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Vanilla Traybake Cake
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Vanilla Traybake Cake

A fluffy vanilla traybake cake, or sheet cake, smothered with vanilla buttercream. Decorate how you like for any occasion!
Course Dessert
Cuisine British
Keyword Cake
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Decorating time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 12 +
Calories 552kcal
Author thebakingexplorer

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 225 g Baking spread unsalted, softened
  • 225 g Caster sugar
  • 4 Eggs large
  • 2 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp Milk
  • 225 g Self raising flour

For the buttercream

  • 200 g Butter unsalted, softened
  • 400 g Icing sugar
  • 2 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp Milk

For decoration

  • Sprinkles and sweets of your choice

Instructions

  • Pre-heat your oven to 160C Fan/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4, and grease and line a 12" x 9" traybake tin
  • Make the cake by mixing the baking spread and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes, ideally using an electric mixer
  • Add the eggs, milk and vanilla extract, and whisk until fully incorporated
  • Gently whisk or fold in the self raising flour
  • Pour the mixture into the tin, spread it out into an even layer
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool fully either in the tin or on a cooling rack
  • To make the buttercream, mix the butter in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment for a few minutes. Add the icing sugar, milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined and smooth
  • Spread or pipe the buttercream all over the cake
  • To serve, decorate as you prefer, then slice into squares. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in a cool place and eat within 3 days

Video

Notes

  • Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
  • I used a baking spread for the cake and unsalted butter for the buttercream.
  • For the best flavour, make sure to use a good quality vanilla extract and not an essence. You can also use a vanilla bean paste.
  • You will need a 12" x 9" traybake tin for this recipe. However, if you want to make it in a 9" square tin, check the recipe notes for the measurement details.
  • You can decorate this cake with anything you like! If it is for someone's birthday, perhaps their favourite chocolates on top. Fresh strawberries or raspberries would also look fabulous!
  • Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
  • For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
 
If you want to make this cake in a 9" square tin you will need:
  • 170g Butter or baking spread
  • 170g Caster sugar
  • 3 Large eggs
  • 1 ½ tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ tbsp Milk
  • 170g Self raising flour

Nutrition

Calories: 552kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 308mg | Potassium: 62mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 1175IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 0.5mg