Delicious Tray Bakes.

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This post for Traybake recipes is a post most close to my heart. They are a family mainstay and the easiest way to bake for a larger crowd. Just so simple and down to earth. This Carrot Cake is one of my oldest and most trusted recipes. I cannot recall a single instance that it has ever not delivered.

Traybakes are almost made for the school holidays. They are just the best especially when you’re entertaining a group of children.

They are perfect for mass sharing with Tom, Dick and Harry. Any left overs can be placed in Tupperware for a nibble later or even better a midnight feast. I’m obviously not advocating secret snaffling in the dark in men’s pyjamas…….that’s not me at all…….no.

I love them for their simplicity and easy serving ability. I love them for how they make me all warm inside.

Traybake Recipes

They feel all about nostalgia and childhood picnics. I feel like I’m almost at boarding school when faced with a pile of Flapjacks or Incredible Chocolate Brownies and give me Millionaires Shortbread and I’m practically a member of the Famous Five……

Carrot Cake

My first Traybake is this gorgeous Carrot Cake. It is a larger Traybake but this Carrot Cake keeps so well as it is  incredibly moist.

I keep it in the fridge actually as I like the Cream Cheese Icing cold for some reason not known to myself. But it is fine in an air tight container.

I also sometimes bake it in a 8″ very deep cake tin and then ice the pants off it but it works just as well here.

It really is an incredibly delicious Traybake too. So much so that it is the cake that I am most asked for. Kids and adults alike.

The cream cheese icing is also divine and compliments it perfectly. It also rarely goes wrong. I’m not sure why apart from the fact that it is quite a stout batter. The Iron Man of cake batters if ever there was one.

Nothing can make this bad boy sink in the middle.

• I start by whipping the oil, sugar and eggs together in a free standing mixer but you can of course use a hand held electric whisk, until pale and thick.

• Your whisk should leave a trail in the mixture for a couple of seconds.
• Then tip in the rest of the ingredients apart from the grated carrot and mix well.

• Finally tip in the carrots.

• There is a lot of mixture. Tip and scrape the batter into the baking tray and bake for about an hour at 170 C/325 F/Gas Mark 3.
• It will almost certainly take the full hour. If it starts to catch then cover with a little tin foil. Using a cake skewer to check it is cooked is not foolproof here because of the oil in the cake.
• So I would err on the side of caution and complete the full hour.

• It will have a craggy, gentle mountainous appearance when it leaves the oven. Your kitchen will smell divine.
• I use a 20 cm by 30 cm and 5 cm deep lined baking tray.
• Leave to cool completely in the tin.

• Put the icing ingredients in a food processor and whizz until white with no buttery flecks.
• If you are without a food processor then sieve the icing sugar into a large bowl with the other ingredients and whisk with a hand held electric whisk.
• Leave in the tin and once completely cool ice this fabulous beast of a traybake.

Does Carrot Cake Freeze Well ?

Yes it freezes very well. Wrap in a double layer of tin foil after wrapping in clingfilm first.

In reality it is better to freeze in some sort of container too. Most freezers are busy places so you want to protect the cake from breaking or schmushing.

Simply defrost at room temperature within the wrappings for about four hours or so and ice as usual.

Can You Freeze Cream Cheese Icing?

Yes you can. Simply freeze in a stout container and thaw in the fridge for 12 hours.

You may need to whip it through with a hand held whisk to get a smooth texture again.

How To Store Carrot Cake.

This all depends on how much is eaten! For a long time I was put off baking tray bakes because I couldn’t store them easily.

I finally decided I could bear it no longer and bought a square lidded  tupperware cake carrier. I can store this whole tray bake uncut in it but any air tight container will do.

I put a layer of baking paper in there to line the tin/tub. You may have to shimmy the pieces around and perhaps use two or more containers depending on the sizes you have.

It lasts very well but the icing requires a little more care. So if you are wanting it to last more than a couple of days then keep it in the fridge in your container/s.

Millionaires Shortbread

This is the most delicious recipe for Millionaires Shortbread that I have ever tried. It is both simple and absolutely all that a Millionaires Shortbread should be. Rich, chewy with toffee caramel and perfect shortbread biscuit. I have yet to come across any child or adult that can resist.

Flapjacks

These are the most incredible Flapjacks EVER!. I do not say that lightly. Crisp on the outside and chewy within they really are sensational and so easy to whip up in a mere moment.

Chocolate Brownies

I have made these Brownies so many times I could make them in my sleep. They are truly simple, stupendous and stop everyone mid bite for a chocolatey moment.

Nutella Brownies

These Nutella Brownies are quite simply AMAZING! I’m not exaggerating either. They bring together all that is fabulous in Nutella and a Brownie to make something incredible…..so help me….

 

Here are some more great Traybakes

Blondies

Apple Crumble Cake

Rhubarb Crumble Cake

Chocolate Shortbread