The lamington gets a MasterChef twist

July 21 is National Lamington Day – a day to celebrate that Aussie-as classic sponge cake dipped in chocolate and coated in coconut. So simple, and yet so delicious.

So where did the lamington come from? What is known for sure is that the cake was named after a certain Lord Lamington, who was Governor of Queensland at the end of the 19th Century. But from there, stories surrounding the cake’s origin vary – one says that the cake was created by Lamington’s French chef, who had to feed unexpected guests at short notice. He cut up some day-old sponge cake that was lying around, coated the slices in chocolate and then rolled them in coconut. Et voila!

Another story says that one of Lamington’s servants accidentally dropped some sponge in chocolate (as you do), and the good lord suggested that, in order to avoid his getting chocolately fingers while he ate it, the servant cover it in coconut for him.

Either way, the end result was a winner and the lamington was born. And for that, we are eternally grateful. Even so, the mystery surrounding the lamington’s origins continues, and has even led to an Australian academic writing a whole book about it.

Of course, there also remains the other big question: do you have your lamington with jam and/or cream in the middle, or just plain? Purists would definitely say the latter, and would no doubt quake at this recipe from Uncle Tobys and MasterChef’s Hayden Quinn. They’ve created a lamington-inspired twist on classic porridge to mark this auspicious day. Enjoy!

Dairy-free lamington porridge

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes
Serves: 2

You’ll need:

Jam

1 cup frozen raspberries
2 tbsp water

Porridge

¾ cup Uncle Tobys Traditional Rolled Oats
1¼  cup unsweetened coconut milk*
100g 70% dairy-free dark chocolate**, broken into small pieces

Toppings

¼ cup coconut flakes
2 tbsp cocoa nibs
4-5 fresh raspberries

Method:

1. For the “jam”, place frozen raspberries in a small saucepan with water and cook over a low heat until raspberries have softened and are beginning to break down (you may need to mash them slightly with a spoon). Remove from heat and set aside until serving.

2. Place rolled oats and coconut milk in a pot on medium-to-high heat. Bring oat mixture to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until oats are soft and creamy, stirring continuously. When oats are at desired consistency, pour half the mixture into two serving bowls.

3. Add dark chocolate pieces to remaining mixture in pot, stir through thoroughly. Once chocolate is fully combined, spoon chocolate porridge into serving bowls and stir through.

4. Top porridge with raspberry “jam”, coconut flakes, cocoa nibs and fresh raspberries.

Notes:

* Feel free to replace with a dairy-free milk of your choice instead.
** Optional: for a non-dairy-free option, opt for the chocolate of your choice.