Lamingtons

Cream butter and sugar

Beat the softened butter and caster sugar together until pale and fluffy.

Add eggs and vanilla

Beat in the eggs one at a time with the vanilla extract until smooth.

Fold in flour and milk

Fold in the self-raising flour alternately with the milk until you have a smooth batter.

Bake the sponge

Spread the batter into a lined square baking tin and bake in a moderate oven until a skewer comes out clean.

Cool completely

Cool the sponge fully in the tin, then chill it so it firms up before cutting.

Cut into squares

Trim the crusts and cut the sponge into even squares.

Make the chocolate icing

Whisk the icing sugar, cocoa powder and milk together over low heat into a smooth, runny chocolate icing.

Dip and coat

Dip each sponge square into the warm chocolate icing, letting the excess drip off, then roll it in desiccated coconut.

Set before serving

Leave the lamingtons on a wire rack until the icing sets before serving.