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You are here: Home / Recipes / Baking / Cake / Easy Vanilla Traybake Recipe

Easy Vanilla Traybake Recipe

Published on June 22, 2021 by Helen Best-Shaw 1 Comment
Last Updated on June 24, 2021

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This easy vanilla traybake recipe is fuss free, mess-free, perfectly practical and easy to pack. Simple and delicious, it doesn’t crumble, making it perfect for picnics lunchboxes and travel.

Close up of a stack of three vanilla tray bake squares on a white sideplate. A linen cloth in the foreground, more cakes in the background, arranged on a marble board.

Everything You Need To Know

  • Easy vanilla traybake! 
  • Why you will love this recipe
  • Easy vanilla traybake recipe – ingredients 
  • How to make easy vanilla traybake – step by step
  • Hints and Tips for Vanilla Traybake Recipe
  • Easy Vanilla Traybake
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Notes

Easy vanilla traybake! 

I love a good old-school traybake. It’s so practical and portable. This easy and delicious vanilla traybake is cakey rather than spongy so the squares don’t crumble. It lasts well and is perfect for adding to a packed lunch or picnic.

Many of the recipes I see for cakes and bakes simply make too much. It’s all very well if you have a big family to feed, but when you are cooking for two, as I do, it’s not practical.

I don’t want to gorge on a huge batch of cakes or waste food, so I like a smaller scale recipe.

This traybake recipe is just right for a regular 8″/20 cm square pan. This yields 12–16 servings that will last for a week. so it is perfect for just the two of us! 

My easy vanilla traybake recipe is the happy result of the experiments I made when developing my easy basic blondie recipe. The texture is less gooey than a blondie and I have added fragrant vanilla to the mix.

Top down picture of 9 vanilla tray bake squares arranged evenly in a square on a white porcelain board.

Why you will love this recipe

  • It is seriously easy, and all made in one bowl with one spoon or whisk.
  • No fuss and effortlessly impressive!
  • This old-school traybake keeps well and will last all week.
  • Contains just 5 basic pantry ingredients.
  • Ready straight from the baking pan. No need for decorating!
  • Scalable and endlessly adaptable.

Easy vanilla traybake recipe – ingredients 

Ingredients: flour, soft brown sugar, golden caster sugar, butter, vanilla essence, baking powder, eggs.
  • Flour – I use supermarket own brand. There’s no need for fancy branded flour here. Use self raising, or choose plain and add baking powder.

Pro Tip – Why bake with plain flour? 

I’m often asked why I bake with plain flour and add a raising agent rather than self raising. 

First – I don’t bake that often, and the raising agent in the flour can go off if your flour is sitting in the cupboard for a while. If you use a separate baking powder, it is really easy to test that it is still fresh. 

Secondly – My kitchen is tiny, so by storing only one type of flour, I gain some much needed cupboard space. 

  • Soft brown sugar – This adds colour and some extra flavour. The lighter version suits this recipe well.
  • Golden caster sugar – I like a mix of two types of sugar. If you use all soft brown sugar in this recipe, the flavour of the vanilla is lost.
  • Butter – You can use salted or unsalted, depending on what you normally buy. If using unsalted, however, you need to add a pinch of salt too, as it rounds off the flavour.
  • Eggs – Large free range
  • Vanilla extract or paste – Vanilla extract is real, natural vanilla. Vanilla essence is generally synthetic flavouring and better avoided. I like the vanilla paste, in which you can see the seeds from the vanilla pod. These products vary in concentration. If in doubt, add a little at a time and adjust the quantity according to how potent it is.
  • Baking powder – If you don’t bake very often or the packet has been around for a while, check your baking powder is fresh. It is usually good for months, even years after the expiry date, but if you are unsure, check before you bake.

How to make easy vanilla traybake – step by step

Preheat your oven to 180°C / 160°C Fan / Gas 4. Prepare a 8″/20 cm square baking tin by lining with parchment paper, and then greasing with butter or a light flavourless oil.

I prefer the foil-backed parchment for lining tins. It is more expensive but it is so much easier to use, as it stays put when you fold it. It makes lining the tin SO much easier.

A collage of two pictures: unmelted and melted butter in a glass bowl. A whisk sits next to the bowl in both pictures.

Step One – Melt the butter, either over a bowl of water in saucepan or in a large bowl in the microwave. Don’t let it get too warm. Ideally, you want it just melted, but not hot.

Top tip
I find the easiest way to melt butter is in the microwave. Depending on the power of your microwave, half melt it and then take it out and stir until it’s all liquid. By doing this rather than trying to melt it all, you avoid burning or heating it.

A collage of two pictures: brown sugar is added to melted butter, and then whisked in.

Step Two – Add the sugars to the butter. Stir it in well. I like to use a whisk as shown.

Glass bowl holding butter and sugar. The first shot with added eggs, whisked in for the second.

