I recently made a wedding cake for a family friend and, this weekend, I’ve been sharing the recipes & all of the fun, summer-y details! This was only my second time making a wedding cake (check out my Wedding Cake Week series for the first time, where I made the cake for my brother’s big day!), so I am by no means a professional, but I’m so happy with how these cakes turned out and I’m so excited to be sharing them with you now!

Yesterday, I shared the recipe for the main cake: an 8-inch, circular, 4-layer, naked cake, made up of an orange & olive oil sponge, filled with a honey-yoghurt icing and decorated with edible pressed flowers & homemade candied orange peels.

Along with the main cake, I made two rectangular traybake versions of the same cake (same sponge, same icing, same decoration), to ensure that there was plenty of cake to go around! In today’s post, I’m sharing that scaled-up, traybake version of the original recipe, plus some tips/tricks for working with larger cakes (which these traybakes, coming in at 9 x 13 inches inch, definitely are!).

Let’s get into it!

Table of Contents

• The Tin
• Baking the Traybakes
• Assembling the Traybakes
• Decorating the Traybakes
• Tips for Working with Large Cakes
• Recipe

The Tin

For each of the two traybakes, I used this tin from Silverwood: it’s a 9 x 13 x 2 inch, rectangular tin with straight sides and a loose base. This is such a good tin: you get super neat, perfectly straight sides on your finished cake, it’s really easy to get the cake out of it once it’s baked (thanks to the loose base) and the cake cooks really evenly. It is on the pricier side, but, like all Silverwood tins, I think it’s a really good investment: particularly if you’re making a naked cake like this, where it’s really important that the cake itself is super neat and tidy!

The quantities/temperatures in this recipe are specifically formulated for a baking tin of this size. If you want to use a different size/shape tin, you will need to adjust the amounts/temperatures accordingly.

Just like with the circular cake, it’s really important to prepare the tin properly for this recipe, so that the cake doesn’t stick to the tin. This includes:

• Brushing the whole tin with a layer of my DIY Cake Release.
• Lining the bottom of the tin with a rectangle of baking paper.
• Brushing a thin layer of DIY Cake Release on top of the baking paper layer.
• Once the cake comes out of the oven, gently pushing the edges of the cake inwards, towards the centre, to loosen them from the sides of the tin.

I know it sounds a bit overkill, but this cake can be a bit of a menace when it comes to sticking to the tin, so it’s better to be safe than sorry!

Baking the Traybakes

The only differences between the traybake sponges and the circular sponges are a) the tins, b) the ingredient quantities and c) the baking times/temperatures. Otherwise, the whole process of preparing the tins, making the cake batter and checking for the doneness of the cake are exactly the same. Because of this, I won’t be doing a deep-dive into the step-by-step process here. If you want to check out my previous two posts on this particular cake batter for more detailed instructions, you can find them here:

• Mini Orange & Olive Oil Layer Cakes with Greek Yoghurt and Honey Icing
• Orange & Olive Oil Layer Cake with Honey-Yoghurt Icing (Wedding Cake Weekend #2)

The traybakes are larger than the original, circular cake. This means that:

• The quantity of cake batter required is larger.
• The baking temperature should be lower.
• The baking time will be longer.

This is standard practice for larger cakes: obviously, they require more cake batter, but also, in order to ensure they are fully cooked through (and don’t burn on the top!), they need to be baked at a lower temperature for a longer time. Therefore, these traybakes are baked at 160°C (conventional oven, not fan) for 55-60 minutes (compared to the smaller, 8-inch, circular layer cake, which is baked at 165°C for 35-40 minutes).

Assembling the Traybakes

Unlike the main cake, which is split into 4, thin layers, I split each of these traybakes into two layers, so I had two separate, 2-layer cakes. You could absolutely split each traybake into 4 layers by splitting each half into half again horizontally, but it can be quite tricky to work with larger cakes than this, so you would need to be very gentle and careful to ensure that you do not break any of the layers. Also, be aware that you will need twice as much icing (because you’ll be filling 2 extra layers!), so plan accordingly. Because my traybakes were for a (very important!) event, I decided that it was easier to go for two thicker layers: you still get plenty of the delicious icing, but it significantly lowers the risk factor involved!

As with the circular cake, I found it easiest to use a cake leveller to split each cake in half (I use this one). Because these cakes have such a large surface area and have such clean, sharp edges, using a cake leveller makes it much easier to cut through the sponges in a perfectly neat, straight line. Having said that, if you’re confident in your ability to cut in straight lines (I am not), you could absolutely use a large, serrated knife instead!

