Jam & Coconut Traybake

Jam & Coconut Traybake, featuring soft and fluffy coconut sponge topped with jam and more coconut, is a simple but delicious treat. Whether you remember it as an old school favourite or you’re looking for a quick and easy sweet bake, I think you’ll love it.

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Coconut is one of my favourite flavours. So, as well as using it in savoury, spicy dishes like curry and soup, it’s a regular feature of my sweet baking too.

When I have time to make something a little indulgent, it’ll be Coconut Cake: two moist, coconut sponge cakes sandwiched and covered in rich coconut buttercream icing. But when I want a coconutty sweet treat that’s simple and cooks quickly it has to be a Coconut Traybake.

Easy enough for beginners, the traybake only needs around fifteen minutes of hands-on time and cooks in just 20 – 25 minutes. Once it’s cool, you can add whatever topping you fancy. My mum always covered hers with a basic glacé of icing sugar and water. When I do a glacé icing for it, I like to up the coconut flavour with coconut milk and more desiccated coconut in there too. Recognisable by people of a certain age who fondly remember the bake from school dinners and so call it ‘school cake’, I up the retro look with a sprinkle of colourful hundreds and thousands.

But today I’m sharing another well-loved old school version based on the same recipe. Jam & Coconut Traybake.

JAM & COCONUT TRAYBAKE

If you haven’t tried this cake before, don’t be fooled by its simplicity. Because simple can also be delicious. And especially when it’s a light and fluffy coconut traybake.

In this jammy version, I love the contrast between the sponge and the sweet but sharp fruity topping. Raspberry is a common choice for the jam, but you can use any flavour you like. Personally, I prefer strawberry. For the Jam & Coconut Traybake you see in this post, I used some of this year’s Homemade Strawberry Jam.

To make the cake, you’ll need a non-stick baking tin that measures approximately 24 x 17 x 4 centimetres. If it isn’t non-stick, or you just want to be on the safe side, line the base with baking paper. If you can, use electric beaters to quickly make the cake batter.

You’ll find ingredient amounts and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end. But I recommend you read this post first for extra tips and step-by-step images.

EASY COCONUT TRAYBAKE

To make the base of the Jam & Coconut Traybake, you start by sifting together self-raising flour, baking powder, and salt then set this aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat together soft butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Next, beat in eggs, one at a time, adding a tablespoon of the sifted flour mixture each time. This helps to prevent the batter splitting.

We then do the same with three tablespoons of thick coconut milk, beating in one at a time along with a tablespoon of the flour. Finally, the rest of the flour mixture is folded in (not beaten), along with desiccated coconut. Now transfer the batter to your prepared tin and put into the oven preheated to the temperature shown in the recipe card.

BAKING & COOLING COCONUT TRAYBAKE

The traybake should take 20 – 25 minutes to get risen and golden brown. Ovens do vary though, so have a look at around the 15-minute mark. If you think it’s browning too quickly then turn the temperature down a wee bit.

A sign that the bake is done is when you see the edges slightly pulling away from the sides of the tin. If you then gently and briefly press down on the top it should feel springy. To doublecheck, insert a cocktail stick or skewer: it should come out clean.

Put the tin on a wire rack and leave for 5 – 10 minutes before removing the cake. When it’s out of the tin, place it directly on the rack and leave until completely cold.

ADDING THE JAM & COCONUT TOPPING

When your coconut sponge is completely cold you can spread a layer of jam all over the top, as thickly or as thinly as you like.

Because I prefer a soft set to my Homemade Strawberry Jam, I often reduce it a little by briefly bubbling in a small saucepan. Once cool again, it becomes a little thicker and more suitable for topping cakes or using to fill a Victoria Sponge. On the other hand, if you have a quite firm jam, you can warm it just a little so it spreads more easily.

All that’s left to do then is add a final sprinkle of desiccated coconut.

A SIMPLE OLD SCHOOL TREAT

Stored in an airtight container, I find that this traybake keeps well for 3 – 4 days. Past that point, you can perk it up by briefly pinging in the microwave and serving with lashings of custard poured over. I doubt it will hang around that long though.

Because Jam & Coconut Traybake is a great example of how delicious things don’t have to be complicated. Whether you remember it as an old school favourite, or it’s new to you, I think you’ll love this fluffy, coconut flavoured sponge topped with fruity jam.

Relatively quick and easy, it’s also a great starting point for novice bakers or to get children into cooking.

If you’ve made this recipe, please leave a comment and rating to let me know what you thought.

5 from 1 vote

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Jam & Coconut Traybake

Whether you remember this cake as an old school favourite, or you're looking for a quick and easy sweet bake, I think you'll love Jam & Coconut Traybake: soft and fluffy coconut sponge topped with jam and more coconut.

Course Dessert, Snack, Cake

Cuisine British

Keyword easy, homemade cake

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 12

Author Moorlands Eater

Ingredients

• 175 g self-raising flour
• 1 level tsp baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 175 g soft butter (salted or unsalted, plus extra for greasing)
• 175 g caster sugar
• 3 med-large eggs (see Recipe Notes)
• 3 tbsp coconut milk (tinned, not the thinner kind in cartons)
• 60 g desiccated coconut

For the topping

• strawberry or raspberry jam (see Recipe Notes)
• desiccated coconut

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C /160°C Fan /Gas 4 /350°F.

2. Butter a non-stick rectangular baking tin approximately 24 x 17 x 4 cm. If not non-stick, line with baking paper.

3. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt then set aside.

4. In a large bowl and preferably using electric beaters, beat together the butter and sugar until soft and light. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary during this and subsequent steps.

   Beat in the eggs one at a time along with approximately 1 tbsp of the sifted flour mixture each time.

   Beat in the coconut milk a tablespoon at a time with another scant tablespoon of the flour mixture each time.

   Fold in the remaining flour plus the desiccated coconut.

5. Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin, spreading out evenly and smoothing down the top.

   Put in the oven and bake until risen and golden brown: when done the edges should be pulling away from the sides of the tin, the top springy when lightly pressed, and a skewer or cocktail stick should come out clean (approximately 20 - 25 min).

   Tip: check after 15 minutes and if the bake is browning too quickly before it's set, turn the temperature down a little.

6. When done, transfer the baking tin to a wire rack and leave to cool for 5-10 minutes.

   Carefully remove the cake from its tin and put directly on the wire rack until completely cold.

7. Add the topping

   When the cake is completely cold, spread jam generously all over the top then sprinkle over the desiccated coconut.

   Cut into 12 squares to serve.

8. Store in an airtight container. Best eaten within 3 - 4 days.

   Can also be served with hot custard (warm the cake in a microwave if liked).

Recipe Notes

Eggs. Ideally, they should weigh 175 g in total, including their shells.

Jam. If your jam is soft set, you can thicken it (so it doesn't run off the traybake) by briefly bubbling in a small saucepan but cool it before using. On the other hand, if your jam is too firm to spread easily you can slightly warm it first.

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