Chocolate Traybake Food

CHOCOLATE TRAYBAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line the base and sides of a 33cm x 23cm roasting tin or cake tin with a lip of at least 2½ cm. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarb, sugar and a good pinch of salt in a large bowl. Rub any lumps of sugar between your fingers, shaking the bowl a few times to bring them to the surface.
• Whisk the oil, buttermilk, coffee, vanilla and eggs in a jug, then pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Use a spatula to stir well, removing any pockets of flour. Pour the mixture into the lined tin and bake for 25-30 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If any wet cake mixture clings to the skewer, return the cake to the oven for 5 mins, then check again. Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for at least 20 mins.
• Meanwhile, make the icing. Melt the butter in a saucepan, then remove from the heat and stir in the icing sugar, cocoa powder and milk. The icing will be very runny but will thicken a little as it cools. (If the icing has set too much before the cake has cooled, reheat it slightly to make it easier to pour.)
• Pour the icing over the cake and leave to set. Decorate with the sweets, sprinkles, chocolate shavings or nuts, then cut into squares and dig in.

DOUBLE CHOC & COCONUT TRAYBAKE

Steps:

• Line a 22 x 28cm rectangular cake tin with baking parchment. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• First, prepare the topping. Put the milk or dark chocolate pieces in a large heatproof bowl. Heat the double cream in a medium pan until just steaming, then slowly pour over the chocolate, whisking until the chocolate has melted and the mix is smooth. Leave to cool slightly, then chill for 1 hr 30 mins until soft, but still spoonable.
• Beat the butter, sugars and ¼ tsp salt together in a stand mixer or using an electric whisk for 5 mins, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the desiccated coconut, flour, yogurt and coconut flavouring, if using, and briefly beat until just combined. Spoon the mix into the tin, smooth the surface using the back of a spoon, then bake for 30 mins until golden and firm to the touch. Leave in the tin to cool completely.
• When fully cool, spread over the chocolate topping, then drizzle with the white chocolate and scatter over the toasted coconut flakes. Chill for around 15 mins until the topping is set. Cut into 12 squares, then serve.

MALTED MILK & CHOCOLATE TRAYBAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil a 20 x 30cm traybake tin and line with baking parchment. Whisk the oil, sugar, eggs and milk together in a large bowl. Sieve over the flour, cocoa, malted milk powder and bicarbonate of soda, then fold the dry ingredients into the wet until well-combined. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 mins until the sponge has risen and springs back when gently pressed - a skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean. Set the tin on a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
• While the sponge cools, make the buttercream. Beat the butter, icing sugar, malted milk powder, vanilla and 1 tbsp boiling water from the kettle together using an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Spoon the buttercream over the cooled cake and gently spread to the edges using a spatula or palette knife. Scatter over the bashed chocolate balls, then decorate with the chocolate bunnies and halved chocolate eggs before serving. Will keep in an airtight container for up to three days.

CHOCOLATE CHIP TRAYBAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil the base and sides of a 33 x 23cm roasting tin that's at least 2.5cm deep. Line with baking parchment. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, sugar and a good pinch of salt in a large bowl. Break up any sugar lumps with a whisk.
• Whisk the oil together with the milk, vanilla and eggs in a jug, and pour into the dry ingredients, then stir in the chocolate chips. Stir well using a spatula until there are no pockets of flour. Pour the mix into the prepared tin and bake for 25-30 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If any wet mix clings to the skewer, return to the oven for 5 mins, then check again. Leave to cool in the tin for at least 20 mins.
• Meanwhile, make the icing. Melt the butter, then remove from the heat and stir in the icing sugar, cocoa powder and milk. The icing will be very runny, but will thicken a little as it cools. (If the icing has thickened too much before the cake has cooled, reheat it slightly to make it easier to pour.)
• Pour the chocolate icing over the cake and leave until it has set before slicing into squares.