70 min
South African-Style Malva Puddings with Cream Sauce & Vanilla Ice Cream
Six apricot-jam sponge puddings bake in ramekins, then drink in a hot vanilla cream sauce for tender caramelized edges and an easy dinner-party finish.
Dessert
Australian Lamingtons with Chocolate & Coconut
Light vanilla sponge squares get a thin chocolate coating and a snowy coconut finish, with a chill-and-dip method that keeps the crumb neat.
Directions
Prepare the pan and oven
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square metal pan, line the bottom and two sides with parchment and lightly grease the paper.
Mix the dry ingredients
Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until evenly combined.
Whip the eggs and sugar
Beat eggs and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on high for 4 to 5 minutes, until pale, thick and ribboning. Beat in vanilla.
Fold a light sponge batter
Sift half the flour mixture over the eggs and fold gently. Fold in half the milk, then repeat with remaining flour and milk. Fold a scoop of batter into the cooled melted butter, then fold that mixture back into the bowl just until no streaks remain.
Bake and cool completely
Spread batter evenly in the pan. Bake 23 to 27 minutes, until the top springs back, a tester is clean and the center is about 200°F to 205°F. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, turn onto a rack, remove parchment and cool fully.
Chill and cut
Wrap the cooled cake and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Trim the edges if desired, then use a serrated knife to cut sixteen 2-inch squares. Put a rack over a rimmed sheet pan and place coconut in a shallow bowl.
Make a fluid chocolate icing
Sift confectioners' sugar and cocoa into a wide bowl. Whisk in melted butter, 2/3 cup milk, vanilla and salt until smooth. Add up to 2 tablespoons more milk as needed; icing should flow off a fork in a thin ribbon.
Dip, coat and set
Using two forks, lower one chilled cake square into the icing, turn to coat and let excess drip away. Roll gently in coconut and place on the rack. Repeat, reheating the icing over warm water if it thickens. Let lamingtons set for 30 minutes before serving.
Why this works
Why it worksWhipped whole eggs provide lift, while the butter is first lightened with a small amount of batter so it folds in without collapsing the foam.
Why it worksA one-hour chill firms the sponge, producing clean squares that shed fewer crumbs into the chocolate icing.
Why it worksA deliberately fluid cocoa icing soaks only the surface before coconut catches it, preserving a pale, tender center.
Useful kitchen gear
Tools that make this easier.
Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.
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Compare on Amazon8-inch square metal cake panThe recipe's bake time and sixteen 2-inch portions are calibrated for this pan size.See current options →
Compare on AmazonWire rack and rimmed sheet panThe rack catches excess chocolate and coconut while air reaches every coated side.See current options →
Compare on AmazonDigital kitchen scaleGram weights keep the sponge light and the confectioners' sugar-to-cocoa coating consistent.See current options →
Swaps & notes
Easy swaps
- Use unsweetened desiccated coconut for the classic fine coating or shredded coconut for a more textured finish.
- Replace whole milk with unsweetened oat milk and use a baking-style plant butter for a dairy-free version; the flavor will be slightly different.
- For jam-filled lamingtons, split each chilled square horizontally, spread with 1 teaspoon raspberry jam and reassemble before dipping.
Cook notes
- Total time includes about 75 minutes for cooling and chilling plus 30 minutes for the finished coating to set.
- Do not taste raw batter because raw flour and eggs can contain harmful bacteria; bake the cake fully before sampling.
- If the icing collects crumbs, strain it through a fine sieve between batches and keep the remaining cake squares cold.
Storage
Keep set lamingtons in a single layer in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving. Freeze the uncoated cake up to 2 months; thaw, chill and coat. Coated cakes can be frozen but the coconut softens.
Questions
Why are my lamingtons crumbling in the icing?
The cake may be warm or too fresh. Cool it completely, chill for at least an hour, cut with a serrated knife and dip quickly with forks rather than squeezing the squares.
Can I bake the sponge the day before?
Yes. Cool it fully, wrap airtight and refrigerate overnight. A day-old chilled sponge is especially easy to cut and coat.
Why is my chocolate coating too thick?
Confectioners' sugar absorbs moisture as it sits. Whisk in warm milk one teaspoon at a time or set the bowl over warm water until the icing again falls in a thin ribbon.
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Australian Lamingtons with Chocolate & Coconut
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1. Prepare the pan and ovenHeat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square metal pan, line the bottom and two sides with parchment and lightly grease the paper.
2. Mix the dry ingredientsWhisk flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until evenly combined.
3. Whip the eggs and sugarBeat eggs and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on high for 4 to 5 minutes, until pale, thick and ribboning. Beat in vanilla.
4. Fold a light sponge batterSift half the flour mixture over the eggs and fold gently. Fold in half the milk, then repeat with remaining flour and milk. Fold a scoop of batter into the cooled melted butter, then fold that mixture back into the bowl just until no streaks remain.
5. Bake and cool completelySpread batter evenly in the pan. Bake 23 to 27 minutes, until the top springs back, a tester is clean and the center is about 200°F to 205°F. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, turn onto a rack, remove parchment and cool fully.
6. Chill and cutWrap the cooled cake and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Trim the edges if desired, then use a serrated knife to cut sixteen 2-inch squares. Put a rack over a rimmed sheet pan and place coconut in a shallow bowl.
7. Make a fluid chocolate icingSift confectioners' sugar and cocoa into a wide bowl. Whisk in melted butter, 2/3 cup milk, vanilla and salt until smooth. Add up to 2 tablespoons more milk as needed; icing should flow off a fork in a thin ribbon.
8. Dip, coat and setUsing two forks, lower one chilled cake square into the icing, turn to coat and let excess drip away. Roll gently in coconut and place on the rack. Repeat, reheating the icing over warm water if it thickens. Let lamingtons set for 30 minutes before serving.