I used the exact same method as the circular cake to fill the traybakes: just piping dollops of the icing all over the surface of the cake. Because these are rectangular cakes, I piped the dollops in rows (as opposed to the concentric circles of the main cake!).

Decorating the Traybakes

While, with the main cake, I added the flower/candied orange peels in a ring around the circumference of the cake, with the traybakes, I opted to just scatter the decorations all over the surface. I actually love how this approach turned out: I think these traybakes ended up looking so pretty, summer-y and fun!

Just like with the main cake, I started with the bigger, more dramatic edible flowers, then worked my way down to the smaller flowers. Once all of the individual flowers were placed, I added the candied orange peels. Finally, I sprinkled over some mixed dried petals, to give the whole thing a colourful, celebratory feel.

Tips for Working with Large Cakes

As cakes go, a 9 x 13 inch one is pretty large and, as a result, can be a little unruly to work with!

Below are a few tips for working with large cakes, to make the process as easy as possible for you:

• Use a cake leveller.

As I mentioned, you can absolutely use a large, serrated knife to split a large cake in half horizontally, as you need to do for this recipe, but the large area does mean that there’s more room for things to go a bit askew! I find it easier to use a cake leveller for this, because you can just slowly walk it through the sponge and let it do all the hard work for you. I use this one.

• Use a cake lifter.

With such a large surface area, there’s a greater potential for cracking/breakages whenever you move the cake around, particularly if you’ve sliced it in half and are working with thinner, more fragile layers. While you’re unlikely to find a cake lifter that can hold the full surface area of this cake, it will still do a better job than your hands at supporting more of the cake at any given time, so it’s worth using one if you have it!

• When holding the cake, let it rest on your forearms.

I know that hands are a cook’s best tools and all that, but I think forearms are underrated. Anything you can do to increase the amount of cake you’re supporting will help prevent breakages, so letting the cake rest on your forearms if you need to transfer it from Point A to Point B is a helpful workaround, particularly if you don’t have a cake lifter.

• Make sure you have a serving plate/board large enough!

This one seems pretty obvious, but the bigger the cake, the bigger the serving plate you’ll need for it! If you can’t find anything big enough, you could always use a chopping board or baking tray (though, if you’re making the cake for an event, I would recommend purchasing a sturdy, professional cake board, like this one!).

Recipe

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Orange & Olive Oil Traybake with Honey-Yoghurt Icing

A traybake-ified version of my Orange & Olive Oil Layer Cake, filled with honey-yoghurt icing and decorated with edible pressed flowers & homemade candied orange peels.

Course Dessert

Keyword Greek yoghurt, Honey, Olive oil, Orange

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 2 hours hours 19 minutes minutes

Servings 50 wedding servings

Equipment

• 9 x 13 x 2 inch traybake tin (see Note 1).
• 1 piping bag, fitted with a large, round nozzle
• cake leveller (or a large, serrated knife).

Ingredients

For the tin:

• 2 batches DIY Cake Release (see Note 2).

For the cake:

• 450 g golden caster sugar
• 6 oranges (zest of 6 + 180ml juice (approx. 3-4 oranges).
• 6 eggs
• 180 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 380 g plain flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 pinch fine sea salt

For the icing:

• 765 g Greek yoghurt (at least 10% fat)(see Note 3).
• 385 ml double cream
• 110 g runny honey (see Note 4).

To decorate:

• Edible pressed flowers (see Note 5).
• Candied orange peels (see Note 6).

Instructions

Prepare the cake tin:

• Brush the cake tin all over with a layer of DIY Cake Release. Line the base of the tin (not the sides) with baking paper, then brush the surface of the paper with a little more Cake Release. Set aside.

Make the orange & olive oil cake:

