A fruit tray bake is the perfect anytime treat. These fruity fingers are so easy to make but be warned: it's impossible to just eat one. If you're trying to watch the calories but still fancy a treat, you can simply leave off the marzipan topping and you'll still have a delightful little treat to nibble on. It's full of really comforting flavours and spices and lets face it, everyone loves dried fruit in a tray bake!
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 200g (7oz) self-raising flour
- 1 level tsp ground mixed spice
- Pinch of salt
- 100g (3½ oz) soft brown sugar
- 350g (12oz) mixed dried fruit
- 60g (2oz) glacé cherries, quartered
- 2 medium eggs
- 125ml (4fl oz) oil
- 125ml (4fl oz) milk
- Few drops of vanilla extract
For the topping:
- 250g (8oz) white marzipan, grated
- 125g (4oz) royal icing sugar
- 26 x 16.5cm (10¼ x 6½ in) traybake tin, lined with baking parchment
- Small disposable piping bag
WEIGHT CONVERTER
Method
- To make the cake, sift the flour, spice and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients. Either beat with a wooden spoon for 3-4 mins until well mixed, or use an electric mixer and beat for 1-2 mins. Turn the mixture into the tin and spread out so it is level.
- Bake the cake in the centre of a preheated oven at 170°C (325ºF, gas mark 3) for 45 mins - then, working quickly, remove the cake from the oven and spread the grated marzipan over it. Return the cake to the oven for a further 15-20 mins, or until the marzipan has turned a pale golden colour.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the tin, then remove from tin.
- Mix the royal icing sugar with enough water to give a drizzling consistency. Fill the piping bag with the icing. Cut off the end of the bag to give a small hole and pipe zig-zags over the top of the cake, using up all the icing.
- Leave the icing to set before cutting the cake into fingers.
Top Tip for making Fruit tray bake
For a festive feel, swap the vanilla essence and white marzipan for almond essence and yellow marzipan. Top with a handful of chopped Brazil nuts.
Trusted, informative, and empathetic – GoodToKnow is the ultimate online destination for mums. Established in 2007, our 15-year-strong archive of content includes more than 18,000 articles, 1,500 how-to videos, and 7,000 recipes.
-
Orange polenta and olive oil cake
This orange polenta and olive oil cake has just a handful of ingredients and will taste even better if you can bake it a couple of days ahead.
By Rose Fooks Published
-
Candice Brown's rainbow cake
Want to make your very own rainbow cake? This rainbow cake recipe is easy to follow and is great for those special occasions...
By Nichola Palmer Published
-
Mary Berry’s chocolate cake
Mary Berry's chocolate cake recipe uses the all-in-one method so it's quick and easy to make.
By Mary Berry Last updated
-
Stuffed lamb shoulder with feta and apricot
Our stuffed lamb shoulder with feta and apricot is infused with lots of Middle Eastern flavours and it only takes 30 minutes of prep
By Rose Fooks Published
-
Stuffed spring leg of lamb with herby chutney
This stuffed spring leg of lamb with herby chutney is best made the night before so it can marinate and intensify in flavour.
By Jules Mercer Published
-
Easter coconut and lemon cake
This Easter coconut and lemon cake serves 12 and leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to three days.
By Jules Mercer Published
-
You probably already have the ingredients to make a lava cake in your air fryer - here's how to whip up this easy dessert
You could have yourself a delicious homemade dessert in just 10 minutes with this air fryer lava cake hack.
By Ellie Hutchings Published
-
4 ingredients and 15 minutes to make this classic British dessert in your air fryer
You can make bread and butter pudding in an air fryer using just four basic store cupboard ingredients, thanks to one TikTok influencer's recipe.
By Ellie Hutchings Published
-
The reason Archie and Lilibet won't be opening their presents on Christmas Day
They won't wake up to stockings full of treats – but there's a good reason why
By Adam England Published