Gluten-free Lamington Recipe with Jam Filling (Low Carb Too!)

So I am still on my jam recipe kick.  So many jams, so many desserts!  But this lamington recipe with jam filling is over the top good. 

This recipe starts with a creamy vanilla cake layered with sweet strawberry jam and topped with dark chocolate and coconut.  Yeah, right? 

No lies, this recipe does take a bit of work, and if you are anything like me, it will make a mess of your kitchen. 

I can tell you after eating one the effort is worth it. 

These lamingtons are fairly large servings and clock in at 6.5 net carbs per slice.    Keto dieters can make these half the size, and cut down on carbs.   Even at half size, they are still super satisfying.   

I mean I could have made them smaller, but I thought a 2×2 square was going to be a good size.  It turns out once you add the filling and the coatings, they bulk up. 

Jam Filled Lamingtons with an extra layer of mystery 

Ok, so traditional lamingtons don’t tend to have a layer of whipped cream filling – I know, I am totally looney.  

This step is entirely optional, but boy does it make these little squares sing.   

You have all kinds of options with this lamington recipe.  Whip cream, no whip cream, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, you can even go wild and use any flavor jam you want.  It all works!

 

A bit about the lamington cake

This lamington recipe with jam filling starts with a simple gluten-free vanilla cream cake.  This cake is dense and moist and the perfect base for these lamington squares. 

The density is what allows the cake to slice without crumbling into a billion bits.  The addition of xanthan gum helps to create that density. 

Don’t skip the Xanthumn gum in this recipe; it’s the ingredient that holds this all together and helps create perfect slices.  

If the cakes crack a little bit, no worries, small cracks are perfectly fine.  The filling and the chocolate keep everything together, so don’t fret if your cake cracks a little.  Mine did, you can see it in the photo. I didn’t wait until the cake was thoroughly cooled, and it caused those cracks.

Tips:

Here is a tip to getting a perfectly level layer cake.   When the cake comes out of the oven, use a clean tea towel and press it over the top of the cake to level it out.  

Tips for the lamington filling and cutting neat pieces

Tips for the chocolate & coconut coatings (oy what a mess!)

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler on low heat.  I find low carb and sugar-free chocolate is a bit fussy when melted, and high temperatures do tend to change the textures in not so great ways.  That means avoiding the microwave.  

I’ve burned too many bowls of low carb chocolate in the microwave.  

Use a small plate and drizzle about 1. 5 tablespoons of melted chocolate over the top of each square, and smear it around the top and sides with a small offset spatula.  I found this to be the best way of getting chocolate all over the lamington. 

Dipping was a disaster and added far too much chocolate to the squares.  Spreading it around kept the layers thin. 

For the coconut topping, process 3 cups of unsweetened fancy shred coconut in a food processor.  You can skip this step, but I found the texture of the superfine coconut was a better addition to the chocolate.   Shredding the coconut is a completely optional step, but I think it made the lamingtons look better. 

What sweeteners are best?

~This post may contain affiliate links.  If you click one and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. 

I only ever recommend what ingredients or tools I use for my recipes.  You can read more about our disclosure policy here ~

Use your favorite 1:1 sugar substitute in this lamington recipe with jam filling. 

Powered is preferred over granular, as it blends better and creates a better texture.   Erythritol and xylitol also tend to get grainy when cold, but I found the powdered versions to do it much less. 

If you don’t have powdered erythritol or xylitol and only have granular, go ahead and give it a blast with a high-speed blender, or food processor.  

My favorite powdered sweetener by far is So Nourished Monk Fruit Blend; I find it has almost no aftertaste at all.  The blend of the erythritol and monk fruit works well. 

Swerve. Allulose and stevia will work perfectly fine here as well as does any powdered erythritol or xylitol brand. 

Just remember, xylitol is poisonous to dogs and cats, so if that’s your choice and you have little furry friends running around, be aware that it can be deadly for them.  

Don’t forget about the Strawberry jam filling

You have several options for the strawberry jam filling. 

1. You can make your shelf-stable strawberry filling.  I am big into having a pantry filled with stable shelf staples where I control the ingredients and the level of sweetness.  I make my jams, so when I want to make desserts like this, I can pull a jar out of the cupboard.  If you check out my strawberry jam recipe, you will see my trick to getting perfectly gelled stable shelf jams that taste just like regular jam.   
2. You can also use commercially no-sugar-added or low carb jams.  Just be mindful that these jams have different nutritional values and you will need to verify the carb counts if you use premade jam. 
3.  Probably the easiest – cook down strawberries on the stove with a bit of sweetener until it naturally gels and thickens.  

I’ve added nutritional information for the 3rd option to the recipe.  

storage suggestions for your lamington recipe with jam filling

Serve these lamingtons at room temperature.   Storing them in the fridge will make the chocolate hard.  Still tasty, but the texture is far better if they are at room temperature.

If you use the whip cream filling, be sure to eat them the same day.  They tend not to last as long, and the whipped cream filling gets a bit too soft. 

You can store the lamingtons in the refrigerator, but it does harden the chocolate quite a bit.

The cake freezes beautifully, so you can make that in advance and thaw before assembly. 

Oh, and they are great with a hot cup of coffee!

Want More Low Carb Jam filled Dessert Ideas?

How about this epic black forest cake with cherry jam filling?

We also have these delicious raspberry coconut slice bars.  These simple raspberry squares are SO good the next day.  Amazing with a hot cup of tea. 

Or these blueberry jam ripple cheesecake bars.  Yup, they are as good as they sound.