Unofficial home of the coconut covered treat, Old Government House at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) will play host to National Lamington Day celebrations on July 21, where it honours the “little cake with a big history”.

The exact birthplace of the chocolatey treat is a sticky point between Brisbane’s Old Government House and Toowoomba’s Harlaxton House.

“The history of the lamington is always up for grabs, but we believe it was Old Government House where it was first made,” QUT historian and Old Government House curator Dr Katie McConnel said.

“It was such a popular treat, but there is very little written evidence about its history, even in Lady Lamington’s journal.”

It is popularly believed the lamington was born of necessity – it was French chef, Armand Galland’s answer to the perennial problem of unexpected visitors coming up the path.

In order to feed the hungry guests, day old French vanilla cake was pulled from the pantry, covered in chocolate and coconut, sliced into petits fours and served for afternoon tea.

“Harlaxton House was the Lamington’s summer house, which we believe would not have been visited by the French chef, whom Lady Lamington’s descendants attribute as the inventor of the recipe,” Dr McConnel said.

The cake proved so popular that Lady Lamington was inundated with recipe requests.

Old Government House, at the QUT Gardens Point campus, will host free half hour tours at 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm and 1.30pm followed by coffee and lamingtons on the day, but Dr McConnel said there were only a few places left so bookings were essential.

To secure a spot phone 3138 8005 or visit www.ogh.qut.edu.au

Quick Bites:

* While the birthplace of the lamington is contested the one thing everyone agrees on is the Lamington was named in honour of the eighth governor of Queensland Lord Lamington and his wife.

* The first lamington recipe was printed in October, 1901; more than a year after the cake was served at the Lamington’s home at Old Government House.

* The lamington first appeared as a category in cake competitions in 1906.

* It is believed the quintessential Australian fundraiser, the Lamington Drive, become popular sometime around WWII.

* Lamingtons were originally made from butter cake, not sponge cake, as popularly believed.

* New Zealand also lay claim to the Lamington, as Armand Galland prepared the iconic cakes on his visit to the country for the Royal Visit.

* Today’s lamington is about four times larger than the original petit fours.