Lovely lamingtons..

Australians claim these as their own but as a New Zealander we baked and ate them too, just like the iconic Pavlova. Whatever the truth both are classics and all Antipodeans will have some sort of memory of them, no doubt from their Mothers.

Lamingtons in particular are a 'fun' thing to bake with little ones as the mess tends to appeal. Just remember to cover everything as chocolate and coconut sticks to children and surfaces like glue.

125g unsalted butter -melted

300g unrefined caster sugar

250g sour cream

3 tsp vanilla extract

50ml sunflower oil

5 organic eggs

300g plain flour - g/f if required

3tsp baking powder - g/f if required

For the chocolate coating

300g dark chocolate or cocoa

30g cocoa

200g caster sugar

150ml milk

250/300g desiccated coconut - you may need more or less

25cm square tin lined with non stick paper

Heat oven to 170c/150c fan/325f/gas 3

Pour the melted butter into a mixing bowl with the sugar, sour cream,vanilla extract and oil, beat for a minute or so until nice and smooth, add the eggs one at a time and beat each one in well before adding the next. Sift in the flour and baking powder and stir well. Spoon the batter into the tin, cover the top with a lid of foil and bake for about an hour - removing foil after 40 mins. 

Test with a skewer after an hour,it should come out clean when ready.

Cool the cake in the tin, covering with cling film to keep moist.

Finely chop the chocolate then whisk the cocoa, sugar and milk in a pan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate and leave until just warm before using. Cut the cake

into squares then fill a roomy bowl with the coconut and dip each one into the chocolate mix until completely covered then coat each square in the coconut. Using a pair of forks helps with less mess.

Place on a wire rack to set.