Easy Vanilla Traybake Recipe

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.

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.

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 

• 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.

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.

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

Step Three – Add the eggs and stir 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.

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

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.

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!