Old Fashioned Tray Bake Food

RETRO SCHOOL DINNER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 170C (340F). Line a rectangular tin (mine was 23x29cm) with baking paper letting the edges hang over the sides.
• Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda in a large mixing bowl. If you can be bothered then sift everything into the bowl to aerate the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, milk, vanilla extract and butter or margarine (room temperature please!).
• Start beating at lowest speed setting until ingredients come together. Increase the speed to maximum and beat until the batter is completely smooth - about 30 seconds to one minute.
• Transfer to a rectangular baking tray lined with paper and level using a spatula. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the cake is golden and feels springy to the touch. A skewer or knife inserted in the centre should come out clean - if not cook for a further 5 minutes.
• Leave the cake to cool completely then carefully invert so that you add glaze to the flat side. If the cake has domed while baking, level using a large serrated knife. This is likely to happen if your baking tray is a tad too small.
• Mix the icing sugar with just enough water to make a thick pourable glaze. Drizzle over the cake, letting it drip down the sides (you might want to do this over a large roasting tin to catch any excess glaze).
• Add sprinkles and leave the glaze to set slightly before slicing and sharing. You can serve with a little warm custard (I used tinned custard) for an extra slice of nostalgia!

OLD SKOOL RETRO SPRINKLE TRAY BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160°C / 325 degrees F or Gas Mark 3.
• Line a 30cm x 23 cm x 3.5cm square tin with greaseproof paper. Set aside.
• For a soft and spongy cake make sure that you have left the butter in room temperature.
• Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth. Add the eggs one by one and mix well.
• Once all the eggs have been added, add in the flour using 2 tablespoons at a time to make sure the mixture is smooth.
• Add in the milk and vanilla essence and mix well.
• Pour the sponge cake mixture into the tray and bake for around 25-30 minutes.
• Keep an eye on the cake until it turns golden brown. You can see if the cake is done by sticking a toothpick or a knife into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean then your sponge cake is done. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for about 15 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack.
• Once the cake has fully cooled down, make the icing by adding the milk into the icing sugar.
• Add half of the milk first to test the consistency. I like my icing to be quite thick, once the icing is done pour it into the middle of the cake and spread carefully with a spatula. Let the icing run along the sides of the cake for effect. Then add the sprinkles!

SCHOOL-DAYS SPRINKLE SPONGE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a 20 x 30cm cake tin and line with baking parchment. Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk for a few minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, flour, milk and vanilla and beat again until you have a smooth batter.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared tin, spread right to the corners and smooth the surface. Bake for 40-45 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean, checking at 5 min intervals if it isn't ready after 45 mins. Leave the sponge to cool on a wire rack.
• Mix the icing sugar with enough water to make a thick icing. Spread the icing over the cooled cake, then top with lots of sprinkles - the surface should be almost completely covered. Leave for at least 1 hr to set. Cut into squares and serve with hot custard, if you like.