Angela Day
MOCHA TRAY BAKE
Makes 20-30 squares
180g butter, slightly softened
200ml castor sugar
200ml light brown sugar
4 eggs
50ml coffee granules
50ml boiling water
750ml flour
10ml baking powder
5ml bicarbonate of soda
25ml cocoa powder
300ml buttermilk
ICING
25ml coffee granules
15ml boiling water
125g butter
500ml sifted icing sugar
milk to mix
Preheat the oven to 170degC. Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the coffee and hot water and cool. Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa powder.
Add cooled coffee mixture to the butter mixture and mix to combine.
Add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk and mix well.
Spoon the mixture into a 22cm x 32cm pan that has been lined with non-stick baking paper.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Cool in the pan, then lift out using the paper. Ice and cut into squares.
ICING: Dissolve the coffee in the water and cool. Beat the butter and icing sugar until well blended. Add the coffee to form a spreadable icing, using a little milk if necessary.
BERRY CRUMBLE TRAY BAKE
Makes 20-30 squares
250g frozen raspberries or mixed berries
50ml water
125ml castor sugar
30ml cornflour mixed with a little water
CAKE
500ml flour
5ml baking powder
75g ground almonds
375ml castor sugar
120g butter, melted
3 eggs
60ml plain yoghurt
CRUMBLE
160ml flour
50ml oats
60ml castor sugar
60g butter
60ml chopped pecan nuts
Combine the rasp-berries, water and castor sugar in a pot and bring to the boil.
Add the cornflour mixture and boil for a minute. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
CAKE: Preheat the oven to 180degC.
Sift the flour and baking powder together. Add the almonds and set aside. Mix the castor sugar, butter, eggs and yoghurt until well blended. Stir in the dry ingredients and mix to combine, taking care not to over-mix. Spoon the mixture into a 22cm x 32cm pan lined with non-stick baking paper and well greased. Spread over the cold raspberry filling and sprinkle the crumble on top. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the cake is set and the crumble is golden.
CRUMBLE: Put the flour, oats and sugar into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in nuts.
LEMON BLUEBERRY TRAY BAKE
Makes 20-30 squares
185g butter
375ml castor sugar
5 eggs
250ml sour cream
15ml lemon rind
30ml lemon juice
5ml vanilla essence
750ml flour
20ml baking powder
2ml salt
375ml blueberries, plus extra for decoration
CREAM CHEESE ICING
125g butter
250g cream cheese
10-15ml lemon juice
10ml lemon rind
500ml icing sugar
Preheat oven to 180degC. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in the sour cream, lemon rind, lemon juice and vanilla.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt and add to the creamed mixture. Mix until well combined, and then carefully fold in the blueberries. Tip: Toss the blueberries in a bit of flour before adding them to the mixture to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the batter. Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined 22cm x 32cm tin and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Spread with icing and scatter with extra blueberries.
ICING: Cream the butter and cream cheese. Add the lemon juice, rind and icing sugar and beat to make a thick, fluffy icing.
GINGERBREAD TRAY BAKE
Makes 20-30 squares
220g butter, softened
180ml sugar
2 eggs
250ml golden syrup
50ml molasses
900ml cake flour
7ml bicarbonate of soda
7ml ground cinnamon
15ml ground ginger
a pinch of ground cloves
a pinch of salt
375ml hot water
45ml chopped preserved ginger, plus extra for decorating
GLACÉ ICING
500ml icing sugar
15ml preserved ginger syrup
15ml lemon juice
cold water
Preheat oven to 160degC. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in the syrup and molasses. Sift flour, bicarbonate of soda, spices and salt, then add to creamed mixture with the hot water. Beat until the mixture is smooth and quite runny. Add the preserved ginger. Pour into a greased and lined 30cm square or 23cm x 32cm tin and bake for 40-60 minutes until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan, then remove and ice with glacé icing. Decorate with preserved ginger pieces. Cut into squares.
ICING: Sift icing sugar. Add the syrup and lemon juice and enough cold water to make a thick spreadable icing.
ANGELA DAY
The Angela Day cookery column is published in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News.
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