aussie or Kiwi? . Appliances Online . 6 April 2020 . 20 June 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180620124928/https://www.appliancesonline.com.au/academy/ovens-cooking/food-fight-are-pavlovas-lamingtons-and-flat-whites-aussie-or-kiwi/ . live .
  22. Web site: April Fools' Day jokes 2014 – the best on the web . The Guardian . 21 April 2020 . 12 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112013614/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/apr/01/april-fools-jokes-2014-best-web . live .
  23. Web site: Caramilk macadamia brownies . 2022-08-25 . Better Homes and Gardens . en-us . 25 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220825161646/https://www.bhg.com.au/caramilk-macadamia-brownies . live .
  24. News: Australians celebrate National Lamington Day . 10 September 2016 . . . 20 July 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160916210057/http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/onairhighlights/australians-celebrate-national-lamington-day/983740 . 16 September 2016 . 21 July is National Lamington Day, celebrating the creation of a square piece of cake that's covered in chocolate, coated with desiccated coconut, and deeply ingrained in Australian culture..
  25. Book: Hughes, Joan . Australian words and their origins . 1989 . . 302 . 978-0-19-553087-2 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170314162455/https://books.google.com/books?id=B7tZAAAAMAAJ . 14 March 2017.
  26. Web site: Annabel . Smith . The secret to baking a perfect lamington . 22 January 2018 . goodfood.com.au . . We asked expert bakers for their tips on how to tackle the humble "lammo". . 27 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190403080031/https://www.goodfood.com.au/recipes/how-to/the-secret-to-baking-a-perfect-lamington-20140120-315ko . 3 April 2019 . live .
  27. Web site: 2023-05-22 . 20 lovely lamington recipes . 2024-01-18 . Women's Weekly Food . en-US . 18 January 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240118233523/https://www.womensweeklyfood.com.au/entertaining/lamington-recipes-1-31944/ . live .
  28. News: Nissen . Wendyl . 8 March 2013 . Wendyl wants to know: Ernest Adams Raspberry Lamington . 20 September 2022 . NZ Herald . en-NZ . 20 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220920171434/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/wendyl-wants-to-know-ernest-adams-raspberry-lamington/4KCHWAX5VDT7NFOL4IE2J5UYQU/ . live .
  29. Web site: Coconut Fingers recipe - The greatest, best cake in the world!. 2020-12-27. The Saint Cooks. en-GB. 13 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200813174339/https://www.saintcooks.com/coconut_fingers/. live.
  30. https://www.196flavors.com/croatia-cupavci/
  31. https://bakingwithsibella.com/2012/11/30/choco-coconut-squares-cupavci/
  32. Web site: 2019-12-31. Croatian Cooking: Čupavci Recipe. 2020-12-27. Chasing the Donkey. en-US. 12 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201112034720/https://www.chasingthedonkey.com/croatian-cooking-cupavci-recipe-australian-lamingtons/. live.
  33. Web site: Recipe for Cupavci: a sweet that takes you back to childhood. 2020-12-27. travelhonestly.com. en-US. 24 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201124201514/https://travelhonestly.com/cupavci/. live.
  34. Web site: 2019-01-22. Gâteau Carré Rouge - Red Lamington Cake. 2021-04-26. Cuizine Maurice. en-US. 26 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210426223617/http://www.cuizinemaurice.com/2019/01/gateau-carre-rouge-red-lamington-cake/. live.
  35. Web site: Gato Carre Rouge (Gato Francis) Recipes - Shelina Permalloo. 2021-04-26. shelinacooks.com. 26 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210426223615/http://shelinacooks.com/recipes/details/gato-carre-rouge-gato-francis. live.
  36. Web site: 2017-07-27. "Gateau Carre Rouge" – Red Lamington Cake. 2021-04-26. Brinda Bungaroo. en. 26 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210426223615/https://brindabungaroo.com/recipes/sweets-treats/gateau-carre-rouge-red-lamington-cake/. live.
  37. Web site: Crunch. Culture. 2019-08-09. RED SQUARE CAKE FROM MAURITIUS: the easy recipe. 2021-04-26. CULTURE CRUNCH. en. 26 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210426223615/https://culture-crunch.com/en/2019/08/09/gateau-carre-rouge-de-lile-maurice-la-recette-facile/. live.
  38. Web site: Le Gâteau Francis. live. 2021-04-26. eBox. french. 26 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210426223616/https://www.ebox.mu/daily/recipe/le-gateau-quot;francisquot;.html.
  39. Web site: PREMIER UNVEILS QUEENSLAND’S 150 ICONS. Bligh. Anna. Anna Bligh. 10 June 2009. Queensland Government. https://web.archive.org/web/20170524033717/http://statements.qld.gov.au/statement/id/64301. 24 May 2017. 24 May 2017.

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