Lamingtons

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl and whisk with an electric hand mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, adding 1 tablespoon of the flour with the last egg to prevent the mixture from curdling.
2. Sift half the remaining flour over the butter mixture and stir to combine. Stir in half the milk. Repeat with the remaining flour and milk. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and spread out evenly, right into the corners of the tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer pushed into the centre comes away cleanly.
3. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack (leave the baking paper in place). Cover with a damp tea towel and set aside overnight. The cake will be easier to handle the next day (see Make Ahead).
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4. The next day, 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. Add to the icing sugar and cocoa powder and stir until smooth.
5. Transfer the cake to a chopping board and peel away the baking paper. Trim away the side crusts and cut the remaining cake into 24 even squares.
6. Put the desiccated coconut in a shallow dish. Spear one piece of sponge onto a fork, hold over a bowl and spoon over to completely cover. Wait until the excess icing has dripped away then drop the square into the coconut and press it onto the surface of the icing until covered in an even coating. Transfer to the wire rack using a palette knife and leave for 1-2 hours or until set. Store in an airtight container (see Make Ahead).