Apple traybake

A delicious apple traybake topped with a sweet caramel buttercream. It’s a delicious, easy bake that’s perfect for sharing with friends, afternoon tea or making for cake sales.

This apple traybake with a caramel buttercream is a delicious autumnal bake but that’s not to say you can’t enjoy it at any time of year. If you have a glut of apples, this is a great recipe for using some up.

There’s lots of different ways of making an apple tray bake like our delicious Dorset apple traybake but this one combines a lovely apple stuffed traybake sponge topped with a caramel buttercream. It’s such a simple bake it’s perfect for making with kids who want something a little more interesting that a plain vanilla sponge.

How can kids help to make an apple traybake?

Tray bakes are a great bake to do with kids. They’re so simple and there’s generally no fussy decorating needed.
As with most bakes, your kids can help to measure and mix everything together as well as chopping up the apples which is a great job for little kids.

Once you’ve made the apple traybake batter then there’s just the easy job of pouring it into your baking tin and popping it in the oven to bake.

Decorating this traybake is also a really easy job kids can do, there’s no need for any fancy piping or anything tricky. It’s simply a case of making the caramel buttercream icing, then spreading it on top.

What apples are best for using in baking?

I like an apple with a slight tartness to it to balance the sweetness of the caramel buttercream topping. Granny Smith apples, Bramley apples or even Braeburn apples all work well in this traybake.

What can I use instead of self raising flour?

This recipe uses self raising flour, which is easy to find here in the UK. If you don’t have any you can swap it for an equal amount of plain or all-purpose flour and add an extra 3 teaspoons of baking powder and a generous pinch of salt.

What is baking spread?

Baking spread, (something like Stork for example), is a non dairy margarine that’s great for baking. It makes cupcakes and cakes lighter and fluffier than butter, which means it’s a great, cheaper alternative.

I still prefer the taste of butter in buttercream icing so I wouldn’t swap the butter for baking spread in that but it’s great for the traybake itself.

How long does an apple traybake keep?

This apple traybake should keep in an air tight container for a few days. If you want to keep if for longer you can freeze it without the caramel frosting for up to three months.

To freeze it, wrap it well in cling film or glad wrap and put it in a freeze bag. Make sure you defrost it fully before you decorate it.

Similar recipes

If you’ve liked this apple traybake and you have more apples you’d like to use up why not try one of these recipes

Apple cake
Apple cinnamon muffins
Caramel apple crumble
Apple scones
Blueberry and apple muffins
Apple crumble
Eve’s pudding (apple sponge pudding)
Apple flapjacks
Baked apple donuts
Apple loaf cake
Plum and apple crumble
Apple pinwheels
Apple turnovers
Apple and blackyberry cake
Caramel apple cinnamon rolls
Apple cupcakes

Or if you have some left over caramel, try one of these caramel based recipes

Chocolate caramel cupcakes
Caramel banana bread
Banoffee cheesecake
Caramel stuffed cookies
Caramel apple poke cake
Millionaires cheesecake

Useful equipment

You might need the following baking tools/gadgets to make this apple traybake

Digital scales
Freestanding mixer
Mixing bowl
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Baking tin
Wire rack

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Please refer to my Privacy Policy Page for more details.

Ingredients

For the apple traybake
200g butter / baking margarine
200g soft brown sugar
200g self raising flour*
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
1 teaspoon mixed spice (optional)
2 tablespoons caramel
2 large apples

For the caramel buttercream
150g butter
300g icing / confectioners sugar
2-3 teaspoons caramel
1 -2 teaspoons milk

A few teaspoons of caramel for drizzling

*If you don’t have self raising flour swap it for an equal amount of plain or all purpose flour and add an extra two teaspoons of baking powder and a pinch of salt.

How to make an apple traybake

Preheat your oven to 170C / 150C Fan / 340F and grease and line a 23 x 30 cm (9 x 12 inch) high sided baking tin with baking or parchment paper.

We find the easiest way of lining a baking tin is to cut a strip of baking/parchment paper that fits in the tin widthways, and then do the same the other way. Leave some of the baking paper hanging over the edges to make the traybake easier to remove once it’s baked.

Beat the butter and sugar together

Get your kids to measure out the butter, or baking spread if you’re using it, and sugar and add them to a large mixing bowl or free-standing mixer.

If you’re using butter it needs to be soft enough to mix in so if it’s still hard from the fridge cut it into a few pieces and pop it in the microwave for a few seconds (long enough for it to soften but not melt).

If you’re using a baking spread or margarine, you can add it straight into your bowl.

Using the k-paddle of your free-standing mixer or a hand held mixer (or even wooden spoons) beat the butter and sugar together for a few minutes until they are light and fluffy.

Add the eggs

Get your kids to crack the eggs into a small bowl, before adding them, one at a time to your mixing bowl. We never add them straight in just in case any shell goes in. If/when you do get some rogue shell, simply fish it out with a larger piece of shell or a tea spoon. It will stick to that better than it will your finger.

Mix the everything together a little after you add each egg and again, once you add the last egg. The mixture will be a little bit sloppy once all the eggs have been added.

Add the flour, baking powder and mixed spice

Get your kids to measure out the flour and add it to your mixing bowl. Add the baking powder, mixed spice and caramel, making sure your kids use their finger to level the tea spoon before they add them so that they add just the right amount.

Mix everything in until the batter is nice and smooth, and there are no visible lumps of flour showing. You may need to get your kids to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is combined.

Add the apples

Peel and core the apples, then cut them into small pieces. If you have one you can use an apple slicer to core the apples, and then get your kids to use regular knives to chop them up.

Or if you find it easier, you can use a coarse grater to grate the apple.

