When it comes to baking, traybakes are the unsung heroes of the dessert world. They’re easy to prepare and perfect for cooking for larger groups or sharing. If you’re not a confident baker, they also bring the safety net of the tray; holding everything together with no detailed pastry work or leakage proofing required.
This is a perfect way to spend an hour or two at the weekend, as the evenings close in and the weather turns. I’ll usually make them to portion down and store in the fridge. You’ll find they make the perfect pairing for a cup of tea during the week.
The greatest joy, however, is always the first portion when they come out of the oven. While it is still slightly warm and wobbling, I’ll cut a square and top it with a large ball of vanilla ice cream. I’ve had many intricate flavour pairings and world-class meals through the years, but the combination of warm cake and cold vanilla ice cream is still top of the charts when it comes to comfort. Don’t miss out on this one.
First up is the classic Bakewell tart, named after a town in Derbyshire in England and not because it was simply baked well, as I had previously thought. It involves a crispy pastry base lined with raspberry jam. This is then covered with a thick layer of frangipane, which is essentially a rich almond paste set with eggs, and scented with vanilla. Flaked almonds are placed on top, ready to toast up in the oven as it bakes.
You can also use the same system and change up the jam flavour if you fancy. I love it with blackberry jam and some fresh blackberries set down into the almond cream before it bakes.
I also add a touch of plain flour to the frangipane mix. This is not traditional, but it just makes life a little easier when you’re baking, and stabilises the mix.
The second is a carrot cake, one of my all-time favourites. The addition of spice and a touch of orange zest in the mix is the key. It’ll also appear quite wet when mixed, which can be a little jarring, but fear not, it will deliver a lovely, moist finish.
I’ll often make the cake mix in advance before icing on the day I need it. It will freeze down nicely too. Acidity in the icing is key, so don’t be shy with the lemon juice.
I even added some carrot tops to match my hair.