• Preheat the oven to 160°C (conventional oven, not fan).
• Place the caster sugar into the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. Zest all 6 oranges directly into the bowl with the sugar, then use the back of spoon to press the zest into the sugar until evenly distributed.
• Add the eggs to the sugar, then whisk on high speed until the mixture has become pale and doubled in size. It should be thick and creamy, like the consistency of softly whipped cream.
• While the egg mixture is whisking, combine the flour, baking powder and sea salt in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
• With the mixer running, pour the olive oil into the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream, until it is all incorporated.
• Repeat this process with 180ml of freshly-squeezed orange juice, pouring it in in a slow, steady stream with the mixer running, until it is all incorporated.
• Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and sift 1/4 of the dry ingredient mixture directly over the surface of the batter. Use a handheld balloon whisk to fold the dry ingredients in gently, but thoroughly.
• Repeat this process 3 more times, adding 1/4 of the dry ingredients each time, until they are completely incorporated. Switch to a spatula for one final, brief stir to make sure no flour remains at the bottom of the bowl.
• Pour the batter into the prepared tin, then bake in the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes, until the edges of the cake are starting to pull away from the sides of the tin and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, use your fingers, or the flat edge of a palette knife, to very gently push the edges of the cakes inwards, towards the centre. This helps the cake to release from the sides of the tin, making it easier to get it out of the tin once they are cool and ensuring that the cake has neat edges later.
• Allow the cake to cool most of the way in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack, carefully remove the baking paper from the bottom and allow to cool completely before assembling.

Make the icing:

• When the cake are cool, make the icing. Place the yoghurt, cream and honey into the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk on high speed until the mixture just holds stiff peaks. Don't over-whip. Transfer to a piping bag, fitted with a large, round nozzle.

Assemble the cake:

• Once the cake is cold and the icing is made, it's time to assemble. Start by dividing the cake into two layers horizontally. I use a cake leveller for this, but you can use a large, serrated knife instead.
• Add a generous smear of icing to the centre of your serving plate/board, then stick the first layer of cake on top, making sure it is centred and level.
• Pipe rows of icing dollops all over the surface of the first cake layer, making sure the dollops around the perimeter of the cake are neat, as they will be on show.
• Carefully top with the second layer of cake, then repeat the icing process again. Make sure that all of the piping on this layer is neat, because this will be the top of the cake.
• Place the cake into the fridge to chill for 15-20 minutes, then arrange the edible flowers and orange peels all over the surface.
• The cake must be stored in the fridge until you are ready to serve it. As long as the cream/yoghurt were well within their use-by date, it will last for 2-3 days.

Notes

1. I use this tin from Silverwood.
2. My recipe for DIY Cake Release is absolutely essential for this recipe, because the cake batter is very prone to sticking to the tins.
3. Make sure to use a Greek yoghurt that has a fat content of 10%: this will make for a perfectly thick, creamy and stable icing.
4. I used a selection of pressed, edible flowers from Nurtured in Norfolk.
5. You can find my recipe for Homemade Candied Orange Peels here.

Today’s recipe is for these Mini Orange & Olive Oil Layer Cakes with Greek Yoghurt and Honey Icing! The name may be a bit of a mouthful, but they’re so delicious that I don’t even mind!

Table of Contents

• Inspiration
• Ingredients
• Making the Orange and Olive Oil Cakes
• Making the Greek Yoghurt and Honey Icing
• Assembling the Mini Layer Cakes
• Mini Orange and Olive Oil Layer Cakes with Greek Yoghurt and Honey Icing Recipe

Inspiration

These layer cakes are inspired by the male lead of the upcoming season: Colin Bridgerton. Colin’s love of travelling is a recurring theme throughout the series, and he seems to have a particular fondness for exploring the Mediterranean, so I wanted to create a cake that felt fresh, sunny and incorporated some of the flavours and ingredients that I associate with the region. I ended up with this moist, light orange cake, which is made using olive oil (as a little nod to Colin’s olive joke in Season 2 that makes me giggle every time). I also decided to turn the sponges into these little mini layer cakes, to make them extra special and fit for an afternoon tea-style dessert table. I actually used my Moroccan Meskouta recipe as a starting point for the cake recipe- I just adapted it ever so slightly to use olive oil (instead of regular oil), and for baking in mini sandwich tins (as opposed to a bundt tin). While I don’t think Colin ever mentions going to Morocco, it is technically a Mediterranean country, so I’m rolling with it.

I filled and decorated each cake with a light and tangy Greek yoghurt icing, to really drive home the Mediterranean theming (though my research tells me Greek yoghurt is really just strained yoghurt and not necessarily Greek at all, which is kind of embarrassing for me, but also, what can you do?). Instead of using sugar to sweeten the icing, I opted to use honey, as a nod to one of the most iconic recurring motifs in the show: the bee. The resulting icing is a light, creamy, sweet-but-not-too-sweet topping that marries perfectly with the bright, zesty cake.

Ingredients

To make the orange and olive oil cake batter, you will need:

• Caster sugar

It’s best to use caster sugar, as opposed to granulated sugar, because it dissolves more easily as you beat it into the eggs.

