Malteser Tray Bake Recipe

With a tender chocolate sponge and sweet, malty frosting, this Malteser Tray Bake recipe is your new go-to for birthdays, parties and potlucks!

The flavour of Maltesers is absolutely core to the recipe and reflected in both the sponge and the frosting.

If you aren't familiar, Maltesers are made from malted milk, formed into a similar structure to honeycomb and enrobed in milk chocolate.

The flavour of malted milk may also be familiar to you in the form of Horlicks and Ovaltine - powders which can be added to hot milk to make a malty, comforting drink.

Malt contains essential vitamins and minerals like calcium and phosphorus and malted milk powder is also a good energy source, making Malteserts the perfect snack for those who need a little pick-me-up.

Malteserts were first introduced in the UK in 1937, but they were originally called "Energy Balls". A cute way to explain the sugar content, I guess!

65 years later, there's still no other confectionary quite like them, so it's easy to see why chefs like Nigella Lawson and Mary Berry championed them with their own Malteser Cake recipes.

My version, like theirs, using malted milk powder to achieve a malteser-like flavour.

To make your Malteser Tray Bake recipe, you'll begin by baking a delightfully rich chocolate sponge batter.

This is one of my favourite chocolate sponge recipes that yields a light and tender sponge every time, with the added bonus of a helping of malted milk powder to bring out that Malteser taste.

So, you'll whisk caster sugar, eggs, oil, milk, and golden syrup in a bowl, then sift in self-raising flour, malted milk powder, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda.

Then it's as simple as whisking everything together and pouring into a lined tray to bake until risen and cooked through.

While your Malteser tray bake cools, you'll prepare your chocolate malt buttercream, which is a simple combination of butter, icing sugar, cocoa, malted milk powder, whole milk and vanilla extract. It's super tasty so expect to snaffle a spoonful or two for yourself.

Finally, you'll spread the frosting over the top in a generous layer and stud with Maltesers. The final tray bake looks so impressive and is just impossible to resist.

So if you need a little afternoon pick me up, something for a school bake sale, or an after dinner gift, this is the recipe for you! It's easy, tasty, and an unexpected take on a classic tray bake!

The full recipe is below, but if you need any extra help, I'm always here to answer any comments or emails.

Once you've given my recipe a go, I'd love you to come back and leave a comment letting me know how yours turned out.

I'd love to see your videos and pics, too! Just tag me on social media. I'm @emilylearycooks on Twitter and TikTok or @amummytoo on Instagram.

Happy baking!

Instructions

Make the sponge 

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (160C fan assisted).

Grease and line one medium roasting tin - ideally with straight sides.

Put the caster sugar, eggs, oil, milk, and golden syrup in a bowl.

Whisk together.

Sift in the self-raising flour, malted milk powder, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda.

Whisk again to a smooth batter.

Pour into the prepared tin.

Bake for approximately 1 hour until firm and springy in the centre.

Cool for 30 minutes in the tin on a wire rack, then turn out to cool completely.

Make the frosting

Put the butter in a large bowl.

Whisk until pale and creamy.

Sift in the icing sugar, cocoa and malt milk drinking powder, then add the milk and vanilla.

Beat until very pale and fluffy.

Transfer the cake to a serving board.

Spread the frosting all over the top of the cake, using a palette knife or silicone spatula to spread it evenly to the edges of the cake.

Chop the Maltesers quite roughly so that you have some small pieces, some halves and some whole Maltesers. Scatter them over the frosting - you may need to pat them down slightly just to ensure they stick.

Cut into generous squares to serve.

Enjoy and don't forget to come back and let me know how you get on.

Print this Malteser Tray Bake Recipe

Pin this Malteser Tray Bake Recipe

More chocolate cake recipes to try