This easy chocolate tray bake recipe uses a basic sponge cake recipe similar to the Victoria Sponge Cake recipe. It has an easy to make, hardened chocolate topping that doesn't crumble into pieces when sliced.
Chocolate Glaze can be used as a topping for all kinds of cakes and tray bakes. Including Profiteroles, Cupcakes, Flapjacks, Shortbreads, Madeleines. Try using this on dripping cakes.
This Chocolate Cake filled with Hazelnut Chocolate Spread has the same chocolate glaze topping. It's filled with a delicious Hazelnut Chocolate spread that you will love.
I have a great selection of other traybake recipes that you might like to try. Such as this Lemon, Almond and Poppy Seed Squares or this Lemon Drizzle Traybake with Lemon zest and fresh lemon juice.
This Matcha Green Tea cake recipe has a white chocolate frosting, topped with fresh strawberries and Pistachio nuts
If you are a coffee lover, this Coffee and Walnut Cake has a great coffee sponge with added chopped Walnuts and a coffee icing topping.
All of these recipes are easy to slice.
What goes into Making this Chocolate Tray Bake Recipe.
You need the same basic ingredients that many sponge cakes are made with. Butter, Flour, Eggs and Sugar. With the addition of Vanilla Extract, cocoa and chocolate for flavour.
Add a simple topping and you have the perfect bake for afternoon tea, charity events and school Fetes.
Make the Chocolate Sponge Cake.
You will need to make the cake before you make the topping. Or it will set and you won't be able to spread over the top of the cake.
Preheat the oven to 170deg fan assisted. Grease and line the base of a shallow 29cm x 19 cm oblong tin or similar, at least 2cm/1ins deep, with baking parchment.
This will help you to lift the cake out a lot easier once it's baked and the topping has set.
Using an electric hand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. (Fig 1)
Add the eggs one at a time adding a little flour in between each one. This will help prevent the mixture from curdling. Mix until well combined.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go along.
Add the Vanilla Extract, cocoa powder and remaining flour. Mix together until well combined
Pour the cake mixture evenly into the prepared tin. (Fig 2). Bake for 25 -30 mins in the centre of the oven or until baked. Testing the centre of the cake, in different areas, with a skewer until it comes out clean.
Leave in the tin to cool completely.
Slice off any domed part of the cake that may have risen too high. This is to give you a reasonably leveled surface for all the lovely chocolate glaze topping. We are not looking for perfect, so don't get hung up about how even your cake is.
Return the cake to the same baking tin.
How to make the Chocolate Glaze Topping.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. (Fig 1).Stir frequently until melted, glossy and smooth. (Fig 2). Leave to one side to cool a little.
Pour the chocolate over the top of the cooled cake while still in the baking tin. (See Fig 3 above). This is to help prevent the chocolate from oozing over the sides of your cake.
Before it sets completely, using a fork, create a zig zag pattern in the chocolate.
Score the chocolate topping into individual sections to make it easier to slice when ready to eat.
Baker's Tips
Omit the butter if you want a firm chocolate topping. Melt the chocolate as mentioned above.
Make sure your chocolate is of good quality. By that, I mean a good high percentage of cocoa solids. I used 70% as it gives a really rich dark chocolatey flavour.
Take care with some cheaper quality chocolate as they may not melt very well and could split when mixed with the butter.
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Easy Chocolate Tray Bake Topped with a Chocolate Glaze
Equipment
- Tray Bake Tin 29 cm x 19 cm oblong tin or similar. At least 2cm/1ins deep.
- Baking Parchment
- medium heatproof bowl
- Small pan
- Stand Mixer
INGREDIENTS
- 200 g butter softened
- 200 g caster sugar
- 4 medium eggs
- 200 g self raising flour
- ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon cocoa powder sieved
Topping
- 200 g dark chocolate roughly chopped
- 90 g unsalted butter
Instructions
Make the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 170deg fan assisted. Grease and line the base of a shallow 29cm x 19 cm oblong tin or similar, at least 2cm/1ins deep, with baking parchment. This will help you to lift the cake out a lot easier once it's baked and the topping has set.
- Using an electric hand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. (Fig1 in post). Add the eggs one at a time adding a little flour in between each one. This will help prevent the mixture curdling. Mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go along.
- Add the Vanilla Extract, cocoa powder and remaining flour. Mix together until well combined.
- Pour the cake mixture evenly into the prepared tin. (Fig 2 in post). Bake for 25 -30 mins in the centre of the oven or until baked. Testing the centre of the cake, in different areas, with a skewer until it comes out clean.
- Leave in the tin to cool completely.
- Slice off any domed part of the cake that has risen too high. This is to give you a reasonably leveled surface for all the lovely chocolatey topping.
- Return the cake to the same baking tin.
Make the Topping
- Melt the chocolate and butter in a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water. (Fig 1 in post). Stir frequently until melted, glossy and smooth. (Fig 2 in post. Leave to one side to cool a little.
- Pour the chocolate over the top of the cake while still in the baking tin. (Fig 3 in post). This is to help prevent the chocolate from oozing over the sides of your cake.
- Before it sets completely, use a fork to create a zig zag pattern in the chocolate.
- Score the chocolate topping into individual sections to make it easier to slice when ready to eat.
Notes
Baker's Tips
- Omit the butter if you want a firm chocolate topping. Melt the chocolate as mentioned above.
- Make sure your chocolate is of good quality. By that, I mean a good high percentage of cocoa solids. I used 70% as it gives a really rich dark chocolatey flavour. Take care with some cheaper quality chocolate as they may not melt very well and could split when mixed with the butter.
Carole Rea
Hello there Lynn,
Can I use this recipe to make muffins?
Kind regards
Carole
Lynn
Yes. I think you could. Adjust the baking time though.
Joanne
Delicious! In fact, i ate too much of it. Goes down really easily with a cup of tea
Tan
Hi,
Want to make the cake but i hav like all different measurment trays so is it ok to use any or does ot have to b the exact one u told?
Thanks
Tania
Lynn
Whatever sized tray you use, you may need to alter the baking times. eg if it's a smaller sized tray with deeper sides, the baking time will be longer. If larger and shallower, the baking time will be shorter. Just keep an eye on things to avoid over/underbaking. Use a cake skewer and test that it's baked before you take it out of the oven.
Anna Edwards
Hi Lynn
I am just about to make this cake however I am wondering how I turn out the cake once iced? My tin doesn't have a removable base.
Please could you advise me how to turn it out or ice it after I have turned it out.
Kindest regards
Lynn Hill
Hi Anna. Thanks for your question. My tin isn't a loose bottomed either.
My apologies. I should have made it clearer in the instructions. Although it isn't quite visible in any of the images. After greasing, I lined the base of the tin with baking parchment.
Before the chocolate finally sets, I cut the cake into slices. This enabled me to lift out each slice separately. Or grab hold of the edges of the baking parchment to lift the whole cake out of the tin.
Jenny Beck
Love this recipe! Have made it many times now and it’s easy to customise the flavour to add orange, peppermint, cherry, etc for a change. Always popular with the children and work colleagues alike!
Lynn Hill
Thanks Jenny. Glad you like it. I love the fact that you're customising the flavours too.
Catherine Tarrant
I'm sorry that there aren't any CCC's happening now, but look forward to baking cakes!
Lynn Hill
Hi Catherine. It was great while it lasted. If you haven't already done so, please join my community facebook group where you can share images of your lovely bakes to fellow members. This is the link to it. Clandestine Cake Community