Lamingtons recipe
 Lamingtons are hugely popular in Australia and we can see why. Moist vanilla sponge is dipped in a rich chocolate icing and coated in coconut – delicious! See the recipe tips if you enjoy yours filled with jam. You will need to make the cake the day before decorating and serving. 175g/6oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing175g/6oz caster sugar2 tsp vanilla extract or paste3 free-range eggs, lightly beaten150g/5½oz plain flour25g/1oz cornflour2 tsp baking powderpinch salt2 tbsp milk or soured cream 175g/6oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 175g/6oz caster sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract or paste 3 free-range eggs, lightly beaten 150g/5½oz plain flour 25g/1oz cornflour 2 tsp baking powder pinch salt 2 tbsp milk or soured cream 175g/6oz dark chocolate, minimum 64% cocoa solids, chopped40g/1½oz unsalted butter200ml/7fl oz milk300g/10½oz icing sugar25g/1oz cocoa powder250g/9oz desiccated coconut 175g/6oz dark chocolate, minimum 64% cocoa solids, chopped 40g/1½oz unsalted butter 200ml/7fl oz milk 300g/10½oz icing sugar 25g/1oz cocoa powder 250g/9oz desiccated coconut Method Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm/8in square cake tin with baking paper. To make the cake, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy using an electric mixer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula from time to time. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually add the eggs, mixing well between each addition. Sift the flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt into the bowl. Add the milk and mix again until smooth.Scoop the cake mixture into the prepared tin and spread level using the back of a spoon or palette knife. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown, well-risen and a wooden skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely (ideally overnight).To make the coating, melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir until smooth, remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Warm the milk in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a large bowl, gradually add the warmed milk and mix until smooth. Add the melted chocolate mixture and mix again until smooth. Leave for 30 minutes to cool and thicken slightly,Cut the cake into 16 squares. Tip the coconut onto a baking tray. Push one cake square on the tines of a large dinner fork and dip into the chocolate glaze to completely coat. Hold the cake above the bowl and sharply tap the underside of the fork on the edge of the bowl to allow any excess chocolate glaze to drip off the cake and back into the bowl. Place the chocolate-coated cake in the desiccated coconut and roll it around so that it is completely coated in coconut. Repeat until all the cakes are glazed and coated in coconut. Leave to set for at least 1 hour, or until the icing is firm, before serving. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm/8in square cake tin with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm/8in square cake tin with baking paper. To make the cake, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy using an electric mixer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula from time to time. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually add the eggs, mixing well between each addition. Sift the flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt into the bowl. Add the milk and mix again until smooth. To make the cake, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy using an electric mixer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula from time to time. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually add the eggs, mixing well between each addition. Sift the flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt into the bowl. Add the milk and mix again until smooth. Scoop the cake mixture into the prepared tin and spread level using the back of a spoon or palette knife. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown, well-risen and a wooden skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Scoop the cake mixture into the prepared tin and spread level using the back of a spoon or palette knife. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown, well-risen and a wooden skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely (ideally overnight). Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely (ideally overnight). To make the coating, melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir until smooth, remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Warm the milk in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a large bowl, gradually add the warmed milk and mix until smooth. Add the melted chocolate mixture and mix again until smooth. Leave for 30 minutes to cool and thicken slightly, To make the coating, melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir until smooth, remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Warm the milk in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a large bowl, gradually add the warmed milk and mix until smooth. Add the melted chocolate mixture and mix again until smooth. Leave for 30 minutes to cool and thicken slightly, Cut the cake into 16 squares. Tip the coconut onto a baking tray. Push one cake square on the tines of a large dinner fork and dip into the chocolate glaze to completely coat. Hold the cake above the bowl and sharply tap the underside of the fork on the edge of the bowl to allow any excess chocolate glaze to drip off the cake and back into the bowl. Place the chocolate-coated cake in the desiccated coconut and roll it around so that it is completely coated in coconut. Repeat until all the cakes are glazed and coated in coconut. Leave to set for at least 1 hour, or until the icing is firm, before serving. Cut the cake into 16 squares. Tip the coconut onto a baking tray. Push one cake square on the tines of a large dinner fork and dip into the chocolate glaze to completely coat. Hold the cake above the bowl and sharply tap the underside of the fork on the edge of the bowl to allow any excess chocolate glaze to drip off the cake and back into the bowl. Place the chocolate-coated cake in the desiccated coconut and roll it around so that it is completely coated in coconut. Repeat until all the cakes are glazed and coated in coconut. Leave to set for at least 1 hour, or until the icing is firm, before serving. Recipe tips As an optional extra, before coating the cake in the chocolate, cut each little cake square in half and spread with 1 teaspoon of jam. Sandwich the cakes back together, dip in the chocolate glaze and decorate as normal.