Re-Inventing the Lamington 2012

The very first lamingtons I ever re-invented. Good times!

Well, I give you what you want, readers. Or so I like to think. Thanks to input (pressure?) from the Delicious Delicious Delicious Facebook Page (which is a great way to follow the blog by the way, if you use Facebook. Or indeed to get in touch with me - hit 'like' and join the fun!), I am once again going to Re-Invent the Lamington. Will it be the last time? Who knows.

I am nervous and anxious about whether or not I can do it to be honest. Both in 2010 and 2011 I felt like I had more fails than passes when it came to the crunch. Not so much in terms of flavour - let me just tell you right now, homemade cake and chocolatey coconut goodness can NEVER taste bad - but more in terms of beauty. I am not a shallow man, really I'm not. But I do want the desserts I post here to look the best they possibly can. South Wales in January is not the most ideal place to be shooting photos when you rely solely on natural light, as I do. But whatever; I am up for the challenge, so come along for the ride!

Now. Qu'est-ce que c'est un lamington? I feel like I spend my life explaining this one. Lamingtons are cakes that are popular in Australia. Traditionally, they are cube shaped sponge cakes coated with chocolate icing and coconut. However, I was unimpressed with them when I visited Australia in 2009, and made it my mission to Re-Invent them in 2010, in the process offending several Australians, who are very proud of their nations confections.

I say upfront that I am not here to step on Australia's toes. I am only doing this for fun! 10 days (the run up to Australia Day!), 10 lamington recipes. Are you with me?

As ever, I am opening up the fun to the whole wide world. Why not bake along and Re-Invent the Lamington yourself? In 2011 and 2012 we had a ton of great entries and I even got to speak about them on radio for ABC Canberra. I really hope you get inspired and join in this year as well.

There will be a prize! Want to know what it is? OK then! A copy of The Boy Who Bakes.


For those that don't know, this is the baking book written by the winner of BBC2's Great British Bake Off 2010, Edd Kimber, and let me tell you, it is fabulous. I've been following Edd's blog for years now, and am so pleased to see he has a book out at last. I rooted for him all the way through the show, knowing full well he would win it, and the book is full of all the great recipes you'd expect from him (except no lamingtons). It is the perfect prize: lamingtons are Aussie, but I'm British, and this book is by the guy who put British baking back in style.

Want to win it? Well, then, you'll need to enter!

The rules:

1. First come up with a unique lamington recipe. Go wild. I will.
   
2. Make and photograph your lamington, and post it on your blog, along with the recipe. If you don't have a blog, you can still enter. Just email me photos of the lamington with your recipe, and I'll post it on Delicious Delicious Delicious, as part of the lamington round-up for 2012.
3. Make sure to mention in your blog post that you're entering the lamingtons as part of Re-Inventing the Lamington 2012, and be sure to email me at the address above with a link to your post. Or leave a comment with a link to it, either way is fine.
4. Deadline is 31 January 2012.
5. Multiple entries are permitted. In fact, they are encouraged; everybody likes a lamington!

My Re-Inventions will be posted daily, starting 17 January, and finishing on Australia Day. Make sure you follow along!