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Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm/8in square cake tin with baking paper.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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).

5. 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,

6. 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.