Elevate your dessert game with our tasty vanilla traybake masterpiece, topped with a smooth vanilla cream cheese frosting…
Vanilla traybake holds a special place in the hearts of baking enthusiasts. Its simple yet delicious flavours make it a go-to recipe for any occasion. Whether you’re craving a sweet treat for afternoon tea or want to impress the guests at a dinner party, a classic vanilla traybake is a sure win. In this post, we will explore the vanilla traybake, the key ingredients and equipment needed to make it, step-by-step instructions to bake the perfect traybake, tips and tricks for a successful bake, variations to the classic recipe, storage and serving suggestions, and frequently asked questions. Let’s dive into it!
The Joy of Traybakes
If you’re a fan of classic, delicious, and easy-to-make cakes, then you’re in for a treat! Vanilla traybakes are a baking favourite for many reasons. They are versatile, crowd-pleasing, and perfect for any occasion, whether it’s a birthday party, afternoon tea, or a simple family gathering.
Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a beginner in the kitchen, this post will give you all the knowledge and inspiration you need to create a delicious vanilla traybake that will leave everyone wanting more. So, let’s get started!
The Secret to a Perfect Traybake
The key to a perfect traybake lies in a few simple techniques and ingredients. Follow these tips to ensure that your vanilla traybake turns out soft, tender, and full of flavour.
Room Temperature Ingredients: This allows for better mixing and ensures that the cake bakes evenly. Cold ingredients can result in a denser and less moist texture.
Proportions: Measure your flour accurately and avoid overmixing the batter. Overmixing can lead to a tough and dry cake. Gently fold in the flour until just combined.
Baking Time and Temperature: Every oven is different, so it’s important to check for doneness by inserting a toothpick or skewer into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, the cake is ready. Overbaking can result in a dry and crumbly traybake, so be careful with the baking time.
Choosing the Right Vanilla Extract
Choosing the right vanilla extract is crucial for achieving the best flavour in your vanilla traybake. There are loads of options out there and it’s important to opt for a high-quality vanilla extract to enhance the taste of your cake. Look for extract and not essence. Extract is where the flavour is at!
Look for vanilla extracts that are made from real vanilla beans and contain no artificial additives or flavours. Pure vanilla extract is the most common and widely used type, as it provides a rich and authentic vanilla flavour.
Another option is to use vanilla bean paste, which is made from vanilla beans and offers a more intense and concentrated vanilla flavour.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Vanilla Sponge Traybake Recipe
- Simple and quick to make
- Fluffy moist crumb that stays moist for upto 3 days
- Smooth soft creamy frosting
- Great for gatherings
Equipment
I used a 12″ x 8″ roasting tray with high sides for this recipe as I wanted the traybake to be quite deep when I cut it into individual portions. You can use a standard 14″ x 10″ baking tray but the portions will be thinner.
Stand Mixer with paddle attachment – I used a stand mixer to beat the butter and sugar and then for beating the other ingredients. If you don’t have a stand mixer you can use a hand mixer with the beater attachments.
Kitchen scales and measuring cups – as with baking, you need a good set of scales to measure out all your ingredients properly to make sure the recipe works.
Measuring spoons- when baking, I like to use measuring spoons as they are more exact and consistent. Use these for the best results.
Vanilla Sponge Traybake Ingredients
- Plain flour – for making the cake batter
- Unsalted butter – to cream with the sugar to give lift to the cake and texture.
- Vanilla extract – to provide a lovely vanilla flavour throughout the cake
- Large eggs – to bring the other ingredients together and form a batter
- Buttermilk – to help make a fluffy cake with a soft crumb
- Caster sugar – to sweeten the cake
- Baking Powder – to allow the cake to rise
How To Make Vanilla Traybake Cake
- Measure out all your ingredients
Get prepared by measuring out all your ingredients so you are ready to start baking!
- Make the cream cheese frosting
To make the frosting, use room-temperature butter and beat with the cream cheese in a large bowl until combined and thoroughly mixed. Add the icing sugar in thirds and beat until mixed. Cover and place in the fridge until needed.
