Name: Chocolate lamington cake
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 10 - 12
Ingredients: 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

Chocolate lamington cake

Chocolate sponge cake soaked in chocolate panna cotta and spread with a dark chocolate glaze: this is one serious chocolate cake.

Serves 10 - 12

Prep

40M

Cook

40M

Total

1H 20M

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.

Ingredients

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

Method

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.

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.
Notes

Styling by Lisa Featherby

Styling by Emma Knowles