Preheat the oven to 170°C, fan forced. To make the cake whisk the sugar, eggs and vanilla paste together for 2min on a medium speed. The ingredients should be well combined and the eggs would have a lighter colour. Slowly add the milk and oil while whisking.
Combine the baking powder with the self-raising flour. Beat it in the mixture in parts, not all at once. Finally fold in the shredded coconut. Pour the batter in a small rectangular deep baking dish (mine measured 28cmx23cm) and bake for 35-40min on the middle rack. The cake should be golden brown and a skewer pierced in the middle should come out clean.
Pour the cold syrup all over the hot cake evenly and garnish with some shredded coconut. You may toast the coconut if you wish for a difference in colour and texture. Allow it to cool down in the baking dish and then cut it. You may keep the coconut syrup cake in the fridge for up to 5 days.