Dishes like this are a great way to practice cutting skills as you can do it with a relatively blunt knife and it doesn’t really matter too much if the apple pieces are a little uneven. If there are any large pieces left after your kids have cut them up, chop them up a little more as you don’t want any really large bits of apple in the traybake.

Add the apples to the traybake batter and give everything a good mix with a spatula or wooden spoon so they are well distributed.

Bake the apple traybake

Pour or spoon the apple traybake batter into the prepared baking tin. Spread the batter to the edges and corners and make sure you level the top with a spatula or palette knife.

Bake the apple traybake in the middle of your oven for 40-50 minutes. It’s ready when it’s risen up and turned a nice golden brown colour. You can double check if it’s ready by inserting a skewer or sharp knife into the middle. It’s ready if the skewer comes out clean but if there’s still bits of wet batter stuck to your skewer pop it back in the oven for a few more minutes.

If the top of the traybake is browning too quickly before the inside is baked, you can loosely cover it in foil for the last 10 minutes or so of baking.

Remove the apple traybake from the oven and leave it to cool in the tin for a few minutes before taking it out the tin and putting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the caramel frosting

Start by adding the butter, icing / confectioners sugar, caramel and a few teaspoons of milk to a mixing bowl or free-standing mixer. The butter needs to be soft, so if yours isn’t cut it into a few pieces and pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it.

Beat the butter and icing sugar using the k-paddle of your mixer or a hand held mixer until it is nice and soft. The longer you beat it for the softer it will become, so leave it mixing if you can for at least five minutes.

Decorate the apple traybake

Once your cake is cooled, spread the frosting on top.

Decorate it with a drizzle of any left over caramel.

Slice into pieces, serve and enjoy.

Apple traybake

cookingwithmykids

A delicious apple traybake topped with a sweet caramel buttercream. It's a delicious, easy bake that's perfect for sharing with friends, afternoon tea or making for cake sales.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Decorating time 5 minutes mins

Course Afternoon tea

Cuisine British

Servings 15

Equipment

• Digital scales
• Freestanding mixer
• Mixing bowl
• Measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• Baking tin
• Wire rack

Ingredients

  

For the apple traybake

• 200 g butter / baking margarine
• 200 g soft brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 200 g self raising flour*
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoon caramel
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 2 large apples

For the caramel buttercream

• 150 g butter
• 300 g icing / confectioners sugar
• 2-3 teaspoons caramel
• 1 -2 teaspoons milk

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 170C / 150C Fan / 340F and grease and line a 23 x 30 cm (9 x 12 inch) high sided baking tin with baking or parchment paper.
• We find the easiest way of lining a baking tin is to cut a strip of baking/parchment paper that fits in the tin widthways, and then do the same the other way. Leave some of the baking paper hanging over the edges to make the traybake easier to remove once it's baked.

Beat the butter and sugar together

• Measure out the butter, or baking spread if you're using it, and sugar and add them to a large mixing bowl or free-standing mixer.
• Using the k-paddle of your free-standing mixer or a hand held mixer (or even wooden spoons) beat the butter and sugar together for a few minutes until they are light and fluffy.

Add the eggs

• Crack the eggs into a small bowl, before adding them, one at a time to your mixing bowl. Mix them in a little in between each addition.

Add the flour, baking powder and mixed spice

• Measure out the flour and add it to your mixing bowl. Add the baking powder and spices, making sure you use your finger to level the tea spoon before you add them so that they add just the right amount.
• Mix everything in until the batter is nice and smooth, and there are no visible lumps of flour showing. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is combined.

Add the apples

• Peel and core the apples, then cut them into small pieces. If you have one you can use an apple slicer to core the apples, and then chop them up into small pieces.

  Or if you find it easier, you can use a coarse grater to grate the apple.
• Add the apples to the traybake batter and give everything a good mix so they are well distributed.

Bake the apple traybake

• Pour or spoon the apple traybake batter into the prepared baking tin. Spread the batter to the edges and corners and make sure you level the top with a spatula or palette knife.
• Bake the apple traybake in the middle of your oven for 40-50 minutes. It's ready when it's risen up and turned a nice golden brown colour. You can double check if it's ready by inserting a skewer or sharp knife into the middle. It's ready if the skewer comes out clean but if there's still bits of wet batter stuck to your skewer pop it back in the oven for a few more minutes.

  If the top of the traybake is browning too quickly before the inside is baked, you can loosely cover it in foil for the last 10 minutes or so of baking.
• Remove the apple traybake from the oven and leave it to cool in the tin for a few minutes before taking it out the tin and putting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the caramel frosting

• Start by adding the butter, icing / confectioners sugar, caramel and a few teaspoons of milk to a mixing bowl or free-standing mixer. The butter needs to be soft, so if yours isn't cut it into a few pieces and pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it.
• Beat the butter and icing sugar using the k-paddle of your mixer or a hand held mixer until it is nice and soft. The longer you beat it for the softer it will become, so leave it mixing if you can for at least five minutes.

Decorate the apple traybake

• Once your cake is cooled, spread the frosting on top and decorate it with a drizzle of any left over caramel.
• Serve and enjoy.

Notes

*If you don't have self raising flour swap it for an equal amount of plain or all purpose flour and add an extra two teaspoons of baking powder and a pinch of salt.

 

If you're using butter it needs to be soft enough to mix in. If it's still hard from the fridge cut it into a few pieces and pop it in the microwave for a few seconds (long enough for it to soften but not melt).

Keyword apple, baking, traybake

Pin it for later

Similar recipes

If you liked this apple traybake you’ll love our other delicious traybake recipes as well as our favourite easy bakes for kids.