Step Three – Add the eggs and stir in.

A collage of two pics: flour is added to the wet ingredients, and whisked in.

Step Four – Add the flour, baking powder (if using), and the vanilla extract. If you are using unsalted butter, you will need to add a pinch of salt here too. Gently mix in until you have a well combined, thick, glossy batter.

The batter for vanilla cake bars has been poured into a lined square cake tin.

Step Five – Transfer to the prepared baking tray. Give the pan a gentle shake, so that the batter is evenly distributed and level.

The vanilla tray bake has been cooked.

Step Six – Bake for 25–30 minutes until risen and golden. When cooked, the middle will be springy, and a cocktail stick inserted will come out clean.

If you don’t have a fan oven, you may need to turn the pan halfway through cooking if your oven has hot spots. Do this as quickly and as gently as you can.

Allow your vanilla traybake to cool and firm up for 10–15 minutes on a wire rack before cutting.

The vanilla tray bake has cooled and is being cut into 16 squares.

Step Seven – Finally, when the cake is cool, cut into squares. I find a 4 x 4 grid of 16 pieces is perfect.

Hints and Tips for Vanilla Traybake Recipe

  • Store for up to 5 days by wrapping the squares up in the baking parchment in an airtight tin.
  • You can also wrap any leftovers well and freeze for 3 months. We never have leftovers, though!
  • To double the recipe use a 13″ x 9″ baking pan. Your traybake will be a bit thicker and take a few minutes more to cook
  • This recipe has proportionally more fat in it compared to some traybakes, so take time to stir the flour in properly. This will prevent any separation.
  • Use butter! Other spreads and substitutes have their place but it is not here. You want that buttery flavour.
  • Good quality vanilla extract makes a massive difference. Extract contains real vanilla, while essence often synthetically made and may contain little or no actual vanilla. You WILL taste the difference!
Close up of squares of old school vanilla traybake stacked 2 high on a white board,
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Close up of vanilla tray bake cut into squares, arranged on a porcelain board.
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5 from 1 vote

Easy Vanilla Traybake

This easy and delicious vanilla traybake recipe produces a delicious squares of moreish cake that store well and don't crumble when you pack them for your lunch. Fuss free with next to no washing up.
Servings: 16 squares
Author: Helen Best-Shaw
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time25 mins
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Ingredients

  • 110 g butter (melted)
  • 130 g light soft brown sugar (or dark)
  • 100 g caster sugar (I like golden)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 160 g plain flour (or use SR and leave out the baking powder)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 pinch salt (if using unsalted butter)

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 180°C / 160°C Fan / Gas 4. Prepare a 8"/20 cm square baking tin by lining with parchment paper, and then greasing with butter or a light flavourless oil.
  • Put the butter into a large bowl or jug and melt in the microwave in 10 seconds bursts until just melted.
    If you don't have a microwave, melt the butter over a pan of simmering water on the stove top.
  • Add the sugars and stir them in.
  • Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
  • Fold in the flour, baking powder and salt (if using). Mix until you have a thick glossy batter.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Give it a gentle shake to level it out.
  • Bake for 25–30* minutes, until risen and set
    *If you don't have a fan oven you may need to turn the pan half way through cooking if your oven has hot spots. Do this as quickly and as gently as you can.
  • Stand the tin on a wire rack and allow to cool for 10–15 minutes so the cake firms up. Gently lift out of the pan and cut into 16 squares (4 x 4 pattern).

Notes

  • Store for up to 5 days by wrapping the squares up in the baking parchment in an airtight tin.
  • You can also wrap any leftovers well and freeze for 3 months. We never have leftovers, though!
  • To double the recipe use a 13″ x 9″ baking pan. Your traybake will be a bit thicker and take a few minutes more to cook
  • This recipe has proportionally more fat in it compared to some traybakes, so take time to stir the flour in properly. This will prevent any separation.
  • Use butter! Other spreads and substitutes have their place but it is not here. You want that buttery flavour.
  • Good quality vanilla extract makes a massive difference. Extract contains real vanilla, while essence often synthetically made and may contain little or no actual vanilla. You WILL taste the difference!
Nutritional Information 
  • This recipe is 7 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion 
• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.
Nutrition Facts
Easy Vanilla Traybake
Amount Per Serving
Calories 150 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 35mg12%
Sodium 62mg3%
Potassium 56mg2%
Carbohydrates 22g7%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 14g16%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 202IU4%
Calcium 24mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Baked Goods, Baking
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Vanilla Traybake
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Filed Under: Baking, Cake, Recipes Ingredients: Butter, Eggs, Flour, Vanilla

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  1. Peter J

    5 stars
    We loved this! thank you

    Reply

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Headshot of Helen Best-Shaw, Food Blogger at Fuss Free Flavours I'm Helen, full time freelance food writer, photographer and blogger. On this site you will find my fuss-free recipes, travel and reviews. Learn more here
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