Bakewell traybake

So this one is a real keeper. Often when I try out new cake recipes they turn out ok, but not great. This one though turned out so delicious that I caught myself eating small pieces out of the pan everytime I went into the kitchen. Bad, bad Sandy. I first came across the base recipe here and after I tweaked it a bit… violá: The bakewell traybake. A moist, sweet cake, packed with flavours.

Well, technically it’s not precisely a bakewell tart when you consider the ingredients. I added some frangipane and made the topping a lot simpler, but it’s close enough to justify the name.

One thing is a bit puzzling though…. where did the entire jar of jam go that I layered into that cake?! It’s there definitely, because I taste the raspberries when I eat it, but visually it’s completely gone. It’s a shame really, but trust me, it’s there…

Bakewell traybake

A delicious, moist traybake packed with frangipane, jam and almonds.

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry

• 300 g flour
• 200 g cold butter
• 100 g sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 3 tbsp cold water

For the topping

• 200 g frangipane or almond paste
• 300 g jam I used raspberry, but strawberry should work great too
• 200 g butter softened
• 150 g sugar
• 4 eggs
• 100 g ground almonds
• 100 g flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp milk

For the glaze

• 150 g confectioners' sugar
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Water if needed

Instructions

Prepare the shortcrust pastry

• In a big bowl combine flour and sugar. Cut the cold butter into small cubes and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Add the egg yolk and the water and knead gently until it comes together into a dough.
• Wrap in clingfilm and refridgerate for 20-30min.
• Line a 25x32cm baking tray with parchment paper.
• Roll out the shortcrust pastry into a rectangle and line the baking tray with it.
• Preheat your oven to 180°C / 356°F.

For the topping

• Roll out the frangipane into a rectangle and add as the bottom layer of the traybake (the rolling out works best if you use clingfilm)
• Next spread the jam evenly onto the frangipane.
• In a bow mix together the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy,
• Add the eggs, flour, almonds, milk and baking powder. Mix well.
• If the dough is too thick, add a bit more milk.
• Spread the dough onto the jam and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

For the glaze

• Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl and add the lemon juice. Mix well. Add some water if the icing is too thick.
• Drizzle onto the cake.
• Let the icing set and cut into squares with a sharp knife.