LAMINGTON RECORD STOLEN
LET’S GET IT BACK
TOOWOOMBA’S Guinness World Record for the largest lamington has been stolen, but hopefully not for long.
The city has held the title for nine years with its mammoth 2361kg lamington, but this week a New Zealand social enterprise has beaten the record by 450kg.
Now, there are calls to bring the community together and take back the record with an even bigger lamington.
AFTER nine years of proudly holding the record, Toowoomba’s crown for the world’s largest lamington has been stolen.
In 2011 Toowoomba smashed the Guinness World Record for the biggest lamington, but as of Tuesday the city has been stripped of the title thanks to New Zealand.
Nine years ago the Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce and Quality Desserts worked together to create a giant lamington, worthy of a world record.
At the time, the goal was to beat the previous record held by Ipswich, with its 1320kg lamington.
The lamington weighed in at 2361kg, the equivalent to 45,000 lamingtons.
But now, Auckland-based social enterprise Cook’s Night Off, has made one even bigger.
They timed the creation of the dessert to fall in line with World Lamington Day.
Using 13,000 eggs, 650kg of sugar and 500kg of flour, the new lamington weighed in at 2770kg, the equivalent to 50,000 lamingtons.
However, that world record could be short-lived with a renewed call to take the title back with an even bigger lamington.
Chamber of Commerce CEO Todd Rohl said he was with The Chronicle and was happy to work together with the community to bring the record back to Toowoomba.
“The rightful place for the lamington record is here in Toowoomba and we should get everyone together to reclaim that title,” he said.
“We could all work with one another, along with local bakeries and caterers to bake an even bigger lamington.
“It would be a huge community and small business collaboration. We could hold the weighing ceremony in the CBD and bring some activity to the inner city.”
It makes sense that Toowoomba should reclaim the world record as many believe the lamington originated in the Garden City.
While there is no dispute over whom the chocolate and coconut cake is named after, the birth place of the lamington is surrounded by controversy, with many cities laying claim to the title including Brisbane.
However, many people believe the lamington was born in Toowoomba’s Harlaxton
House in the early 1900s when the Governor of Queensland, Lord Lamington, took his entourage to the city to escape the heat and his chef Armand Gallad was called upon to bake something on short notice.
Bakeries around town have put forward their support of the idea with Theo’s Bakery owners Rehannan and Geordy Theodosis agreeing it would be great.
“I’ve always said the lamington was born in Toowoomba,” Mrs Theodosis said.
“It sounds like it would be a lot to work out logistically but heaps of fun.”