Spearmint Lamington Cake

This is a modern take on a classic recipe using Spearmint Tea.  You could use any of your favourite herbal teas to create the glaze for this recipe – the options are endless.

It is best to use a day-old sponge, so make the sponge the day before or you can place it in the fridge just before applying the glaze to held firm up the sponge.

To make a gluten free version, replace the 2 teaspoons of plain flour with 2 teaspoons of buckwheat flour and ensure the icing sugar is also gluten free.

Sponge Recipe Ingredients

This recipe is from the Edmonds Fielder’s Cornflour packet

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 cup cornflour
• 2 teaspoons plain four
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Sponge Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C.
2. Select a pair of matching baking pans to use – this recipe fits into 2 x 20cm sandwich pans, however you can select four mini pans and equally distribute the batter between each of the matching pairs of pans)
3. Line your pans with parchment paper.
4. Separate the eggs.  Beat the whites until soft peaks form.
5. Gradually add the caster sugar and continue beating until it has dissolved. 
6. Slow the mixer and add one egg yolk at a time, ensuring each one is well incorporated before adding the next.
7. Stop the mixer and remove the bowl.
8. Sift the cornflour, plain flour and baking powder into the bowl – do not bang the bowl.
9. Use a metal spoon and fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, careful not to overmix it.
10. Spoon the batter into the pans and use your scales to weigh the pans to ensure the mixture is even in each of your pans.
11. Use a spatula to carefully spread and smooth out the mixture and top.
12. Bake for 12 minutes, then check the sponges to see if they spring back when lightly pressed.  If not, continue baking for a further 3 minutes, then check again. 
13. Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave on a rack in the pan for a few minutes, then take a small and sharp knife and run the knife around the inside of the pans to loosen the sponges, then remove them from the pans and leave on the rack until completely cooled.
14. When cooled, remove the parchment from the base.

Spearmint Glaze

• 2 cups icing sugar
• 2 teaspoons Spearmint tea
• 3 tablespoons boiling water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cups desiccated coconut approximately

Glaze  Method

1. Begin by making the Spearmint tea.  Add the tea to an infuser and  pour the boiling water over the tea and allow to steep for 2 minutes.
2. Strain and squeeze out all of the liquid.
3. Add the butter and stir until it has melted.
4. Add the vanilla essence.
5. Next sift the icing sugar into the tea mixture and stir well.
6. Holding the sponge in one hand, carefully spoon the glaze over the sponge, turning it as needed and coating the entire top and sides.
7. Then take the sponge and dip it into the desiccated coconut, brushing the coconut up the sides until the whole top and sides are coated.
8. Place on a wire rack and allow to set.  Repeat with the remaining sponge cake.

Spearmint Sponge Cake Assembly – Whipped Cream

• 200ml double cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 tablespoon icing sugar

Assembly Method

1. Whip the cream until it holds nicely.  Spoon into a piping bag and pipe onto the bottom cake.
2. Add the top cake and sprinkle a little extra coconut over to give the appearance of an even topping.
3. Refrigerate until ready to serve.