Day 18 - Lamingtons (with gluten, wheat and dairy free)

These tasty little treats known as Lamingtons are absolutely delicious. Apparently they're traditionally Australian! They are also a brilliant way to rescue a Chocolate cake, or Vanilla for that matter, that has flopped. Whether your cake broke while moving it, or baked for too long and is now dry, you can always use the sad remains to make these tasty little delights, and no one will even know!!! And if you don't have a sad cake, you can start from scratch with my recommendations below.

Photo Credit: EatLittleBird.com

Lamingtons

Ingredients:
1 x Chocolate or Vanilla Cake (If you're starting from scratch, use this yummy Gluten Free Chocolate cake recipe, Chocolate Cake, or this Madeira Cake recipe, and bake a square or rectangular cake. Allow it to cool. It cuts best if its a day old, or else just freeze it a bit)
1 x Batch of this Ice Cream Chocolate Sauce or why not try the Glorious Fudge Ice Cream Sauce
Desiccated Coconut

Method:
1. Cut the cake into squares. Prepare a plate with coconut.
2. Spear each piece of cake with a fork and dip into the hot syrup. Do NOT soak.
3. Roll the square in the coconut to coat it fully.
4. Place on a wire rack to set.
5. Repeat with all the squares.

Note: for coloured Lamingtons first colour the coconut with food colouring.

Flop-proof Madeira Cake

Now, this recipe is such a winner for many reasons; firstly, it's so easy, you just add all the ingredients and mix them together on high speed, and Voila! Secondly, it's flop-proof and bakes beautifully every time. It's also a great hit with kids because of the above mentioned reasons! And lastly is also a great recipe for cupcakes.

Flop-Proof Madeira Cake

Ingredients:
125g Butter or Margarine
200g/400ml Cake flour
200ml Sugar
10ml tsp Baking powder
2 Eggs
125ml Milk
7ml Vanilla essence
1ml Salt
Icing sugar for dusting
Optional Variation: 125ml Coconut and Almond essence

Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 170* and grease a loaf tin or a ring form, or line your muffin tray with paper cups.
2. Add all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat on high for 5 minutes.
3. Spoon the batter into the tin (if making a loaf, hollow the center as it rises a lot).
4. Bake for 40 minutes (or 20 minutes if making cup cakes)
5. Allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before removing it from the tin.
6. Dust with icing sugar, and Voila!

Makes: 1 Cake or 18 Cup cakes