Chocolate and Vanilla Tray Bake

This cake is based on my vanilla traybake but I wanted to make it less like a school dinner cake and a bit more sophisticated but still keeping it a simple cake recipe.

It is a moist chocolate sponge topped with a vanilla bean buttercream and a sprinkling of Cadbury’s chocolate powder.

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Preheat oven and line a 10.5 x 8 inch (27 x 21cm) cake tin with baking parchment.

Put the Stork, caster sugar, SR flour, eggs and cocoa powder into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on a medium speed until the ingredients are creamy and fully combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

While the cake is cooling make the icing. Sieve the icing sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and vanilla. Whisk until light and fluffy then add a tablespoon of milk so it is soft enough to spread.

Spread the buttercream on top of the cake in an even layer.

Finally sprinkle with Cadbury’s chocolate powder then leave to set before cutting into squares.

Chocolate & Vanilla Traybake

Sarah's servings: 12

Sarah's skill: Easy

Baking time: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients:

Cake:

250g Stork Margarine

250g Caster Sugar

225g Self Raising Flour

4 Large eggs

25g Cocoa powder

Icing:

300g Icing Sugar

150g Soft unsalted butter

1tsp Vanilla bean paste or extract

1tbsp milk

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees centigrade (160 fan) or gas mark 4.

2. Grease and line a 10.5 x 8 inch (27 x 21cm) cake tin.

3. Put the Stork, caster sugar, SR flour, eggs and cocoa powder into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on a medium speed until the ingredients are creamy and fully combined.

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin.

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

6. While the cake is cooling make the icing. Sieve the icing sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and vanilla. Whisk until light and fluffy then add a tablespoon of milk so it is soft enough to spread.

7. Spread the buttercream on top of the cake in an even layer and sprinkle the chocolate powder over the top.

8. Leave to set before cutting into squares.

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Sarah’s extra slice...... You will need a 10.5 x 8 inch (27 x 21cm) baking tin.

I like to use vanilla bean paste in the icing but vanilla extract is fine. I find the paste gives a much nicer flavour and not so artificial.