“Traybake” isn’t really part of the American baker’s vocabulary…unless she watches the Great British Baking Show, of course. Visitors to this blog know very well of my GBBS obsession, which lives on in full force
A traybake can be a cake, brownie, or other dessert baked in a rectangular pan. Ranging from the simple to the complex, traybakes are apparently a staple of family baking in Britain. This recipe is adapted from Mary Berry’s Fast Cakes: Easy Bakes in Minutes; I subbed oranges for limes because that’s what I had on hand. I suspect that I slightly over-baked my cake, but Mike’s coworkers registered no complaints. I also made the mistake of zesting my lemon and orange in advance, then trying to sprinkle the chilled zest over my icing; next time, I’ll zest the fruit straight onto the icing so it falls more evenly, rather than in clumps.
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 cup margarine* straight out of the fridge
- 1 cup superfine sugar
- 2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons lemon curd
- zest of 1/2 lemon
- zest of 1/2 orange
For the icing
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 3-4 tablespoons lemon and orange juice
- zest from 1/2 lemon
- zest from 1/2 orange
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 (or 9 x 12, if that’s what you have) baking tin and line it with parchment.
Place all cake ingredients in a mixer and beat well to combine, until batter is light and fluffy. Pour into prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes, until well risen and the top springs back slightly when gently pressed.
Remove from oven and cool completely before icing.
To make icing, place powdered sugar in a bowl and add 1 tablespoon lemon and orange juice at a time to make a smooth, thick drizzle icing. Pour over cake; spread with an offset spatula to cover completely. Top with lemon and orange zest.
Allow icing to set, then cut into 16 pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
amy bakes in the 'burgh 