Lamington. Noun. A cake confection made by covering a cube of sponge cake in chocolate icing and desiccated coconut. [Apparently named after Lord Lamington, 1860-1940, Governor of Queensland, 1895-1901] Macquarie Dictionary, 4th Ed, 2005
When my daughter started a school project on Lamingtons as part of their discussion of Australian icons I had no idea of the controversy of which she was to become a part. History, we know, is written by the victors and it seems the lamington has a past clouded by hearsay and convenient recollection.
The Lamington regularly finds its way to lists of Australian icons alongside the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Kangaroo, Vegemite and the meat pie. For much of the last 100 years it has been a popular addition to any “bring a plate” event, although in recent years it is more likely to be store bought than made at home.
Much of the Lamington’s iconic status probably derives from its suitability for our climate as sponge cake lasted much longer in the heat when it was iced in bite-sized squares and covered in coconut; and it also became a staple at fundraising events (known as Lamington Drives) where it could be made easily in large quantities.
The Lamington’s origins, however, are quite cloudy. The Lamington is not only claimed by Australians as a popular dish but also by New Zealanders (as the Lemmington, or Leamington) and by the Scots. It is most likely that the name derives from either Lord or Lady Lamington. Lord Lamington was the Governor of the State of Queensland from 1895-1901.
The most popular story is that a kitchen maid of Lord Lamington accidentally dropped some sponge cake into some chocolate icing and then rolled it in coconut to stop it from being too sticky to handle. However, some further research by Australian author Jackie French unearthed a story that it was invented in the early 1900s by a Queensland cooking teacher, Amy Shauer, and that they were named after the cooking school’s patron – Lady Lamington.
[the CWA Cookery Book and Household Hints, Perth WA 1936]
Recipe books written before 1910 describe the Lamington as a whole cake iced in chocolate and coconut rather. Bite-sized lamingtons didn’t appear in cookbooks until a few years later, giving more impetus to the Lady Lamington story over the Lord Lamington one.
Historians before our time were apt to attribute discoveries to the most senior person on an expedition or a local government official so perhaps the common attribution of the this iconic cake to Lord Lamington rather than Lady Lamington is just another example of this practise.
I think we will never know the true history of the lamington, although I’m quietly cheering for the Lady Lamington story. Perhaps you have a different lamington story? Or perhaps the Scots and New Zealanders out there would like to weigh in with a completely different history?
8 comments:
Can't help you here, I'm afraid. Can't add anything to what Google says. I've always thought of them as Australian and can't find any Scottish reference, as yet. We do have something similar but tiny tower shaped and covered in red jam and coconut with a glacé cherry on the top, the name of which esapes me but perhaps "the mof" will know. The idea of them having been created to keep sponge better sounds likely but maybe as a way of using up slightly stale sponge is also a possibility as recipes refer to chilling the sponge to make it easier to cut or using day-old sponge. I'll be really interested to read what others come up with.
This sounds wonderful! I think I may try it at our fish fry this Friday. It sounds good and looks easy! Thanks! I had not heard the story about it before, but I enjoyed hearing it. It sounds like it could be part of story in a novel.
I love lamingtons... have some at home ready for afternoon tea...
I'm intrigued as to whether anyone still has "lamington drives" as fundraisers? Or have they died out due to restrictive food handling regulations? It used to be great to sign up for half a dozen or a dozen lammies.
I vote for the Lady Lamington story. It sounds way more plausible than a maid rolling a dropped sponge in coconut.
"Madeleines"-- that is the name of the Sponge/jam/coconut towers that Nanu talked about!
Isn't the human brain a wonderful thing. After not having seen or tasted these little confections for more than 40 years the name just suddenly popped up! I must admit not trusting my memory and checking up in the 'Good Housekeeping' Cookery book published in 1950.
I think the "lamington drive" has died a natural death due to food handling laws.
I worked on a lamington drive once years ago, sticky chocolate-y fun.
Of course they say lemmington in New Zealand!
New evidence of history hunting has shown that the Lamington was in actual fact a New Zealand 'invention' and was originally called a 'Wellington' and was tried by Lord Lamington when they were in NZ on a visit.
See: Olaf Priol - 'The Guardian Monday 31 March 2014'Quote:" Fresh analysis of a collection of 19th-century watercolours by the New Zealand landscape artist JR Smythe, shows that in one portrait, “Summer Pantry” dated 1888, a partially eaten Lamington cake is clearly visible on the counter of a cottage overlooking Wellington Harbour.
The first known reference to a Lamington before this was a recipe published in 1902 in the Queensland Country Life newspaper. Historians had believed the Lamington was named after Lord Lamington who served as governor of Queensland between 1896-1901.
But experts at the University of Auckland have examined archives which show records of a visit Lamington undertook to Wellington in 1895, before beginning in his tenure as Queensland governor.
According to a New Zealand Herald news report of the visit, Lamington was “much taken with the local sweets provided him by local bakers A.R. Levin.”
Among those sweets, the article states, was a “Wellington – a double sponge dessert, dressed in shavings of coconut intended to imitate the snow capped mountains of New Zealand.”
I live in New Zealand and I've never heard anyone call them lemmingtons...
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