- Cream the butter and sugar
Using a stand mixer, cream the room-temperature butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy and pale in colour. This helps to give the cake a nice texture and get some air into the mixture.
- Add the eggs, vanilla and buttermilk
Add one egg at a time to the stand mixer, then add the vanilla and buttermilk. It is normal for the mixture to look split at this stage – don’t worry it comes together once you add the flour. The mixture can tend to stick to the sides of the bowl so don’t forget to periodically scrape down the sides. This way everything will get mixed properly.
- Add in the flour
Add the flour to the mixing bowl one third at a time until it is all fully incorporated, scraping down the sides if needed.
- Add mixture to a baking tray
Add the mixture to a greased or lined baking pan and spread out using a palette knife until the mixture is flat and even and fills the tin
- Bake
Bake the sponge at 180°C for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean and the cake is nice and golden
- Frosting
Once the cake has cooled on a wire rack, the frosting can be added and spread over the top of the cake using a palette knife or spatula. Sprinkles can then be added
Hints & Tips
- Temperature is key – Make sure all your eggs and butter are at room temperature before baking. Cut the butter into cubes to get to room temperature quicker. These ingredients mix better at room temperature. If the butter is too cold this can lead to overmixing and can cause a dense vanilla traybake cake. To ensure the butter mixes fully with the cream cheese it needs to be soft. I like to leave my butter out overnight so that the next day it creams very easily with the sugar but also mixes super easy with the cream cheese.
- Creaming the sugar – whisk until pale yellow and fluffy to get some air into the mixture. This step is important to stop the butter from separating from the rest of the ingredients when baking.
- Don’t Overmix – Once the flour is added, don’t overmix the batter. Mix just enough to combine well. We want to keep the cake nice and fluffy
- Prepare your baking tray – make sure your tray is well-greased or lined to prevent the sponge sticking to the tray!
- Oven Temperature – Cooking times can vary depending on the size of the tray you use and also your oven. I would start checking your sponge after 20 minutes for doneness by using a skewer inserted into the cake. If it comes out clean it’s ready! Remember to preheat the oven for a good 20 minutes or so to get up to the correct temperature. If the oven is not hot enough you won’t get enough rise. If its too hot, the vanilla sponge traybake can collapse on itself.
Variations
- No Buttermilk? Make your own by adding a 1/4 tsp of vinegar or lemon juice to 60ml whole milk and set it aside for 15 minutes. Once it thickens slightly it is ready to go. You can also swap out the buttermilk for plain whole milk.
- Self-raising flour – if you have self-raising flour you can use this instead of plain flour. This will mean you will also not need the baking powder!
- Sprinkles – I used ‘hundreds and thousands’ type sprinkles but you can top the cake with any of your favourite cake sprinkles.
Storage
- This vanilla traybake cake will keep for upto 3 days in the fridge, after that it starts to go a bit tough and stale
- The sponge freezes well (minus the frosting). You can either freeze it whole or in individual portions. Cover well with tinfoil and place in a freezer-safe ziplock bag for up to 3 months.
Try Another Recipe
Easy Vanilla Tray Bake
Ingredients
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 250 g plain flour
- 250 g unsalted butter
- 250 g caster sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup buttermilk 60ml
- Frosting
- 280 g cream cheese
- 140 g unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- To make the frosting – whip together room temperature butter, vanilla extract and cream cheese using a hand mixer until thoroughly combined and smooth. Add the icing sugar in thirds, mixing well between each addition to ensure it gets thoroughly mixed in.
- Cover and set aside in the fridge while you make the cake
- Beat room temperature butter with the caster sugar in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment until light and fluffy and pale
- Add one egg at a time and continue to mix. It is normal for the mixture to look split at this stage
- Add the vanilla extract and the butter milk and mix
- Add the sifted flour and baking powder in thirds, mixing well between each addition
- Once the batter has come together, add to a well greased and lined baking tray and even out with a pallet knife
- Bake at 180℃ for 30 minutes (see note) until a skewer comes out clean and the cake is golden
- Let cool completely before spreading the frosting over the top
- Add 2 tablespoons of sprinkles before cutting and serving