Paleo Lamingtons

Lamingtons are widely recognized as an Australian dessert but my family and I know it by a different name—cupavci, one of the many Croatian dessert that my grandma used to make around the holidays. Our Christmas dessert table would be incomplete without these.

Like many noteworthy inventions, the credit for the creation of the lamington is a matter of some debate. Some assert that the lamington came to be when a maid of Lord Lamington, the Governor of Queensland, accidentally dropped a sponge cake into melted chocolate. Others contend that Armand Galland, the French Chef to Lord Lamington, invented the lamington by cutting up leftover sponge cake, dipping it in chocolate, and coating it in coconut to serve to unexpected guests. Regardless of the origin story, it was named after Lord Lamington, even though, in both scenarios, he had no direct involvement with the dessert. What remains certain is that these delightful squares have solidified their place as an integral part of Australian culinary heritage.

These delightful velvety sponge cake squares are coated in rich chocolate and covered with desiccated coconut, promising a symphony of textures and flavours. These little cakes seem simple but encompass three delicious flavours -vanilla, chocolate and coconut, that work together to create an irresistible dessert.

Like all my recipes, these lamingtons are gluten-free but also free from:

• grains

• dairy

• refined sugars

• soy, legumes, & corn

• artificial flavours & additives

Even though, I only enjoyed this recipe around the holidays, I believe it is one of those desserts that can be enjoyed no matter what time of the year it is!

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paleo lamingtons

make 16 squares

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INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups almond flour

• 1 cup cassava flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup coconut oil, softened

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar

• 4 eggs, room temperature

• 1 1/3 cup coconut or almond milk, room temperature

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 bars of your choice of chocolate (I prefer 70% for a less sweet dessert)

• 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

• 2 cups shredded coconut

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C. Grease and line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.

2. In a small mixing bowl, combine almond flour, cassava flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well to ensure an even distribution of ingredients.

3. In a bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the coconut oil and sugar until it is light and fluffy which will take about a minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating for 20 seconds after each egg and then add in the vanilla extract.

4. While the stand mixer is on low speed, Alternate adding the dry ingredients and adding the coconut milk in three stages. The batter should have a slightly thicker consistency than pancake batter.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The edges should be golden brown. Allow the cake to cool completely. Once cooled cut into 16 squares and then place in the fridge while you are melting your chocolate.

6. Before I melt the chocolate, I prepare my station to make the lamingtons. I first put the shredded coconut on a plate and then I place a piece of parchment paper on a baking rack and place it beside the plate.

7. Now you are ready to melt your chocolate. In a heatproof bowl, melt the dark chocolate chips with coconut oil using a double boiler or in short bursts in the microwave. Stir until smooth.

8. Take the squares out of the fridge a dip them into the melted chocolate, ensuring it is fully coated. Allow excess chocolate to drip off before rolling the square in shredded coconut, covering it evenly. Using two forks will make his process easier or you can get messy and use your hands!

9. Place the coated lamingtons on a wire rack to set. Once set, they are ready to be enjoyed!