Bakewell Slices are a British classic. A layer of pastry covered with delicious raspberry jam topped with an almond flavoured sponge. Such a tasty treat.
What are Bakewell Slices?
If you haven’t heard or tried a Bakewell Slice you are definitely missing out. They are a classic British tray bake with three unique layers.
The bottom layer is shortcrust pastry covered liberally with raspberry jam. This is topped with delicious almond flavoured sponge that is sprinkled with flaked almonds. They are so tasty!
I am a huge fan of the flavour combinations; so much so that I have made two cake versions. Check out my Raspberry Bakewell Cake and Blueberry & Lemon Bakewell Cake.
Don’t be nervous about making your own pastry
Being completely honest, pastry is not my strong point. For some reason I completely lack the ability to roll pastry out in anything that resembles a rectangle.
This is why I use shop bought ready-rolled pastry in recipes like my Mustard & Sage Sausage Rolls.
Don’t be scared about making your own pastry for these Bakewell Slices. And if like me, you struggle to roll out perfect rectangles don’t let that worry you.
You can always patch the pastry together so no one will know if it’s not perfect. Also no one is going to inspect the bottom of your Bakewell Slices that closely anyway!
Tips for baking Bakewell Slices
The tin I use is 20 x 26cms. This is the largest tin I would recommend using. Any bigger and the pastry layer would be too thin. If you have a slightly smaller tin, this would be ideal.
As I have mentioned, rolling pastry isn’t my top skill. I recommend rolling out your pastry the best you can and then patching it together to fill the bottom of the tin.
I prefer to do this rather than to keep re-rolling the pastry to try and get the perfect size because pastry doesn’t like being handled too much.
A tip is to dot the sponge mixture over the jam before spreading it out. I think this is easier and helps you keep the sponge mixture free from jam streaks.
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Bakewell Slices
Bakewell Slices are a British classic. A layer of pastry covered with delicious raspberry jam topped with an almond flavoured sponge. Such a tasty treat.
Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry
- 175 g plain flour
- 75 g butter
- 3 - 5 tbsp cold water
For the sponge
- 100 g margarine softened
- 100 g caster sugar
- 155 g self raising flour
- 25 g ground almonds
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp milk
- ½ tsp almond extract
To finish
- 150 g raspberry jam
- 2 tbsp flaked almonds
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan assisted, 180°C non fan)
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Make the pastry by adding the flour into a bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs
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Add enough water to form a soft dough. Add it gradually because you might not need to add it all
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Lightly flour your surface and roll your pastry out so it is large enough to line the bottom of a 20 x 26 cm tin. You can always patch up the pastry
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Measure all of the sponge ingredients into a bowl and beat until all of the ingredients are combined
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Spread the pastry with the raspberry jam leaving a small gap around the outside
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Dot the sponge mix on top of the jam and spread out making sure you completely cover the jam
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Sprinkle with the flaked almonds and bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until the cake has shrunk from the sides of the tin and springs back when you press the centre with your finger
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Leave to cool in the tin and then turn out and cut into slices
Recipe Notes
Keep in an airtight container for 3 - 4 days.
Nutritional information is given as a guide only and my vary.
Laura@ Baking in Pyjamas says
I love bakewell slices, these look wonderful. Thanks for linking up to Sweet and Savoury Sunday, stop by and link up again. Have a great day!!
martyn says
Wow!! These look lovely!! Must give this a try!! #SundaySweets
Cat says
Thanks đ They’re easier than I thought they would be too!
Toni @ Gym Bunny Mummy says
Mmmm these look so good, I love a good Bakewell. Thanks so much for linking up to #SundaySweets hope to see you back next week x
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tastebotanical says
These look delicious – fantastic for a tea-time treat or to go in lunch boxes as a mid-morning snack!
Veronica says
These look so soft and yummy. I love a bakewell tart – I could eat a slice right now!!!!
Curly says
Thank you very much Veronica. It’s such a tasty classic isn’t it!
Chloe Edges says
I love a classic British recipe with a twist. A tray-bake is a much more sensible way of combining these flavours!
Curly says
Thanks Chloe, it’s nice and easy too!
Susannah George says
Hiya. I am so glad to have found your recipe and definitely going to give it a try. Just checking do I need to blind bake the pastry? Many thanks
Curly says
Hi Susannah, no you don’t it all cooks together at the same time đ Hope you like them.
Cynthia says
Hi Cat, Well Iâve just used your recipe to make these Bakewell Slices, (first time Iâve made any!). But thought I would have ago & hopefully please my Son who loves Almond Slices. Everything went fine, glad I read your comment on âPastry Fixing as I did have to do a couple of patches! I did wonder if Jam would seep into sponge mixture, but dotting it onto pastry was a good tip. Just taken tray bake out of oven & it looks just like yours so letâs hope they will get the âthumbs upâ!
Will let you know.
Curly says
Hi Cynthia! Ooh I hope you liked them! Ah yes, pastry fixing is the perfect secret that only you as the baker needs to know about!
Elizabeth says
I just made this beautiful. But to be honest my pastry wasnât enough cooked. I did follow the recipe.
Curly says
Sorry to hear this, were you able to put it back in for a couple of minutes?
Anisha Mistry says
Love these bakewell slices, so easy to make and so tasty! It was the first time I made pastry from scratch, didnât realise how easy it was. Took me a while to patch it up but it turned out great!
Curly says
So pleased you like them Anisha. Haha it takes me a while to patch up the pastry too sometimes, but the good thing is no one can see it so it can be our little secret!
JMJ says
I tried this recipe for the first time almost a year ago and I must have made them about 10 times since – great recipe, easy to follow and a huge hit with my husband
Curly says
Oh fantastic! So pleased you both liked them!
Fizz says
Hi I tried your recipe.
But my base was hard not soft.
Is this how it should be
Curly says
Hi Fizz. The bottom layer is pastry so it isn’t meant to be soft like the cake layer. It sounds like it is as it should be.