Vanilla Tray Bake Recipes

VANILLA TRAY BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and grease and flour your 9 x 13 baking pan or spray with non-stick baking spray. *Parchment paper sheets can also be used for ease of lifting the tray bake out of the pan in one piece.
• In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, sift the dry ingredients including the cake flour (or substitute in the notes below), sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk the dry ingredients together.
• Cut the cubed butter into the flour mixture at medium speed, or using a pastry cutter, or a pair of knives cut in a crisscrossed motion, until the butter is small pieces that are about pea-size.
• Add the eggs and vanilla extract, then continue mixing at medium speed until the dry ingredients are just incorporated. Add the milk in two half-cup portions, slowly adding the first portion. Mix until the batter is smooth, then add the second half-cup portion of milk and mix until smooth.
• Transfer your batter to the prepared 9 x 13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25-30 minutes, checking at the 25 minute point of baking. The top of the cake should spring back from the touch, and an inserted knife or toothpick should come out clean when done.
• Remove the baked cake from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan, placed on a wire cooling rack. The cake needs to cool for at least 30 minutes before frosting.
• In a large mixing bowl (with a hand mixer), or the bowl of your stand mixer (with the paddle attachment), start beating the slightly softened butter at a medium speed.
• Add 4 1/2 cups confectioner sugar, 1/4 cup heavy cream, and a tablespoon of vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for about a minute (or until the confectioner's sugar won't blow out of the bowl) before increasing the speed to medium-high. Beat until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
• Depending on your desired frosting consistency (smooth for spreading, or firmer for piping) adjust the frosting thickness as needed. Add the additional confectioner's sugar if the frosting is too thin, or add a drizzle more of heavy cream to thin the frosting out. Taste and add a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness as needed.
• Once the vanilla cake is cooled, spread the frosting using an offset spatula to cover the cake. Or use a piping nozzle to decorate the cake and top with sprinkles if desired.

SCHOOL-DAYS SPRINKLE SPONGE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a 20 x 30cm cake tin and line with baking parchment. Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk for a few minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, flour, milk and vanilla and beat again until you have a smooth batter.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared tin, spread right to the corners and smooth the surface. Bake for 40-45 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean, checking at 5 min intervals if it isn't ready after 45 mins. Leave the sponge to cool on a wire rack.
• Mix the icing sugar with enough water to make a thick icing. Spread the icing over the cooled cake, then top with lots of sprinkles - the surface should be almost completely covered. Leave for at least 1 hr to set. Cut into squares and serve with hot custard, if you like.

CHOCOLATE CHIP TRAYBAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil the base and sides of a 33 x 23cm roasting tin that's at least 2.5cm deep. Line with baking parchment. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, sugar and a good pinch of salt in a large bowl. Break up any sugar lumps with a whisk.
• Whisk the oil together with the milk, vanilla and eggs in a jug, and pour into the dry ingredients, then stir in the chocolate chips. Stir well using a spatula until there are no pockets of flour. Pour the mix into the prepared tin and bake for 25-30 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If any wet mix clings to the skewer, return to the oven for 5 mins, then check again. Leave to cool in the tin for at least 20 mins.
• Meanwhile, make the icing. Melt the butter, then remove from the heat and stir in the icing sugar, cocoa powder and milk. The icing will be very runny, but will thicken a little as it cools. (If the icing has thickened too much before the cake has cooled, reheat it slightly to make it easier to pour.)
• Pour the chocolate icing over the cake and leave until it has set before slicing into squares.