Cherry Traybake & Bake Box 4 Unboxing

Bake Box 4 arrived last week and as usual I was very excited to find out what was inside! If you've not heard of Bake Box before it's a bi-monthly subscription service for all the baking lovers out there. Once you sign up, every two months you receive a themed box filled with bakeware items, a specialist decorative item and 6 recipe cards to inspire you. You can read my other Bake Box posts here and here.

This month's theme was Teddy Bear's Picnic and inside the box was:

• A teddy bear shaped cake mould
• A lattice pastry roller
• Toadstool and owl shaped and embossed cookie cutters
• 3 stencils
• 3 Cherry shaped icing cutters
• Yellow food colouring

The item I liked the most was definitely the lattice roller. I've seen them on TV, but always thought it was a bit of a frivalous item to buy, so getting one as part of the box was perfect! The cookie cutters were also really cute and I loved their woodland design.

The recipe cards were a gorgeous looking selection of picnic treats and stunning bakes. I decided to make the cherry traybake as I love cherries! It also looked like an easy recipe to pack up for a picnic whilst still looking really pretty.

I started by making the sponge. I creamed together 225g butter and 225g golden caster sugar. Then I whisked in 3 eggs and 3 tbsp milk. Finally I folded in 275g self raising flour, 3/4 tsp baking powder and 65g ground almonds.

I tossed 200g glace cherries in flour then added them to the mixture. I added more than the recipe suggested as the pot of cherries I had was 200g so I thought I may as well use it all up.

I poured the batter into a lined traybake tin and smoothed it out.

I baked it on 160C Fan/ 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 for 30 minutes.

To make the cherries I decided to use 250g marzipan as I had it in the cupboard already and I thought the almond flavor would go well with the cherry sponge. I split the marzipan in half and kneaded green and red food colouring into each half. I then dusted my work surface with icing sugar and rolled them out into strips and connected them by rolling the edges together.

I used the cherry plunger from Bake Box to cut out the cherry decorations. I lay them on some baking paper to set.

When the sponge was cool I brushed it all over with 2 tbsp jam. I used strawberry as I had some in the fridge, but of course cherry would be ideal.

I rolled out 1kg of white ready to roll icing.

I covered the sponge with the white icing, trimmed the edges, then cut the traybake into squares - 4 by 6.

I brushed water onto the back of the cherry decorations and stuck them down onto each square.

I thought the traybake looked so pretty! The cherry design from the plunger looked so fun and colourful. The sponge was delicious too, it was really light and perfectly punctuated by the sweet cherries throughout.

I am linking these up with Treat Petite, hosted by Cakeyboi this month.

And to Cook Blog Share hosted by Sneaky Veg Blog.

I'm linking up with the Sunday Fitness & Food Link Up hosted by Ilka's Blog and Marathons & Motivation.
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Cherry TraybakeAugust-13-2016Ingredients

• 225g Butter
• 225g Golden caster sugar
• 3 Eggs
• 3 tbsp Milk
• 275g Self raising flour
• 3/4 tsp Baking Powder
• 65g Ground almonds
• 250g Marzipan
• 1kg White icing
• 2 tbsp Jam
• Red food colouring
• Green food colouring
• 200g Glace Cherries

InstructionsTo make the sponge cream together the butter and golden caster sugar. Then whisk in the eggs and milk. Finally fold in the self raising flour, baking powder and ground almondsToss the glace cherries in flour then add them to the mixturePour the batter into a lined traybake tin and smooth it outBake it on 160C Fan/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 for 30 minutesSplit the marzipan in half and knead green food colouring into one half and red food colouring into the other half. Dust the work surface with icing sugar and roll them out into strips, connect them by rolling the edges togetherUse the cherry plunger from Bake Box to cut out the cherry decorations. Lay them on some baking paper to setWhen the sponge is cool, brush it all over with the jamRoll out the white icing, either onto cling film or onto a icing sugar dusted work surfaceCover the sponge with the white icing, trim the edges, then cut the traybake into squares - 4 by 6Brush water onto the back of the cherry decorations and stick them down onto each square