On Wednesday, July 21, Australia will mark National Lamington Day, celebrating the famous culinary icon which people in their 50s and 60s will fondly recall as the most popular component of their lunchboxes.
The lamington is essentially an Australian cake made from squares of sponge cake, coated in a layer of chocolate sauce and finally rolled in desiccated coconut.
There are a number of variations to the cake. One of the more common — and popular — is the inclusion of a layer of cream or strawberry jam in between two halves of lamington.
A recipe which appeared in the Queensland Country Life newspape in 1900, has been traced back as the first mention of the lamington, which was named in honour of former Queensland governor Lord Lamington (1896-1901).
One account of its history says Lord Lamington’s cook accidentally dropped a sponge cake block into a dish of chocolate, while another claims the cake honours the Lamington Function, an event held in honour of the governor.
Such is the way with Australian ‘’ownership’’ of icons, Keith Urban, Sam Neill, Russell Crowe, Phar Lap and Split Enz included, New Zealand often claims bragging rights to the invention of the lamington.
The Kiwis claim the lamington was originally known as the Wellington cake, adding to much light-hearted banter between the neighbouring countries on a number of fronts.
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