Lucy M. When you need to impress a crowd without spending hours in the kitchen, this Mary Berry classic is your answer. Light, moist chocolate sponge topped with a glossy milk chocolate ganache and finished with delicate white chocolate feathering, this tray bake delivers cafe-quality results with straightforward home baking technique. The recipe yields 16 generous portions, making it ideal for entertaining, potlucks, or when you simply want chocolate cake that tastes as indulgent as it looks.
What sets this cake apart is the blooming technique for the cocoa, which deepens the chocolate flavour, and the silky ganache icing that’s foolproof if you follow one golden rule: don’t overheat the cream. The feathering decoration takes just minutes but transforms the presentation from good to stunning. Whether you’re baking for a special occasion or stocking the cake tin for the week ahead, this is the recipe you’ll return to again and again.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Sponge:
- 65g cocoa powder
- 8 tbsp boiling water
- 130g baking spread or soft butter
- 360g caster sugar
- 4 large free-range eggs
- 165ml milk
- 230g self-raising flour
- 1.25 tsp baking powder
For the Ganache Icing:
- 4 tbsp warmed, sieved apricot jam
- 130ml double cream
- 260g milk chocolate, finely chopped or grated
For the Decoration:
- 130g white chocolate
Instructions
- Prepare Your Tin: Heat your oven to 180C (160C fan/Gas 4). Take a 30x23cm traybake tin, grease it thoroughly, then line with baking paper so it comes up the sides. This prevents any sticking and makes lifting out the finished cake a breeze.
- Make The Cocoa Paste: Tip the cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl and pour in the boiling water. Stir until you have a smooth, lump-free paste. This blooming technique brings out the chocolate flavour beautifully.
- Build The Batter: Add the baking spread to the cocoa mixture and beat it in until you have a glossy base. Now stir in the caster sugar, then crack in the eggs and pour in the milk. Sprinkle over the self-raising flour and baking powder. Mix everything together until just combined using either a hand mixer or a wooden spoon. Don’t overwork it, aim for a smooth, well-blended batter.
- Bake The Sponge: Spread the mixture evenly into your prepared tin. Slide it into the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The cake is ready when it’s risen nicely, feels just firm when you touch the centre, and has started pulling away from the tin edges.
- Cool And Prepare: Leave the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack and carefully peel away the baking paper. Once completely cool, use a pastry brush to glaze the top with the apricot jam, working gently so you don’t damage the crumb.
- Make The Ganache: Warm the double cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it’s steaming gently. Pour it over the chopped milk chocolate in a bowl and let it sit for a minute, then stir until the chocolate melts into a silky, glossy icing. Let it cool for a few minutes until it reaches a thick pouring consistency, not too runny but spreadable.
- Ice The Cake: Pour the chocolate icing over the cooled cake and spread it out with a palette knife, working quickly to cover the entire surface with an even layer. Don’t worry about perfection, this is about to become even more elegant.
- Create The Feather Effect: Melt the white chocolate gently over a bowl of simmering water, stirring frequently. Transfer it to a piping bag or improvise with a small sandwich bag with a snipped corner. Pipe thin lines of white chocolate down the length of the cake, spaced about 1cm apart. Using a skewer or cocktail stick, drag it gently across these lines in alternating directions to create a classic feathered pattern.
If you’re looking for an even more indulgent chocolate experience, try our rich Chocolate Brownie Cake recipe, which combines fudgy brownie texture with cake lightness.
Mary Berry Chocolate Try Bake
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare Your Tin: Heat your oven to 180C (160C fan/Gas 4). Take a 30x23cm traybake tin, grease it thoroughly, then line with baking paper so it comes up the sides. This prevents any sticking and makes lifting out the finished cake a breeze.
- Make The Cocoa Paste: Tip the cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl and pour in the boiling water. Stir until you have a smooth, lump-free paste. This blooming technique brings out the chocolate flavour beautifully.
- Build The Batter: Add the baking spread to the cocoa mixture and beat it in until you have a glossy base. Now stir in the caster sugar, then crack in the eggs and pour in the milk. Sprinkle over the self-raising flour and baking powder. Mix everything together until just combined using either a hand mixer or a wooden spoon. Don’t overwork it, aim for a smooth, well-blended batter.
- Bake The Sponge: Spread the mixture evenly into your prepared tin. Slide it into the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The cake is ready when it’s risen nicely, feels just firm when you touch the centre, and has started pulling away from the tin edges.
- Cool And Prepare: Leave the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack and carefully peel away the baking paper. Once completely cool, use a pastry brush to glaze the top with the apricot jam, working gently so you don’t damage the crumb.
- Make The Ganache: Warm the double cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it’s steaming gently. Pour it over the chopped milk chocolate in a bowl and let it sit for a minute, then stir until the chocolate melts into a silky, glossy icing. Let it cool for a few minutes until it reaches a thick pouring consistency, not too runny but spreadable.
- Ice The Cake: Pour the chocolate icing over the cooled cake and spread it out with a palette knife, working quickly to cover the entire surface with an even layer. Don’t worry about perfection, this is about to become even more elegant.
- Create The Feather Effect: Melt the white chocolate gently over a bowl of simmering water, stirring frequently. Transfer it to a piping bag or improvise with a small sandwich bag with a snipped corner. Pipe thin lines of white chocolate down the length of the cake, spaced about 1cm apart. Using a skewer or cocktail stick, drag it gently across these lines in alternating directions to create a classic feathered pattern.
Baker’S Notes
Make Ahead: This cake keeps beautifully for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container, making it perfect for preparing a day in advance.
Skip the Feathering: If you’re short on time or prefer simplicity, skip the white chocolate decoration and simply dust the top with icing sugar for an equally elegant finish.
Chocolate Quality: Using quality milk chocolate makes a noticeable difference in the ganache. Avoid chocolate with overly high cocoa content, as it can taste bitter against the sweet sponge.
Servings: This generous recipe yields 16 portions, but can easily be scaled up or down depending on your needs.
Conclusion
This Mary Berry Chocolate Tray Bake is more than just a recipe, it’s a reliable companion for every baking occasion. From the satisfying ritual of blooming the cocoa to the final flourish of white chocolate feathering, each step is designed to deliver results that look and taste magnificent. The beauty of a tray bake lies in its efficiency, yet this cake never feels rushed or humble, delivering the same richness and refinement you’d expect from a traditional layer cake.
Whether this is your first time attempting it or you’re returning to an old favourite, you’ll find the technique straightforward and the results consistently impressive. The cake’s generous yield means there’s enough to enjoy at home and share with loved ones, while its excellent keeping quality means you can bake ahead without stress. Once you’ve mastered this classic, you’ll understand why it remains a treasured recipe in kitchens everywhere.
Pull this recipe out whenever you need to bake with confidence and serve with pride. A slice of this chocolate cake paired with a cup of tea is the kind of simple pleasure that reminds us why we love to bake.