• Oranges

For this recipe, you need both the zest and the juice. You’ll need the zest of two large oranges, but only 60ml of freshly squeezed juice, which is about one orange’s worth, so you’ll have some fruit leftover.

• Eggs

As always, I’m using large eggs.

• Extra virgin olive oil

It’s important to use a strong olive oil here, to impart both flavour and colour. The stronger the olive oil, the more noticeable it will be in the finished cake. Whatever you use, though, it will lend a lovely moistness to the cake- so you’ll be happy either way!

• Plain flour

I use plain flour to ensure I have control over the amount of baking powder in the batter. If you only have self-raising flour to hand, I would recommend omitting the baking powder.

• Baking powder

Baking powder helps the cakes to rise and develop a light and fluffy texture.

• Salt

Just a pinch- to help bring out the other flavours.

For the icing, you will need:

• Greek yoghurt

For a Greek yoghurt icing, you obviously need Greek yoghurt! I recommend using full-fat yoghurt for the best results.

• Double cream

This is mixed with the Greek yoghurt to give the icing a lovely, light texture, but also stiffens the icing, so that it can be piped. If you’re in the US, use heavy cream.

• Honey

To sweeten the icing. Use a honey that you like the taste of, because it will also flavour the icing. I recommend using a runny honey for this recipe.

I decorated my mini layer cakes with some edible dried flowers, which you can find here (though this pack contains a variety of sizes and some are a little too big for these mini cakes! You could also try this pack, which contains fewer large flowers!). However, you can obviously decorate these cakes however you like- you could leave them plain, dust them with icing sugar, sprinkle over some more orange zest or even place on a few pieces of candied orange peel on top. It’s completely up to you!

Making the Orange and Olive Oil Cakes

To make these mini layer cakes, you need the right tin. This mini sandwich tin from Lakeland is essentially a 12-hole cupcake tin, except each cavity has straight sides and an individual, removable base. If you don’t want to buy a whole new tin, you can absolutely just make these cakes in cupcake form, or make a big cake and stamp out the circles using a cookie cutter.

Once you have the tin, you need to prepare it. I like to use my DIY Cake Release to grease the tin for this recipe, because this cake batter does have a tendency to stick to the sides of the tin without it. Just use a pastry brush to cover each cavity with a thin layer of cake release, which will help to ensure your cakes come out easily and have a perfectly golden edge all around (which is important, because these mini layer cakes will have naked sides!). I like to cut little circles of greaseproof paper and stick them onto the bottom of each cavity, too, just to make it even easier to get the cakes out, but this is optional.

Now, you can get to baking! Set the prepared tin aside and preheat the oven to 180°C (conventional oven).

Place the caster sugar and orange zest into a large bowl and mix together, using the back of a spoon to really press the ingredients into each other, until the zest is evenly distributed throughout the sugar. This helps to extract every bit of flavour from the zest.

Then, add the eggs and whisk (I like to use a handheld electric whisk for this, but you could use a freestanding mixer, if you prefer) until the ribbon stage is achieved. When the mixture is ready, it should be pale and creamy. The mixture should be falling off the beaters in ‘ribbons’ (hence the ‘ribbon’ stage), with which you should be able to draw a figure of eight before they settle back into the rest of the mixture.

At this point, you can add the olive oil. With the mixer going, add the oil to the mixture in a slow, continuous stream and mix until completely incorporated.

Next, add the freshly squeezed orange juice and mix again, to combine.

Finally, sift in the dry ingredients (the flour, baking powder and salt). Use a large, metal spoon to carefully fold them into the mixture, until no streaks of flour remain.

Divide the mixture between the 12 holes of the prepared tin, then bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the cakes have turned a deep, golden colour and a sharp knife/skewer comes out clean (or with only a few moist crumbs).

Allow the cakes to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before using your fingers to gently pull the cakes away from the side of the tin. Once the tray is cool enough to handle, push the cakes out from the bottom, using the removable bases of the tin to help you, and transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely before filling and decorating.

Making the Greek Yoghurt and Honey Icing

This icing is super quick and easy to make- you literally put all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk! Again, I like to use a handheld electric whisk for this, but you can use a freestanding mixer, if you prefer. You can even use a hand whisk, if you’re feeling particularly energetic!

Place the Greek yoghurt, cream and honey into a large bowl.

Whip on high speed until the mixture is thick and just about holding a stiff peak- you want it to hold its shape when piped, but not to be over-whipped and turn into a strange, tangy butter hybrid situation. Not the vibe.

