Mary Berry Old School Traybake Recipe

Mary Berry's old school traybake is a soft, plain sponge with vanilla buttercream and hundreds and thousands — the school dinner classic, properly made.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Cooling Time 1

Total Time 1 50

Servings: 20 Squares

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Calories: 330

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Vanilla Sponge:
350 g unsalted butter softened
350 g caster sugar
6 large eggs room temperature
350 g self-raising flour sifted
3 tsp baking powder
6 tbsp whole milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream:
200 g unsalted butter softened
400 g icing sugar sifted twice
2 –3 tbsp whole milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of fine salt
Pink gel food colouring — palest blush optional but traditional
Decoration:
Hundreds and thousands — very generous amount
Icing sugar for dusting optional

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease and line a 33x23cm tin with parchment overhang.
Place all sponge ingredients in a large bowl. Beat with electric whisk 2–3 minutes until smooth and pale. Pour into tin — spread evenly to corners.
Bake 28–32 minutes until golden, springy, and skewer comes out clean. Cool completely in tin — at least 1 hour.
Beat softened butter alone 4 minutes. Add icing sugar in 3 batches. Add vanilla, salt, and milk — beat 2 more minutes. Add the palest touch of pink gel colouring if using.
Lift sponge from tin. Spread buttercream generously and evenly — approximately 1cm thick — right to the edges. Scatter hundreds and thousands very generously immediately. Press very lightly. Leave 15 minutes. Cut into 20–24 squares.

Notes

The palest possible pink — add the smallest amount of gel colouring and build gradually.

Be very generous with hundreds and thousands — considerably more than feels reasonable.

Scatter immediately after spreading buttercream — it adheres less well as it firms.

Cool sponge completely before frosting — 1 hour minimum.

Cut into 20 squares not 24 — generous portions are faithful to the original.

Freeze unfrosted squares for up to 3 months.