Chocolate lamington cake
This recipe is our tribute to Nadine Ingram’s insanely good panna cotta lamingtons at her Sydney store, Flour and Stone. You could say we’re obsessed. Ingram’s original recipe takes a panna cotta-soaked vanilla sponge cake and transforms it into the lushest of lamingtons. For our version, we’ve opted for chocolate sponge cake and chocolate panna cotta. This recipe makes a mega-cake, but if you’re feeding fewer people, make a single cake and split it in half horizontally to fill it.
Prep time 40 mins, cook 40 mins (plus cooling, setting)
Serves 10-12
10 eggs
300 gm caster sugar
380 gm plain flour
50 gm Dutch-process cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
60 gm butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing
Raspberry jam, for spreading
100 gm coconut flakes
100 gm shredded coconut
Chocolate panna cotta
200 ml milk
200 ml pouring cream 80 gm caster sugar
80 gm dark chocolate (56%-60% cocoa solids), finely chopped
3 titanium-strength gelatine leaves, softened in cold water for 5 minutes
Chocolate glaze
300 gm dark chocolate (56%-60% cocoa solids), finely chopped
100 gm butter, diced
100 gm icing sugar, sieved
2 tbsp milk
1 Preheat oven to 170C. Butter two 21cm-diameter cake tins (preferably not springform; see note) and line bases with baking paper. Whisk eggs and sugar in an electric mixer until pale and doubled in volume (5-6 minutes). Meanwhile, sieve flour, cocoa, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a separate bowl. When egg mixture is doubled in volume, transfer to a large bowl, then sieve in flour mixture in three batches, folding to combine between additions. Fold in butter, then divide evenly between cake tins, smooth tops and bake until risen and centres spring back when lightly pressed (30-35 minutes). Cool in tins, trim tops flush if necessary, then return to tins and pierce all over at small intervals with a skewer. 2 For chocolate panna cotta, bring milk, cream and sugar to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, whisk in chocolate until melted and smooth, then squeeze excess water from gelatine, add to chocolate mixture and whisk to dissolve. Gradually pour panna cotta mixture over cakes, letting the liquid soak in, and refrigerate until set (4-5 hours).
3 For glaze, stir chocolate, butter and icing sugar in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until smooth and glossy. Remove from heat and stir in milk. Cool briefly.
4 To assemble, run a small knife around sides of tins and remove cakes. Spread the top of one cake with jam and the other cake with a thin layer of chocolate glaze. Sandwich jam and chocolate sides together, place on a wire rack on a tray and refrigerate until chocolate glaze sets (12-15 minutes). Pour remaining chocolate glaze over cake, spreading over top and sides. Combine the flaked and shredded coconut in a bowl, press onto side of cake and refrigerate to set (30-40 minutes). To serve, cut into slices with a hot wet knife. Chocolate lamington cake will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Note A fixed-base cake tin is preferable because the panna cotta mixture can leak out of a springform tin; otherwise wrap the outsides of a springform tin in foil.>