Anna Louise The Bakewell traybake takes everything that makes a Bakewell tart wonderful — the almond frangipane, the sharp raspberry jam, the slightly crumbly base — and puts it in a format that serves twenty-four people rather than eight, requires no tart tin, and can be cut into neat squares in under a minute.
The base here is a pressed shortbread rather than a rolled pastry case — quicker to make, equally delicious, and far more practical for a traybake format. The frangipane filling is identical to the Bakewell tart recipe on this site. The raspberry jam layer is generous.
This is the traybake for bake sales, for school events, for afternoon tea for a large group, and for any occasion where the Bakewell flavour combination is wanted in a practical, crowd-friendly format.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Bakewell Traybake
For the Shortbread Base
- 250g unsalted butter, softened
- 100g icing sugar, sifted
- 350g plain flour, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine salt
For the Raspberry Jam Layer
- 200g good quality raspberry jam
For the Frangipane
- 175g unsalted butter, softened
- 175g caster sugar
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 175g ground almonds
- 50g self-raising flour, sifted
- ½ tsp almond extract
For the Top
- 50g flaked almonds
- Icing sugar for dusting
How to Make Mary Berry Bakewell Traybake
Step 1 — Make and Press the Shortbread Base
Preheat your oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease a 30x23cm traybake tin and line with baking parchment, leaving overhang.
Beat the softened butter, icing sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Add the flour and salt. Mix until a soft, slightly crumbly dough forms. Press this evenly and firmly across the base of the prepared tin — use your fingers and then the base of a flat glass for a level, compact surface.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until pale golden and just set. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for ten minutes.
Step 2 — Spread the Jam
Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the cooled shortbread base — right to the edges. Use all of it. The jam layer needs to be generous enough to taste in every bite.
Step 3 — Make the Frangipane
Beat the softened butter and caster sugar together for three to four minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the beaten eggs gradually, beating well after each addition. Add the almond extract. Fold in the ground almonds and self-raising flour until just combined.
Step 4 — Spread and Top
Carefully spoon the frangipane over the jam layer in small dollops across the surface. Spread gently with a palette knife to cover the jam completely — work carefully to avoid disturbing the jam beneath.
Scatter the flaked almonds evenly over the top.
Step 5 — Bake
Bake for 28 to 32 minutes until the frangipane is golden, set, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The top should be deep golden and the flaked almonds toasted.
Leave to cool completely in the tin — at least one hour. Lift out using the parchment overhang. Dust with icing sugar and cut into squares.
My Top Tips For Perfect Bakewell Traybake
Cool the shortbread base before adding the jam. Jam spread over a warm base becomes very liquid and soaks into the shortbread rather than forming a distinct layer. Ten minutes of cooling is enough.
Spoon frangipane in small dollops then spread gently. Dropping large amounts of frangipane in one place and spreading aggressively pushes the jam to the edges and disrupts the layer. Small dollops spread gently preserve the jam layer beneath.
Be generous with the jam. 200g for a 30x23cm tin. The jam should be a clearly visible, clearly tasted layer in every square. A thin scraping disappears.
Use almond extract in the frangipane. Half a teaspoon gives the characteristic Bakewell almond flavour that makes this traybake instantly recognisable. Without it the frangipane tastes pleasant but not specifically Bakewell.
Cool completely before cutting. Warm frangipane is too soft to cut cleanly. One hour minimum gives squares that hold their shape and show the three distinct layers in the cross section.
Serving Suggestions
At a bake sale — it is consistently the fastest-selling item. At afternoon tea as part of a spread. At a coffee morning. As a sweet treat that keeps well for four days and travels without any damage.
How to Store Bakewell Traybake
At room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The frangipane stays moist and the shortbread base keeps its slight crunch.
In the freezer: Freeze in squares individually wrapped in cling film for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature.
Mary Berry Bakewell Traybake Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease and line a 30x23cm tin. Beat butter, icing sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add flour and salt — mix to a soft dough. Press firmly and evenly into base. Bake 12–15 minutes until pale golden. Cool 10 minutes.
- Spread raspberry jam evenly over cooled base — use all of it.
- Beat butter and caster sugar 3–4 minutes. Add eggs gradually. Add almond extract. Fold in ground almonds and flour.
- Spoon frangipane in small dollops over jam. Spread gently to cover completely. Scatter flaked almonds.
- Bake 28–32 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely — 1 hour. Dust with icing sugar. Cut into squares.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use strawberry jam instead of raspberry?
Yes — any good quality jam works. Raspberry gives the most traditional Bakewell flavour. Apricot or cherry are excellent alternatives.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes — use gluten-free plain flour for the shortbread and gluten-free self-raising flour in the frangipane. The ground almonds are naturally gluten-free. The result is virtually identical.
Why is my frangipane sinking into the jam?
The jam was too thin or warm, or the frangipane was too liquid. Make sure the jam is at room temperature and the base is cool before adding either layer. Spoon frangipane carefully rather than pouring.
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