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Photo, Roberto Caruso.
Celebrate Australia Day on January 26 with the country's signature sweet: lamingtons. They're fluffy little snacking cakes drenched in coconut and chocolate.
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
5 eggs, separated
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 1/2 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup milk
3 cups unsweetened dessicated coconut
PREHEAT oven to 350F. Line bottom of a metal 8 x 8-in. cake pan with parchment.
STIR flour with baking powder in a medium bowl. Beat egg whites in a large bowl, using an electric mixer on high, until foamy. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until whites are glossy and stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted, 3 to 5 min. Using same beaters (no need to wash), beat yolks with remaining 3/4 cup sugar in a large bowl until pale and thick, 1 to 2 min. Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually beat in flour mixture, then 1/3 cup milk and vanilla, until smooth.
STIR a third of egg whites into yolk mixture, using a rubber spatula, then carefully fold in remaining egg whites until no streaks remain. Pour into prepared pan.
BAKE in centre of oven until springy and a skewer inserted into the centre of cake comes out clean, 33 to 35 min. Cool completely on a rack, about 1 hour.
REMOVE cooled cake from pan and discard parchment. Cut cake into 16 cubes. Freeze cake cubes for 15 min.
WHISK icing sugar with cocoa and 3/4 cup milk in a medium bowl until smooth. Divide coconut into 2 shallow dishes. Set 1 dish aside. Dip a cake cube in chocolate, coating all sides. Let excess chocolate drip off. Dip into coconut, coating all sides. Place on a wire rack. Continue with remaining cubes, switching to second dish of coconut halfway through. Refrigerate until dry to the touch, about 15 min. Store in a sealed container up to 3 days.