Lamingtons are a classic Australian dessert, thought to have been made by the French chef of Lady and Lord Lamington, the former governor of Queensland. A square of vanilla cake with a smudge of jam in the middle, robed in chocolate, and coated in shredded coconut, the lamington is rightfully iconic. Here, a cupcake pan streamlines the process, eliminating the need to cut large squares of cake. You’ll still split the cupcakes in half and spread a thin coat of raspberry jam in the middle before dunking the whole lot in a dark chocolate glaze and rolling in shredded coconut. These lamington cupcakes are a fuzzy delight, resembling cartoon rabbits from a fairy tale.
Dipping the cakes in glaze is messy business. Make peace with the process and it’ll go much faster (or get an assistant). Just like breading chicken, it helps to have one “wet” hand for dipping the cakes and one designated “dry” hand for rolling the glazed treats in coconut.
Read More: It’s Time for the Cupcake Comeback
Recipe information
Total Time
1½ hours
Yield
Makes 12
Ingredients
Cupcakes
Glaze and Assembly
Special Equipment
Preparation
Cupcakes
Step 1
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Lightly coat top of a standard 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray (don’t worry too much about the cups); line cups with paper liners. Whisk 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour and ¾ tsp. baking powder in a small bowl to combine.
Step 2
Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat 2 large eggs, 1 cup (200 g) sugar, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl until pale, fluffy, and doubled in volume, 6–8 minutes. (Mixture will fall in an unbroken ribbon when beaters are lifted out of bowl.) Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined, about 1 minute (batter will be very thick); scrape bottom and sides of bowl with a heatproof rubber spatula.
Step 3
Meanwhile, heat ½ cup milk, 4 Tbsp. (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into 2" pieces, and 2 tsp. vanilla extract in a small saucepan over medium until butter is melted and milk is steaming (but nowhere near boiling), about 2 minutes.
Step 4
Pour hot milk mixture over batter, scraping pan clean with spatula, and mix with beater on low speed until incorporated and batter is smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl and fold batter gently once or twice with spatula to ensure mixture is combined (batter will now be runny).
Step 5
Using a #20 scoop or ¼ cup measuring cup, divide batter among liners in muffin cups. Bake cupcakes until edges are golden brown and tops spring back when gently pressed in the center, 18–20 minutes. Gently run a small offset spatula around top edges to loosen cupcakes from pan if needed (you want to do this while they are still warm), then let cool in pan.
Step 6
Remove cupcakes from pan; peel off liners and discard. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet.
Glaze and Assembly
Step 7
Heat ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until melted, about 3 minutes; add 2 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, preferably 70% cacao, coarsely chopped, ¼ cup (50 g) sugar, 2 Tbsp. Dutch-process cocoa powder, ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal kosher or ¼ tsp. Morton salt, and ¼ cup water. Cook, whisking constantly, until chocolate and sugar are melted and mixture is smooth; scrape chocolate glaze into a small bowl.
Step 8
Pour 1 cup (or more) shredded desiccated coconut or unsweetened shredded coconut (eyeballing is fine) in another small bowl. Place ¼ cup (or more) raspberry jam in a third small bowl.
Step 9
Using a sharp (and preferably serrated), small knife, slice cupcakes in half crosswise. Spread cut surface of bottom half of each cupcake with about 1 tsp. raspberry jam (eyeballing is fine), pushing jam all the way to the edges. Sandwich cupcakes back together.
Step 10
Working one at a time, dip cupcakes in warm chocolate glaze to coat all over, letting excess glaze drip back into bowl, then transfer cupcakes to bowl with coconut and toss to coat all over. Return cupcakes to wire rack and let sit 15 minutes for glaze to set before serving (or, chill 5 minutes).
Do Ahead: Cupcakes can be made 1 day ahead. Store, loosely covered, at room temperature.
