Lamingtons in the air fryer are Australia’s answer to the perfect cake for coffee or afternoon tea: small, fluffy cubes of sponge cake dipped in thin chocolate icing and rolled in desiccated coconut. The cake is named after Lord Lamington, who was governor of Queensland around the year 1900, and today it is one of the country’s most beloved cakes.
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Here the cake is baked in a square pan that fits in the basket, and afterwards the most important step of all is waiting: the chill. A day-old or thoroughly chilled cake can handle the trip through the icing without crumbling. The result is 16 small lamingtons with a soft crumb, glossy chocolate and a thick coat of coconut.
Table of Contents
Why I love lamingtons in the air fryer
I love lamingtons because they combine three things that rarely go together: a light and fluffy cake, an icing with a deep cocoa flavour, and coconut that gives a bit of bite. In the air fryer the sponge cake gets a fine, even surface, and you avoid heating the big oven for a single small pan. Choose a square pan of approx. 18 x 18 cm that sits flat in the basket with a couple of centimetres of space all the way round, so the hot air can circulate.
The difference between air fryer and oven
In the air fryer the heat sits closer to the cake than in a regular oven, which is why the sponge cake is baked at only 160 °C. The moderate temperature gives the batter time to rise before the surface sets. The cake does not need to be turned during baking. If the top turns dark before the cake is baked through, you can press a piece of aluminium foil firmly around the rim of the pan for the last 10 minutes.
My kitchen test of lamingtons
I baked lamingtons in my Cosori Dual Blaze, where the heating elements sit both at the top and at the bottom of the same basket. That is an advantage for cake in a pan, because the base bakes at the same pace as the top. At 160 °C the cake was done after 25 minutes: a toothpick in the centre came out clean, and the surface was golden and springy. If batter clings to it, give the cake another 3-5 minutes at the same temperature.
The most important lesson came afterwards. The first time, I cut up the cake while it was still fresh, and the cubes soaked up the icing and fell apart in the pot. After at least 2 hours in the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap, the crumb was firm enough to be turned with two forks. So count on 180 minutes of chilling time in total, split between cooling, the fridge and a final half hour while the icing sets.
Cold is your best friend when you make lamingtons. Put the cut cubes in the freezer for 30 minutes before you dip them, so they are extra firm to work with.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistake is to coat a fresh cake in icing. It soaks up too much icing and crumbles, so give it at least 2 hours in the fridge, or let it sit covered until the next day. The second mistake is icing that has become too thick along the way. It should be lukewarm and as thin as pouring cream, so warm it up gently or stir in 1 tsp warm milk. If it is too thin instead, sift in a little extra icing sugar. The third mistake is opening the air fryer too early. Keep it closed for the first 20 minutes, otherwise the airy batter can collapse.
How to serve lamingtons
Lamingtons belong on the table at coffee or tea time and are served chilled or at room temperature. Here are my best suggestions:
- Fresh berries on the side as a tart counterpoint to the chocolate
- A spoonful of lightly whipped cream
- A cup of coffee or tea with the afternoon cake
- A thin layer of raspberry jam in the middle, as in the classic Australian variation
- A touch of coffee in the icing, where 1 tbsp of the milk is replaced with strong espresso
Storage and reheating
Store lamingtons in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They should not be reheated, as the icing will melt, so serve them chilled or at room temperature. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. Thaw them in the fridge overnight.
Lamingtons in the air fryer reward the patient baker: bake the cake today and coat it in icing tomorrow, and you will get the most beautiful cubes. The recipe makes 16 small pieces, and they disappear from the plate faster than you think.
FAQ
The cake is probably too fresh. A freshly baked sponge cake soaks up too much icing and falls apart. Let the cake cool completely and put it in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or let it sit covered until the next day, before you cut it into cubes.
Use a square baking pan of approx. 18 x 18 cm that is at least 5 cm deep and can sit flat in the basket. There should be a couple of centimetres of space all the way round the pan, so the hot air can circulate.
Yes, lamingtons can be frozen for up to 2 months in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. Thaw them in the fridge overnight, and serve them chilled or at room temperature.