And that’s it! You can always add more/less honey if you want to make it more/less sweet, so do whatever works for you. Transfer the icing to a piping bag, fitted with a small(ish), round nozzle and you can get to assembling!

Assembling the Mini Layer Cakes

Once the cakes are completely cool and your icing is whipped and ready to go, you can assemble your cakes.

Start by using a small, serrated knife to cut each cake into 3 horizontal layers. The cakes are pretty sturdy, but you still want to use a gentle, sawing motion here to prevent any breakage.

To fill the cakes, I opted to pipe little dollops of icing all around the circumference of the layers, then filled the remaining space in the middle with one, bigger dollop. This gives the cakes are super pretty, professional look once they are stacked up, but you can fill them however you like- if you don’t have a piping bag, you could always just spread the icing on with the back of a spoon! It’s completely up to you.

Pipe the icing onto the bottom layer of each cake, then sandwich the middle layers right on top. Repeat the piping process all over again, before finishing off each cake with their final, domed top layer.

Once the cakes are filled, it’s time to ice the tops. I used the same icing pattern for the top, and pressed one edible dried flower onto the larger, middle dollop on each cake, as decoration.

And that’s it! Your mini layer cakes are ready! Once filled, they are best eaten right away, but will keep in the fridge for 1-2 days (as long as the icing ingredients are still within their use by dates, of course).

Mini Orange and Olive Oil Layer Cakes with Greek Yoghurt and Honey Icing Recipe

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Mini Orange and Olive Oil Layer Cakes with Greek Yoghurt and Honey Icing

Inspired by Colin Bridgerton's travels around the Mediterranean, these mini layer cakes are the perfect, summer-y afternoon treat to enjoy while watching an episode of Bridgerton!

Course Dessert, Snack

Keyword Greek yoghurt, Honey, Mini layer cakes, Olive oil, Orange

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 12 cakes

Equipment

• 1 x 12-hole mini sandwich tin (see Note 1).

Ingredients

For the orange and olive oil cakes:

• 150 g caster sugar
• 2 oranges, zested.
• 2 eggs
• 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 60 ml orange juice, freshly squeezed (about 1 orange).
• 125 g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt

For the Greek yoghurt and honey icing:

• 340 g full-fat Greek yoghurt
• 170 ml double cream
• 2 tbsp runny honey (or to taste).

Instructions

Make the orange and olive oil cakes:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Brush each cavity of the mini sandwich tin with a thin layer of DIY Cake Release (see Note 2) and line the bases with a circle of greaseproof paper. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix together the sugar and the orange zest, using the back of a spoon to press the ingredients into each other, until the zest is evenly distributed throughout the sugar.
• Add the eggs to the sugar and zest mixture, then beat, using an electric whisk on high speed, until the mixture reaches the ribbon stage.
• With the mixer running, add the oil to the mixture in a slow and steady stream, whisking until it is completely incorporated.
• Add the orange juice and whisk again to combine.
• Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, then fold in using a large, metal spoon until no streaks of flour remain.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the 12 cavities of the prepared tin, then bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the cakes have turned a deep, golden colour and a sharp knife/skewer comes out clean (or with only a few moist crumbs).
• Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then use your fingertips to gently pry each one away from the edges of the tin. Once the tin is cool enough to handle, remove the cakes from the tin, using the removable bases to push them out from the bottom, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling and decorating.

Make the Greek yoghurt and honey icing:

• Place the Greek yoghurt, double cream and honey into a large bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer (or your preferred utensil), whip on high speed until the icing just about holds stiff peaks.
• Transfer the icing to a piping bag, fitted with a small, round nozzle, ready to fill the cakes.

Assemble the mini layer cakes:

• Use a small, serrated knife to cut each of the cooled cakes into 3 horizontal layers.
• Pipe a concentric circle of icing dollops around the circumference of each of the bottom cake layers, then fill the gap in the middle with one larger dollop.
• Sandwich the middle cake layers on top of the bottom layers, then repeat the piping process again and top with the final, domed cake layers.
• Pipe a final layer of icing on top of each cake, then decorate with an edible dried flower, or your choice of decoration, and serve. The cakes are best served on the day they are assembled, but will keep in the fridge for 1-2 days (as long as the icing ingredients are within their use by dates).

Notes

1. I got my mini sandwich tin from Lakeland. You can find it here.
2. You can find my recipe for DIY Cake Release here. I strongly recommend using this for these cakes, as they have a tendency to stick to the tins without it!