Vanilla & Chocolate Marble Traybake

As its high season here at HfH at the moment; the old cake stand is being very well used. So keeping up with demand can be a little challenging. This is where a traybake comes into its own. A quick and relatively simple bake; it can be frozen (before icing) or cut into neat squares for your cake stand and the rest stored - it will keep for a few days in a dry air-tight container. And then - if there are any left overs (hardly likely!) you can always add a little double cream or custard.

There are many different varieties so give it a whirl and keep it as your emergency go-to!

Ingredients (approx 16 pieces)

200g baking margarine from the fridge (stork)
200g caster sugar
300g S/R Flour
2 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
2 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp hot water

For the icing:

25g margarine
1 tbsp cocoa powder
200g icing sugar
approx 4tbsp milk (if needed)

Method

You will need a traybake tin 30 x 23cm, lines with foil and greased lightly.
Measure the margarine, sugar, flour, baking powder, egs, milk and vanilla extract into a large mixing bowl and beat well until well blended. Spoon half of the mixture into another bowl and set aside.
In a small bowl mix together the cocoa powder and hot water until smooth. Allow to cool a little and then add to one of the bowls of cake mixture, mixing well until evenly blended.
Spoon the vanilla and chocolate mixture in alternate spoonfuls in the tin and level the top. Using the handle of a teaspoon drag figure of eights into the mixture to give a marble effect (if you don't do this you will end up with blocks of colour more like battenburg).
Bake in pre-heated oven (160 -180 degrees fan or conventional) for 25-30 mins until the sponge is shrinking away from the tin and springy to touch. Leave to cook in the tin.
For the icing, melt the margarine in a small pan, add the cocoa powder and stir to blend. Remove from heat and add icing sugar, mix thoroughly if you need to - add some milk.
Spread over the cold sponge and cut into even portions.