Tray bake

About three weeks ago I baked an Alberta Date Cake in a regular round cake tin, rather than in the baking tray suggested by the recipe. A culinary solecism which would have earned me instant expulsion from the tent of the great bake off.

So yesterday evening, just before the rather overcooked Poirot adaptation kicked off, I was moved to have another go. This time getting both the mixing sequence and the baking tray right. Cooked at 150C for 40 minutes - as opposed to the 160C for 60 minutes suggested, which seemed a bit strong for a tray.

I was a bit uneasy about whether the cake would come out of the tray for cutting, but in the event not a problem at all, with it coming straight out when the tray was turned over, taking care to catch it on a grid, it still being fragile at that stage. A grid which, as it happens, probably dates from my childhood and my mother's baking. But not my mother's apple pies, as my father felt that only he was qualified in that department.

Cut a couple of hours out of the oven, providing a good opportunity to sample the wares, pronounced excellent. Significantly lighter and generally better than last time.

PS: BH had the lickings of the raw mix from the bowl. Lickings which were frowned on when I was a child as apt to cause indigestion, which they never did, instead tasting all the better for the adult frownings.

Reference 1: http://psmv3.blogspot.co.uk/2018/04/cake.html.

Reference 2: https://www.grapetree.co.uk/. With thanks to Grape Tree Epsom for picking up the baton on block date supply. A baton dropped by the big stores some years ago now.

Reference 3: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mom_and_apple_pie.