Short cut lamingtons

I know, I know.......I've been a bad blogger. Sorry everyone, can I make it up to you with a recipe? I promise it will be fun and even more importantly..very, very messy.

You up for it?

All my Aussie friends, pay no attention to this one as I'm sure you can make lamingtons with your eyes closed..UNLESS...you have not discovered how much easier it is to cheat and use a cake mix.

LAMINGTON: a sponge cake in the shape of a cuboid, coated in a layer of traditionally chocolate icing then desiccated coconut. Lamingtons are sometimes served as two halves with a layer of cream and/or strawberry jam between, and are commonly found in Australasian outlets such as cafes, lunch bars, bakeries, and supermarkets.

So to start with simply follow your cake mix instructions and bake in a 9 x 13 pan.

Once you cake has cooled slightly, wrap it in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for a few hours, this will make slicing the cake easier and it will also hold together better when dipping it into the icing mixture.

Unfortunately I didn't take pictures of the dipping and coconut slathering so you'll just have to trust me and use your imagination on this one. Alternately you could also follow this link to a more detailed explanation.

For the icing you will need:

•500g (1Lb) icing sugar

•1/3 – 2/3 cup of cocoa(sifted)

•15g (1/2oz) butter

•1/2 cup milk
3 cups of dessicated coconut (sweetened)

Heat the milk slightly and add butter, stir until butter is melted. Add icing sugar and cocoa to the milk mixture and stir until combined. If your icing is runny, then good, that's what it's supposed to look like.

Now this is the messy part, be warned though. It VERY tempting to lick your fingers at this stage of the game...be strong and wait till the end!!!

Take a wee small square cake and dip it into the chocolate icing making sure to cover all sides, quickly take the square, (I used chopsticks for this part)and roll it in the coconut, making sure to cover all six sides, gently patting the coconut into the icing.

Place on a wire rack to firm up. Once you have dipped and covered all squares feel free to lick your fingers, savour the moment.

I like to keep my lamingtons in the fridge, it makes the icing firm up and having the coating of chocolate and coconut around that cake keeps it nice and moist.

Get a load of that will ya~!!!!!!!!!