The following tray bake recipes are so simple that children might enjoy helping an adult to make them. Lay all the ingredients for the individual recipes out first and prepare the tin in advance. Grease a shallow rectangular swiss roll tin and line with greaseproof paper.
Coconut, cornflakes, oats and dates are good standby cupboard ingredients that are easily obtained and they make tasty, nutritious cakes. Oats in particular are one of the superfoods for heart health, although the tray bakes should be eaten in moderation as they also contain sugar and fat. Homemade cakes are often healthier than the kind sold in supermarkets, as they don’t contain artificial preservatives.
Coconut Crunch
Ingredients
- 1 cup of self-raising flour
- 1 cup of desiccated coconut
- 1 cup of cornflakes
- ½ cup of sugar
- 125g (4oz) margarine
Method
- Heat oven to 180C (350F).
- Put all the dry ingredients into a bowl.
- Melt the margarine in a pan.
- Remove from heat and mix well with the dry ingredients.
- Press the mixture evenly into the tin.
- Bake for about 20 minutes.
- Score into pieces and leave to cool.
Chocolate Coconut Crunch
Ingredients
- 225g (8oz) margarine
- 150g (5oz) caster sugar
- 75g (3oz) desiccated coconut
- 50g (2oz) cornflakes, crushed
- 1 tablespoon cocoa
- 150g (5oz) self-raising flour
- Melted chocolate (optional)
Method
- Heat oven to 180C (350F).
- Melt margarine slowly in a pan over a low heat.
- Stir in sugar, coconut, cornflakes and cocoa.
- Stir in flour gradually.
- Pour into the prepared tin and smooth level.
- Bake in oven for about 30 minutes.
- Cut into squares or slices while warm.
- When cold spread with melted chocolate (optional).
The following flapjacks don't contain syrup, although there is a high amount of butter.
Flapjacks
Ingredients
- 125g (4oz) sugar
- 125g (4oz) self-raising flour
- 125g (4oz) porridge oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 225g (8oz) butter
- 12 tablespoons porridge oats
Method
- Heat oven to 180C (350F).
- Put the sugar, flour, porridge oats (4oz), and baking powder into a bowl.
- Melt the butter in a large pan.
- Stir in the 12 tablespoons of oats.
- Remove from heat and stir in the dry ingredients, mix well.
- Press the mixture into the tin.
- Bake for about 30-40 minutes.
- Score into slices and cool in the tin.
The following recipe contains much less fat because of the added egg.
Date and Nut Bars
Ingredients
- 50g (2oz) margarine or butter
- 200g (7oz) sugar
- 100g (3½ oz) plain flour
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 125g (4oz) chopped dates
- 50g (2oz) chopped walnuts or hazelnuts
- 1 egg, beaten
Method
- Heat oven to 180C (350F).
- Melt margarine or butter in a pan.
- Stir in remaining ingredients.
- Remove from heat and mix well.
- Pour into the prepared tin.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, until firm.
- When cool, cut into squares or slices.
Quick and easy loaf cake recipes are another option for delicious homebaking.
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