Great Kiwi Bake Off judge claims humble Aussie lamingtons are a ‘kiwi classic’

A judge on the Great Kiwi Bake Off has declared the humble Australian lamington is actually a “kiwi classic”.

The humble lamington has had many an upgrade over the years, from lemon curd varieties, to Caramilk creations.

But one thing remains true: The lamington is a born Australian delicacy.

However, it seems an established New Zealand chef has gotten her cakes crossed somewhere along the way, dubbing the lamington a “kiwi classic” on tonight’s debut season 2 episode of The Great Kiwi Bake Off on Foxtel’s LifeStyle Food channel.

Sue Fleischl, who is a judge on the beloved reality baking series and also runs a multimillion-dollar catering company, was discussing the amateur bakers’ lamington cooking challenge, and made this stunning declaration: “Lamingtons, a true kiwi classic.

“To me, a lamington has to be perfectly cooked. Moist on the inside, not too dry, and the trick is to still keep it light and fluffy.”

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The humble lamington.

Now Fleischl is a true veteran in her field. In 2016, she was inducted into the New Zealand Restaurant Association Hall of Fame in recognition of her contribution and leadership in the hospitality sector.

You would think then, that she would know the true origins of the lamington.

To add fuel to the fire, the show’s host, NZ comedian Hayley Sproull, said she “loves a lammy”. I think Australians can agree it’s affectionately known as a “lammo”. Outrageous.

Anyway, back to the lamington’s birthplace.

The lamington was first created in Queensland somewhere between the 1890s and 1920s.

The earliest known reference of its official title and creation is from June 1927 in a newspaper article in the now defunct The Sydney Mail, where its name was linked to Lord Lamington, who was Governor of Queensland from 1986 to 1901.

The recipe’s inventor is oft disputed, though it’s widely believed Lord Lamington’s French chef, Armand Galland, created it on short notice at Old Government House in Brisbane in 1900 when he was asked to feed hungry guests with limited ingredients in the kitchen.

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The lamington has spawned many new creations but one thing remains – it’s an Aussie classic.

Lord Lamington’s entourage were said to be blown away by the tasty creation and asked for the recipe, in an account that was supported by Lord Lamington’s wife, Lady Lamington, in memoirs she wrote to her children.

While Toowoomba has also claimed to be the host city of the OG lammo, a curator of Old Government House claimed in 2009 she was confident the treat was created at the historic residence.

It is possible Fleischl fell victim to The Guardian’s April Fool’s Day Joke in 2014, where it printed that the lamington was originally from New Zealand and known as the “wellington”.

The publication later confirmed this was a sick prank.

The Great Kiwi Bake Off airs 8.30pm Tuesdays on LifeStyle Food