Vanilla Traybake

  • Preparation Time : 20 minutes
  • Serves : 20
  • Type : Breakfast

This simple recipe gives you a delicious basic sponge that’s perfect topped with buttercream. We used our Lakeland Traybake Brownie Tin for evenly-baked perfection, with 20 even slices thanks to the portion guides – so no arguing over who gets the biggest piece!

Sue’s a great friend of Lakeland (she writes lots of our recipes) and has been writing about food and cookery for many years, supplying features and recipes to many popular women’s magazines, websites and food companies. As a member of the Guild of Food Writers, she believes that great-tasting food shouldn’t be difficult, expensive or time-consuming to prepare, and that it’s important to have well-written recipes that are easy to follow and give great results. Just like this one!

Why not have a go at our other delicious traybake recipes too?

Ingredients

  • For the sponge
  • 200g butter at room temperature
  • 200g caster sugar 
  • 3 large eggs 
  • 1tsp vanilla extract 
  • 225g self-raising flour 
  • Generous pinch salt 
  • 3 tbsp milk 
  • For the vanilla buttercream
  • 100g butter at room temperature
  • 200g icing sugar 
  • 1½ tsp vanilla extract 

Top tip!

Add a few drops of red food colouring to half the buttercream, then pipe each colour in rosettes over the top of the cake for a very pretty effect.

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/Gas 4. Line the base of your brownie tin with baking paper.
  2. Beat the butter for a few seconds in a large mixing bowl to soften it, then add the caster sugar. Beat well until light and fluffy, using a hand-held electric mixer or wooden spoon. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  3. Sift the flour and salt into the bowl, then fold it in gently using a large metal spoon. Do not beat the mixture at this stage. Add the milk and stir it through gently.
  4. Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface with a palette knife or the back of a spoon. Bake in the centre of the oven for 35-38 minutes, until risen and springy when touched lightly. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and remove the lining paper. Leave to cool completely.
  5. For the buttercream, beat the butter in a large mixing bowl until creamy, then gradually beat in the icing sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract, then use to decorate the top of the cake. To make the flowery decorations see our a href="/inspiration/easter-flowers-traybake/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Easter flowers traybake recipe.

By | 15 June 2022