Anna Louise A banana traybake solves the same problem as banana bread — what to do with the very ripe, slightly soft, slightly black bananas that have sat on the counter too long — but in a format that feeds twenty-four people rather than twelve slices from a loaf.
The banana traybake is lighter in texture than banana bread because it uses the cake method — creamed butter and sugar — rather than the quick bread method used for the loaf.
This gives a sponge that is genuinely cake-like in texture rather than dense and bread-like, with the intense banana flavour throughout and a vanilla buttercream on top that complements the banana without competing.
The riper the banana, the better the traybake — the same principle as every banana recipe on this site.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Banana Traybake
For the Banana Sponge
- 300g unsalted butter, softened
- 300g soft light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 4 very ripe bananas (about 400g peeled weight) — the riper the better
- 300g self-raising flour, sifted
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Vanilla Buttercream
- 200g unsalted butter, softened
- 400g icing sugar, sifted twice
- 2–3 tbsp whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine salt
To Decorate
- 3 tbsp banana chips, roughly crushed
- A dusting of ground cinnamon
- 50g dark chocolate, melted — drizzled over in thin lines (optional)
How to Make Mary Berry Banana Traybake
Step 1 — Preheat and Prepare
Preheat your oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease a 33x23cm traybake tin and line with baking parchment, leaving overhang at both long sides.
Step 2 — Mash the Bananas
Peel the very ripe bananas and mash thoroughly with a fork until almost completely smooth. A few small lumps are acceptable but the banana should be mostly a smooth purée. Set aside.
Step 3 — Make the Batter
Beat the softened butter and soft light brown sugar together for four to five minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add the vanilla extract.
Add the mashed banana and beat briefly until combined — the mixture will look slightly curdled at this point, which is completely normal.
Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt into the bowl. Add the milk. Fold gently until just combined.
Step 4 — Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Spread evenly to the corners.
Bake for 28 to 33 minutes until the sponge is deep golden, springs back when pressed gently in the centre, and a skewer inserted into the very centre comes out clean.
Leave to cool completely in the tin — at least one hour.
Step 5 — Make the Vanilla Buttercream
Beat the softened butter alone for four full minutes until very pale and genuinely fluffy. Add the double-sifted icing sugar in three batches, beating well after each. Add the vanilla extract, salt, and enough milk to bring the buttercream to a smooth, spreadable consistency. Beat for two more minutes.
Step 6 — Frost and Decorate
Lift the completely cooled sponge from the tin using the parchment overhang. Place on a board.
Spread the vanilla buttercream generously and evenly over the entire surface using a palette knife — go right to the edges and apply a generous, thick layer.
Scatter the crushed banana chips over the buttercream. Dust lightly with cinnamon. Drizzle the melted dark chocolate over the top in thin lines if using — the chocolate and banana combination is excellent.
Cut into 20 to 24 squares.
My Top Tips For Perfect Banana Traybake
Use the blackest bananas you have. A yellow banana with a few spots gives mild banana flavour. Almost completely black bananas give an intense, complex, deeply banana-flavoured sponge. The difference is dramatic.
Soft light brown sugar gives better flavour than white. The molasses note in brown sugar suits the banana’s own caramel-like richness and gives a more complex, more interesting sponge than plain white caster sugar.
The mixture will look curdled when the banana is added — continue. The high moisture content and the acidity of very ripe bananas causes the batter to look slightly split when the mashed banana is added. Adding the flour and folding through brings everything back together.
Cool completely before frosting. Even slightly warm sponge melts buttercream on contact. One hour minimum in the tin.
Banana chips as decoration give both texture and visual appeal. Whole banana chips look attractive but are difficult to cut through cleanly. Roughly crushed banana chips give a more practical decoration that also adds a pleasant crunch to the finished squares.
Serving Suggestions
At a bake sale — banana traybake is universally loved and sells consistently well. At a coffee morning. As a birthday traybake for a banana lover. In a lunchbox — banana traybake travels well and keeps moist for several days.
How to Store Banana Traybake
At room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The banana keeps the traybake moist throughout.
In the freezer: Freeze unfrosted squares individually for up to 3 months. Add the buttercream fresh after defrosting.
Mary Berry Banana Traybake
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease and line a 33x23cm tin with parchment overhang.
- Mash bananas thoroughly until mostly smooth.
- Beat butter and brown sugar 4–5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Add mashed banana — beat briefly. Mixture may look curdled — continue. Sift in flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. Add milk — fold gently.
- Pour into tin — spread evenly. Bake 28–33 minutes until golden, springy, and skewer comes out clean. Cool completely in tin — 1 hour.
- Beat butter alone 4 minutes. Add icing sugar in 3 batches. Add vanilla, salt, and milk — beat 2 more minutes.
- Lift sponge from tin. Spread buttercream generously over entire surface. Scatter banana chips. Dust with cinnamon. Drizzle melted chocolate if using. Cut into 20–24 squares.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add chocolate chips to the batter?
Yes — 100g of dark or milk chocolate chips folded through the batter give an excellent banana and chocolate combination that is particularly popular with children.
Can I add walnuts?
Yes — 75g of roughly chopped walnuts folded through the batter give a pleasant crunch and a slight bitterness that balances the sweet banana very well.
Can I use a chocolate buttercream instead of vanilla?
Yes — a chocolate buttercream (see the chocolate fairy cakes recipe on this site) on a banana sponge gives a banana and chocolate combination that is completely wonderful.
Why is my banana traybake sinking in the centre?
Either the bananas had very high moisture content and made the batter too wet, or the oven door was opened too early. Check at 28 minutes only — do not open the oven before that point.
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