“Can I come back and see you sometime?”
“Long as you bring me some chocolate,” Gramma said, and smiled. “I’m partial to chocolate.”
“Gramma, you’re diabetic.”
“I’m old, girl. Gonna die of something. Might as well be chocolate.”
― Rachel Caine, The Dead Girls’ Dance
There was a time when readers often told me that I shared too many chocolate recipes. To be fair, they had a point. One post would be brownies, the next would be chocolate cake, and the one after that would probably be chocolate chip cookies. Even many of my layer cakes seemed to end up with a generous coat of ganache. What can I say? I have always had a soft spot for cacao in every form.
So you can imagine my surprise when I recently received a message asking why I no longer made anything with chocolate flavor. I had to pause and check, and sure enough, many of my recent recipes had been completely chocolate-free. Had I finally outgrown my lifelong love for chocolate desserts? Had I run out of ideas? Absolutely not.
These death by chocolate lamingtons are my very happy return to the chocolate side of baking. Lamingtons are a beloved Australian teatime treat, traditionally made with squares of sponge cake dipped in chocolate icing and rolled in coconut. Some versions are sandwiched with jam, but this version is made especially for serious chocolate lovers. It uses a dense dark chocolate mud cake, a rich chocolate icing, and a cocoa-coconut coating for an extra layer of flavor and texture.
The base of this recipe is my favorite chocolate mud cake. It is wonderfully moist, dense, and sturdy enough to be cut into neat squares. That makes it ideal for lamingtons, because the cake needs to hold its shape while being dipped and coated. The best part is that the batter is simple to prepare. The butter and chocolate are melted together, then the remaining ingredients are mixed in. You do not even need to pull out a stand mixer.
The chocolate icing is smooth, glossy, and pourable when warm, which makes it easy to coat the chilled cake squares. The outside is a simple mixture of desiccated coconut, cocoa powder, and icing sugar. Together, the three layers make these chocolate lamingtons rich, fudgy, and deeply satisfying.
This recipe is not difficult, but it does work best with a little planning. The cake is easiest to cut when it is well chilled, and the squares are easier to dip when they are briefly frozen. The icing should be made just before you need it. If it thickens while you are dipping the cake pieces, gently reheat it until it becomes smooth and pourable again.
The result is a treat with crunchy chocolate coconut on the outside, a soft chocolate coating underneath, and a dense, gooey chocolate cake center. Each bite is rich, messy in the best way, and full of chocolate flavor.
Death by Chocolate Lamingtons
These death by chocolate lamingtons are a decadent twist on the Australian favorite. Dark chocolate mud cake squares are dipped in rich chocolate icing and coated in a cocoa-coconut mixture for the ultimate chocolate teatime treat.
Ingredients
For the dark chocolate mud cake
- 170 grams or 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 190 grams or 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 150 grams chocolate
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coffee
- 360 ml or 1 1/2 cups hot water
- 200 grams or 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
For the chocolate icing
- 400 grams or 4 cups powdered or icing sugar
- 30 grams or 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 42 grams or 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 120 ml or 1/2 cup milk
For the coconut coating
- 300 grams or 3 cups desiccated coconut
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 tablespoons icing or powdered sugar
Instructions
To make the dark chocolate mud cake
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Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F. Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan well. Line the bottom with parchment paper if desired.
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Mix the coffee powder into the hot water and set aside.
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Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
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Melt the butter and chopped chocolate together in the microwave or in a double boiler until smooth.
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Stir the coffee mixture into the melted chocolate and butter. Add the sugar and mix well.
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Whisk in the dry ingredients until combined.
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Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until fully incorporated.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top springs back lightly when touched.
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Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully turn it out and let it cool completely, right side up, on a wire rack.
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Chill or freeze the cake for a few hours or overnight before cutting.
To make the chocolate icing
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Sift the icing sugar and cut the butter into small pieces.
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In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the icing sugar, cocoa powder, butter, and milk while stirring continuously.
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Cook until the icing is smooth and pourable, similar to melted chocolate.
To make the coconut and cocoa coating
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Sift the icing sugar and mix it with the desiccated coconut and cocoa powder until evenly combined.
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Taste and add more sugar if needed. Set aside.
To assemble the lamingtons
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If desired, slice a very thin layer from the top of the chilled cake to level it.
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Cut the cake into 16 or 25 equal squares.
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Freeze the cake squares for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
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Once the icing is ready, use a spoon or fork to dip each cake square into the chocolate coating. Use another spoon to cover any bare spots, then tap off the excess icing.
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Immediately roll the iced cake square in the cocoa-coconut mixture until generously coated. Shake off the excess and place it on a wire rack or a parchment-lined plate.
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Repeat with all the cake squares.
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Let the lamingtons set for about an hour before serving.
Notes
These chocolate lamingtons can be made 4 to 5 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator. They taste best at room temperature.
For the easiest process, chill the cake overnight, cut it into squares, and freeze the pieces well before dipping.
If the icing thickens while you are dipping, reheat it gently until it becomes pourable again. A deep pan with a smaller diameter makes dipping easier.
If you do not have desiccated coconut, you can dry grated coconut in the oven. Spread it on a baking tray and bake at 180 C, stirring occasionally, until completely dry. This may take up to 15 minutes.
Frozen coconut will not work well because it stays too wet and will reduce the shelf life of the lamingtons.
Coat the lamingtons generously. The coconut layer covers the icing and makes the lamingtons easier to eat without sticky fingers.
The icing sugar helps create the right icing consistency, but you may try reducing it slightly if preferred.
Adjust the cocoa and sugar in the coconut coating to suit your taste. My measuring cup is 240 ml.
These death by chocolate lamingtons are perfect for a teatime tray, a dessert table, or any occasion that calls for a rich chocolate dessert. Kids will love them, and so will anyone who enjoys a fudgy chocolate cake with a little crunch on the outside.
Classic lamingtons are wonderful just as they are, and sometimes the original is hard to beat. This version is simply a more indulgent take for the chocoholics among us. With chocolate in the cake, chocolate in the icing, and cocoa in the coconut coating, these lamingtons are made to satisfy even the strongest chocolate craving.
