For the Hot Milk Sponge Cake:

1. Place the eggs (while still in the shell) in a bowl of warm water. This will warm them up and help them whip to a higher volume. Let them sit while you prep the cake pans and the ingredients.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
3. Grease and flour two 8-inch square cake pans, and place some parchment paper in the bottom of the pans.
4. In a saucepan, place the milk and butter over low heat until the butter melts. Keep the pan on the lowest heat setting to stay warm while you beat the eggs.
5. In a large mixing bowl, crack the warm eggs and add the sugar. Beat on high speed for about 8 to 15 minutes until the mixture triples in volume and becomes pale yellow in color.
6. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt over the egg mixture. Carefully fold in using a spatula until just combined; some flour streaks should still be visible.
7. Add the vanilla extract to the warm milk mixture and pour it into the batter. Stir by hand, scraping the sides and bottom to incorporate all the flour.
8. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
9. Bake for 30-34 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Begin checking at 30 minutes.
10. Once baked, set the pans on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes before removing the cakes from the pans to cool completely.

For the Raspberry Glaze and Coconut Coating:

1. In a small dish, sprinkle the gelatin over the top of ¼ cup of water and let it soften for 5 minutes.
2. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 1 cup of water and sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the thawed raspberries and cook for 5-8 minutes.
3. Pour the mixture into a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl, pressing down to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the residue left in the strainer.
4. Microwave the gelatin until syrupy, about 10 seconds, then whisk it into the raspberry mixture.
5. Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a bowl, then pour the raspberry syrup over it and whisk until smooth. If desired, whisk in the red food coloring. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes until slightly thickened.

To Assemble:

1. Set a wire cooling rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper.
2. Using a sharp knife, trim the edges of the cooled sponge cake and cut it into 2-inch squares, or any size you prefer. Place the cut squares on a plate and transfer them to the freezer for 30 minutes.
3. Set up a 2-bowl dredging system: one bowl with the raspberry glaze and one with the desiccated coconut.
4. Remove the cake squares from the freezer. Holding a square with a fork, spoon the raspberry glaze over it, turning it to coat completely, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. With the fork still inserted in the glazed cake, hold it over the coconut bowl and sprinkle coconut on all sides of the cake. Place the coated cake on the wire rack.
5. Continue coating all the cake squares and place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to set the glaze.