Vanilla Traybake

Although this Vanilla Traybake is simple, it’s light and fluffy crumb should not be overlooked. It is the perfect cake to keep simple for everyday treats or glitz up for a celebration or party.

A super simple vanilla traybake

Everyone has different skill levels when it comes to baking. Having said that, even experienced bakers like a nice and simple cake in their repertoires.

This vanilla traybake is not only a simple bake, but is incredibly easy to decorate too. No fancy equipment or piping required.

Obviously you can make this cake as grand and fancy as you like, but it will also look great kept uncomplicated. Afterall, a cake this delicious speaks for itself!

What kind of vanilla should you use?

You can use either vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, depending on which you prefer.

Whichever vanilla you decide to use, try to buy a good quality vanilla. If you can, aim to buy pure vanilla extract as this has very few ingredients and doesn’t have any additives or preservatives. This is usually brown in colour.

Pure vanilla extract will provide you with a stronger, deeper vanilla flavour which makes this cake even more delicious.

Vanilla bean paste adds a delicious flavour, but also little black flecks to the cake which give the appearance of a higher-end bake. It is a bit more expensive than vanilla extract however so use which you prefer.

You can also add some vanilla to the buttercream for even more vanilla yummy-ness. Whichever you use will give you a delicious cupcake! 

I would avoid using vanilla essence or flavouring if you can. These are more artificial in taste and won’t give you as good a flavour. 

Should I use margarine or butter?

When I am baking cakes that require the fat and sugar to be creamed, I tend to use margarine. 

This is because you can use it straight from the fridge and don’t have to wait for it to come up to room temperature like you do with butter.

I have been using margarine in my cakes for years now and I have never had any complaints about their texture or flavour. You can absolutely use butter if you prefer but make sure it is unsalted butter. 

When it comes to buttercream, you have to use unsalted butter. Margarine would not work in this instance. 

what size tin to use

I use a 10×8″ (approx 25x20cm) traybake tin for this cake. This is a fairly standard traybake size tin to use. However this cake is quite forgiving and if your tin is slightly different you should be absolutely fine.

I’m not saying use a completely different sized tin, but if it it slightly smaller or bigger you will just need to adjust the baking time either way.

how to decorate this vanilla traybake

As I’ve already mentioned, it is up to you whether you keep this traybake simple or go all-out with the decorations.

More often than not, I just use a pallet knife to spread the buttercream over the cake. I leave it looking quite rustic as I think it looks charming and is also a look everyone can achieve.

You can keep it as it is or add some sprinkles for a bit of fun.

Alternatively you can get your piping bag out and create all sorts of patterns and writing over the cake. It is the perfect blank canvas to pipe lettering or create scenes – if you feel up to it.

how many people does this vanilla traybake serve?

I always find this a difficult question because everyone’s appetite for cake is different – just ask my father in law!

This traybake can serve 20 people but can easily be cut into smaller or larger pieces depending on how many people you are feeding.

20 pieces gives you a good sized portion in my opinion, but I know a lot of people would prefer it if you cut it into 12 larger pieces. Or you could always be like my friends that I gave some of this cake to and just dig in with two spoons!

how long will this traybake keep for?

This cake will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days. After this it might start to loose some of it’s light fluffiness.

If you want the cake to keep for longer, or you want to make it ahead of time I would recommend freezing it.

can you freeze this cake?

If you want to make the cake in advance to save time at a later date, you can freeze the cake.

Make sure it is completely cooled before wrapping it tightly in clingfilm (saran wrap). You want to make sure it has a couple of layers covering it to keep it fully protected.

Although you can freeze the cake with the buttercream (not the sprinkles), I prefer to freeze them separately. You can then defrost them and assemble as you usually would.

I wouldn’t recommend freezing the cake for longer than three months so it stays light and fluffy. When you are ready to eat the cake, let it defrost at room temperature for a few hours. You can then go ahead and decorate.

variations to this traybake

This is a fantastic cake to make small tweaks to so you can create unlimited options for all occasions.

Instead of vanilla you could add lemon, orange or lime zest for a citrus burst. Add some zest to the buttercream too for extra flavour.

You could also keep the cake vanilla and instead use chocolate buttercream or chocolate cream cheese frosting. Both would be absolutely delicious.

For a summery dessert, you could use lightly whipped cream instead of buttercream and decorate with strawberries and other fruit.

other recipes you might like

• Vanilla Cupcakes
• Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberries & Whipped Cream
• Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes
• Apple Traybake with Yogurt Sponge
• Chocolate Orange Traybake

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