Is the lamington an Australian-invented icon?
Queensland makes a case for the affirmative, naming its Federation-era governor, Baron Lamington as its eponym.
And while New Zealand also stakes a claim on its origins, it’s largely believed the Baron’s chef de cuisine Armand Galland was responsible for its creation in 1900 when he dipped leftover sponge in chocolate and coconut to feed a surplus of guests at Brisbane’s Government House. On that day, an afternoon tea icon was born.
But why stop there? We asked some of Australia and New Zealand’s leading culinary minds to reinvent the humble sponge square and present their ultimate glam-ington.
Blackberry and Panna Cotta lamington
Laura Metcalf and Kelsie Culpan, Mor Bakery
Combating the lamington’s one traditional setback, dryness, Laura Metcalf and Kelsie Culpan of Auckland’s Mor Bakery are nod to legendary Sydney baker Nadine Ingram for their fix. “We discovered the brilliant Nadine Ingram’s panna cotta-soaked lamington and it was somewhat of a game changer for us,” they say. “Our dream lamington would be studded with blackberries and drenched in a tonka bean panna cotta soak. It would be coated in a classic dark chocolate glaze and rolled in toasted coconut with big, long, fancy flakes.”
Savoury Rendang lamington
Khanh Nguyen, King Clarence
Stitching together his Australian upbringing and deep love for Southeast Asian cuisine, the King Clarence executive chef takes his lamington in a savoury direction. “One of my favourite coconut-based dishes is rendang, a slow-cooked ‘dry curry’ that brings depth and complexity,” he says. “The tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat of rendang would act as the ‘sponge’, while the dry curry provides bold flavours with a nod to chocolate – and could even be seasoned with a hint of Vegemite for an Australian umami hit.” Nguyen would braise a whole cut of beef in a fragrant rendang; press it, chill it, and trim it into cubes. Before serving, he would gently reheat the cube (retaining its shape), glaze it with the reduced dry curry, and roll it in toasted, shredded coconut, “for texture and a nutty contrast”. And for those who insist a lamington needs jam, Nguyen suggests a sweet, sour, and spicy Davidson plum and fermented chilli jam.
The Heart of the Rainforest lamington
Mindy Woods, Karkalla
First Nations chef Mindy Woods, a Bundjalung woman, gives the Australian icon a deeper tie to country. “I want to reflect the beauty of the land I come from,” she says. “I would create a white chocolate and macadamia sponge with finger lime curd. And instead of the usual dessicated coconut, I would elevate my lamington with roasted, shaved macadamias.”
Pandan and Kaya lamington
Lorcan Kán, Etta
Since joining Etta in mid-2024, head chef Lorcan Kán has quickly earned a reputation for his unique creations and flavour combinations – including a chilli oil parfait with orange sugar melon, lychee and lime leaf sorbet. His ultimate lamington sees him think outside the square – literally – to reinvent the sweet treat in doughnut form. “A pandan chiffon cake doughnut with a kaya [coconut jam] filling; fried and then dipped in chocolate ganache and covered in soft coconut. Everything should be really soft and light. Lamingtons are too square, I want to see a nice, soft circle shape.”
Pistachio lamington
Valentine Fodor, Vege Mamma
Sydney cakemaker Valentine Fodor is a rising star on Instagram with her custom dream cakes. Her fresh spin on the lamington casts pistachio as the leading ingredient. “My dream combination would have a pistachio praline for texture and crunch between layers, and a vanilla-bean cream,” she says.
Matcha Green Tea lamington
Meg Tanaka, Cibi
“Coming from a side of Japan in the ’90s where coconuts weren’t common, my first taste of a lamington was an inspiring moment,” says Meg Tanaka of Melbourne’s cult Japanese bakery, Cibi. “I would create a fine, soft sponge using quality matcha powder from Kyoto, sandwiched with a matcha cream and tossed with shredded couverture white chocolate and finely shredded coconut.”
Victoria Sponge lamington
Richard Dormer, Gibney
Perth-based pastry chef Richard Dormer at Gibney reverts to his childhood in the United Kingdom for his take on the Australian classic. “One of the first cakes I have memories of baking in England was a Victoria sponge,” he says. “My lamington would have a layer of raspberry jam and vanilla cream through the middle and the sponge will be lightly flavoured with zesty lemon peel.”
Passionfruit, Yuzu and Raspberry Cheesecake lamington
Rosemary Andrews, Mietta
“When we were kids, we’d pick fresh passionfruit and raspberries from our garden, and Mum would bake them into steamed puddings or sponges,” says the owner and executive pastry chef at Mietta in Melbourne. Her ultimate lamington would balance nostalgic flavours with a modern hit of yuzu and swap sponge for a decadent cheesecake body, adding a touch of lime for a final flourish, to “enhance the creaminess of the cheesecake and add a refreshing twist”.
Pandan and Taro
Loan Le “Elena” Nguyen, Kudo
“Fragrant pandan pairs beautifully with creamy and earthy taro,” says Elena Nguyen of Melbourne’s Kudo bakery. Kudo is known for its cool interpretations on French canelés (think Madagascar vanilla spiked with oaked rum or espresso spiced with star anise-infused custard). Going from one afternoon tea icon to the next, Nguyen’s lamington riffs on classic Vietnamese flavours. “It evokes memories of the Vietnamese sweets I enjoyed growing up.”
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