Recipe
Lamingtons in the Air Fryer
Cooking Guide
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Airfryer size
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Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Square pan - Approx. 18 x 18 cm and at least 5 cm deep, must fit in the basket
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Electric mixer
- 1 Sifter
- 1 Dough scraper
- 1 Small pot
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Toothpick
- 1 Cooling rack
- 1 Plastic wrap
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Bread knife
- 1 Deep plate
Shopping list
Ingredients
How to make it
Preparation
- Line a square pan of about 18 x 18 cm with parchment paper so the base and sides are covered and the paper only just reaches over the rim. Check that the pan can sit flat in the air fryer basket.
- Melt 50 g butter together with 1 dl milk in a small pot over low heat. Take the pot off the heat so the mixture is lukewarm when it goes into the batter.
- Whisk 3 pcs eggs, 150 g sugar and 2 tsp vanilla sugar with an electric mixer for 5-6 minutes until the mixture is pale, thick and fluffy.
- Pour the lukewarm butter mixture down the side of the mixing bowl and fold it in with gentle strokes until the batter is smooth and free of streaks.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 160 °C fan.
- Pour the batter into the lined pan while the air fryer heats up, and smooth the surface lightly.
- Place the pan in the basket and bake the cake at 160 °C for 25 minutes. The cake does not need to be turned during baking, and the air fryer must stay closed for the first 20 minutes so the airy batter does not collapse.
- Insert a toothpick into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. If batter clings to it, bake the cake for another 3-5 minutes at 160 °C.
Cooling and cutting
- Leave the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Then lift it out by the parchment paper and let it cool on a cooling rack for 20 minutes.
- Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or leave it covered until the next day. A fresh, warm sponge cake crumbles when it is dipped in the icing.
- Place the cold cake on a cutting board, trim the outer edges thinly with a bread knife, and then cut the cake into 16 cubes of about 4 cm.
Icing and coconut
- Melt 25 g butter with 1 dl milk in the small pot over low heat, and take the pot off the heat.
- Sift 300 g icing sugar and 4 tbsp cocoa powder into the pot and stir with a whisk until the icing is glossy, lump-free and as thin as pouring cream.
- Fill a deep plate with 150 g desiccated coconut, and set the cooling rack ready with a sheet of parchment paper underneath to catch drips.
- Dip the cake cubes one at a time into the lukewarm icing and turn them with two forks so all sides are coated. Let the excess icing drip off for a few seconds.
- Straight away, turn each coated cube in the coconut and roll it around until it is covered all the way round. Place it on the cooling rack.
Serving
- Put the finished lamingtons in the fridge for 30 minutes until the icing has set.
- Serve the lamingtons chilled or at room temperature with coffee or tea.
Our notes for the recipe
Choose a pan that sits flat in the basket with a couple of centimetres of space all the way round, so the hot air can circulate. If the surface turns dark before the cake is baked through, you can press a piece of aluminium foil firmly around the rim of the pan for the last 10 minutes. The icing should be lukewarm and as thin as pouring cream. If it gets too thick along the way, warm it up gently or stir in 1 tsp warm milk. If it is too thin, sift in a little extra icing sugar. Cold cake does not crumble:
The cake should be a day old or thoroughly chilled before it is cut up and dipped. A fresh cake soaks up too much icing and falls apart in the pot. You can also put the cut cubes in the freezer for 30 minutes, which makes them extra firm to work with. Variation:
Split the cold cake in two horizontally and sandwich it back together around a thin layer of raspberry jam before you cut it into cubes. It is a classic Australian variation. You can also give the icing a touch of coffee by replacing 1 tbsp of the milk with strong espresso. Serving:
Lamingtons belong on the table at coffee or tea time and taste lovely with fresh berries or a spoonful of lightly whipped cream on the side. Serving size:
The recipe makes 16 small lamingtons, and one serving is counted as 4 pieces. One piece is about 250 kcal, so for coffee and cake the lamingtons stretch nicely to 8 people with 2 pieces each.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
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