Sunday 12 July 2009

Iced bakewell traybake

I know from my site stats that bakewell recipes are always popular and this one looked particularly inviting. This photo explains it far better than I ever could :


Sad maybe, but this is what I did on Friday night!


For something with only two ingredients white icing is supremely delicious. It goes so well with the dense, rich almond sponge. Bakewells have so much to offer – pastry, jam, sponge, icing.....mmm bakewells.


The CCM (Caked Crusader’s Ma) and I were discussing the joy of traybakes recently. A square cut from a traybake is somehow more tempting and exciting than many other cakes. It can’t just be down to the shape can it? I wonder if it’s the fact that however many pieces you cut it always looks like there’s lots left! (NB. I know that, in the strictest application of laws of the universe etc, it can't be true...but it seems like it!)


I end with a plea: has anyone else had trouble with blogger during the past week? I've had lots of error messages when trying to upload photos - they all begin with a BX reference number, and when I have uploaded photos it won't let me click and drag them into position (i.e. scrolling down through my post); I have to move them down a screen at a time...which takes ages. Is it blogger or me? Any ideas? I know you're a clever bunch so throw myself on your mercy!

Ingredients:
For the pastry:
230g plain flour
160g unsalted butter
4 tablespoons icing sugar
2 egg yolks

For the cake:
6 tablespoons raspberry jam (I used seedless jam)
200g unsalted butter
200g caster sugar
4 eggs
100g ground almond
100g self raising flour
1 teaspoon almond extract

For the icing:
300g icing sugar
20 glace cherries
25g toasted flaked almonds


How to make:
- Start by making the pastry: place all the ingredients except for the egg yolks into the food processor and blitz until you have breadcrumbs.
- Add the egg yolks and blitz again until the pastry just starts to form.
- Turn out onto a sheet of clingfilm and bring together into a ball of pastry.
- Flatten slightly, wrap in the clingfilm and chill.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan oven 180°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.
- Grease a deep tin measuring 30cm x 20cm. I used a small roasting tin .
- Roll the pastry out between two sheets of clingfilm then use to line the prepared tin. Don’t worry if you need to patch the pastry – it’s very good natured.
- Spoon the jam onto the pastry and spread out.
- Now make the cake: beat the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time adding 1 tablespoon of the ground almonds after each addition.
- Stir in the flour, remaining ground almonds and the almond extract.
- Spoon the mixture over the jam and level the surface.
- Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the batter comes out clean. Mine took 42 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.
- Now make the icing: beat the icing sugar with 3 tablespoons water (you may need more, but start with 3) until you have a thick but spreadable icing.
- Spread the icing over the top of the cake and place the glace cherries and flaked almonds on top before the icing sets.
- Cut into squares.
- Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.
- Eat.

20 comments:

Nora said...

I've admired quite a few bakewell tart type recipes online lately, but I have a feeling that this is the one I might actually get around to trying. The tray bake thing is a winner, I think, though not really sure why! :D
PS I haven't had any blogger problems this week. Hope you get it sorted.

Foodiewife said...

I've been ogling so many Bakewell tarts, lately. I have a weakness for anything with almond flavor. Your tray cake (AKA American sheetcake) looks so much easier. I'll have to convert this to American measurements, but I think this is very worthy of my own attempt.
Thanks for posting this!
As for Blogger, I had a few problems this morning. But, I just refreshed the page, and all seemed well.
Debby

Caroline said...

I know what you mean about traybakes and square pieces of cake. The last cake I made I deliberately converted to a square tin so I could have square pieces instead of wedges. I don't know why, but they just seemed more inviting! Love the bakewell theme too - wish I could eat almonds though!

Sorry, can't help you with blogger - touch wood it seems to have been ok for me lately.

Lisa said...

I love big cakes in big pans and I think you're right, that it does have something to do with the appearance of a never-ending supply of gorgeous chunky blocks. My mouth watered looking at your photos and I have yet another addition to my pile of things I print from your site and ogle with my coffee.

Had some problems with Blogger when I first switched to Google Chrome but nothing since. You may want to search for the error in their help section; they've got whizzes who post that have solved every problem I've ever had.

Beth (jamandcream) said...

No problems with blogging for me. I LOVE bakewell tart and I've been meaning to try something like this since seeing it in Good Food.

Maria♥ said...

Wow, that looks amazing!! My hubby would quite happily eat the whole lot with no problem, he loves Bakewell.

Maria
x

Anonymous said...

Mmmm, I love Bakewell Tart even though I'm a heathen and don't like cherries - usually make with Raspberry jam, yum yum.

I agree! There's something really appealing about tray bakes. I also make a lot of 'loaf' cakes too for the same reasons, even though I don't actually know what those reasons are ;) Only time I make a 'normal' round cake (bar cupcakes) is when I make my fruit cake at Christmas. Kinda weird when I think of it, hehe.

As for Blogger, I've not had any problems myself however I'm a lurker on a bunch of blogs and have seen a number of people comment about the picture uploading so not just you - seems to be an intermittent thing.

Anonymous said...

Note to self: Read recipe ingredients first.

See you use Raspberry jam too. I just skip the glace cherries off the top then.

Christelle said...

Oh it looks so moist and yummy!! I'm not a sweet tooth, but I am conquered there!!!

♥Rosie♥ said...

I just adore Bakewell tart and this version looks truly amazing! I just love that rich almond sponge covered in icing. I have to agree there is something appealing of a good tray bake.

Anne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anne said...

Oh yum yum yum! I love bakewell combo and the traybake looks delish!

(sorry I deleted other comment as can't read properly ;-))

Blogger has been behaving except for telling me it doesn't like certain blogs this week and cancels the page..seems to happen ad-hoc..

pepideke@aol.com said...

I love your blog and everything looks so good. I would love to make some of the recipe's on your site but dont know how to convert to U.S. Measurments. Do you know if there is a site for this? I would just love to make this Bakewell!Thanks

The Caked Crusader said...

Hi Pepideke

Thanks for your lovely comment. I always use this conversion site when I need to convert:
http://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/cooking#subs
I like it because it takes into account the different densities, volumes and weights of ingredients which a lot of conversion sites don't.
Happy baking!

Cakelaw said...

What a delightful looking bakewell. Can't help with the blogger issues I'm afraid - I have plenty of my own which take ages to sort, and in the worst case scenario, I just shut down and hope that tomorrow will be better.

Emma said...

Your bakewell traybake recipe looks great and is a recipe I will definiteley be trying.
Can you recommend the best place to buy a "traybake" tin (9x12) - I recently made a lemon drizzle traybake (http://burningandbaking.blogspot.com/) and I am looking for a suitable tin to make similar bakes again?
Thanks so much!

Unknown said...

I have spent hours, ( well one), looking for the "perfect bakewell tart" as a birthday present for a work colleague.
Congratulations, this one is stunning and does the job beautifully.

Thank you Cake Crusader, you really are a Superhero!!

Bets said...

Emma............laleland have some really good trays for baking, in just the size you want

Anonymous said...

Thanks Caked Crusader...once again you have made all my work colleagues VERY happy....this is the only thing I can make that actually turns out brilliantly every time!

forbid said...

i like the way to structured your blog and the discussion as well

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