WHAT comes to mind when you think of lamingtons? Licking chocolate and coconut off your fingers?

For the uninitiated, a lamington is a sponge or butter cake dipped in chocolate and covered with desiccated coconut.

Inside you might find a layer of cream or perhaps even jam if you're lucky.

But who was the clever baker who first cut and iced a sponge cake, then rolled it in coconut?

One story has the sponge landing in the icing by accident, the fault of a clumsy maid.

But the most likely 'culprit' is the French-born Galland, chef to Queensland Government House. The state's eighth governor, Lord Lamington, would feed unexpected visitors with chocolate-dipped cakes rolled in coconut, or was it just a way to use up stale sponge like we used to with rum truffles at Christmastime? It makes sense that this cake was a rushed invention – surely lamingtons must cool before iced, and then set before they're served.

I'm sure the chef to the governor would never have served stale sponge! But still, the most likely inventor is Galland – it probably happened around 1900, and there's no doubt Queensland can claim the title of birthplace of the lamington.

Lamingtons still remain popular in Australia and New Zealand to this day, with July 21 designated National Lamington Day in Australia.

They are often sold at fundraisers for schools or charity groups, known as 'lamington drives'. Some Australians shorten the name to 'lammo' or 'lammos'.

The history books are clear – there is no jam in a proper original lamington recipe, it appears – but I'm of the mind that you should eat whatever you want. If you like jam in your lamingtons, that's between you and your baker.

I would have never thought so much passion could be stirred in me on this subject from Down Under, but it is.

The lamington has a long history of controversy, the main one being its true origin as Australian national treasure. The question is so complex no one seems to know for sure – but don't mention the jam!

RECIPE

LAMINGTONS

Makes 24

Ingredients:

125g/4.5oz butter, softened

225g/8oz caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 medium eggs

225g/8oz self-raising flour

125ml/4.2fl oz milk

300g/10.5oz desiccated coconut

Chocolate icing:

450g/1lb icing sugar

25g/2oz cocoa powder

1 tablespoon butter

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas Mark 4 and grease and line a 20cm x 30cm rectangular cake/brownie tin.

2. Put the butter, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat until pale and fluffy, than beat in the eggs one at a time until light and fluffy.

3. Sift over the flour and stir to combine, then pour the batter into the cake tin and spread out evenly into the corners.

4. Bake for 25-30 minutes till golden brown, leave to cool in the tin then cut the cake into 24 even squares.

5. Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a large bowl, warm the milk and butter in a small pan until the butter has melted and stir until smooth.

6. Put the coconut in a small dish, spear one piece of sponge onto a fork and spoon over the pan to completely cover the sponge; wait till excess chocolate icing has dripped away then dip into coconut, transferring to a wire rack to set fully.