Feeding a crowd doesn't have to mean spending hours in the kitchen or hunting down fancy tools. Traybakes are the ultimate solution — you mix everything together, pour it into a basic baking tin, and let the oven do the hard work.
Whether you're baking for a school event, a family gathering, or just want leftovers all week, these recipes have you covered. Get ready to discover 18 crowd-pleasing traybakes that anyone can make with everyday ingredients and a simple tin.
1. Classic Chocolate Brownies
Nothing wins over a crowd quite like a tray of warm, fudgy chocolate brownies. You only need one bowl, a whisk, and a standard baking tin to pull these off.
Melt butter and chocolate together, stir in sugar, eggs, and flour, then bake until just set in the middle.
The secret to perfect brownies is not overbaking them. Pull the tray out while the center still has a slight wobble.
Once cooled, slice into generous squares and watch them disappear.
2. Lemon Drizzle Traybake
Zingy, bright, and impossible to resist, lemon drizzle traybake is a crowd favorite that never goes out of style. The batter comes together quickly using just butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and fresh lemon zest.
Pour it into a lined tin and bake until golden.
While it's still warm, poke holes all over the top and pour over a lemon and sugar syrup. It soaks right in, creating that signature sticky, tangy crust.
One tray easily serves 16 people.
3. Rocky Road Traybake
Rocky road is the ultimate no-bake traybake — there's not even an oven involved! Melt chocolate and butter together, then stir in crushed biscuits, mini marshmallows, and whatever extras you love, like dried cherries or nuts.
Press the mixture firmly into a lined tin.
Refrigerate for a couple of hours until completely set, then slice into chunky squares. It's endlessly customizable and travels well, making it brilliant for parties, bake sales, or school events.
4. Millionaire's Shortbread
Three layers of pure indulgence stacked into one glorious tray — that's millionaire's shortbread in a nutshell. The buttery shortbread base is pressed into a tin and baked until pale gold.
Then a thick, homemade caramel is poured on top and left to set.
A smooth chocolate layer finishes everything off beautifully. You don't need any specialist equipment — just a saucepan, a tin, and a little patience while each layer sets.
Every bite is worth the wait.
5. Banana Oat Traybake
Got overripe bananas sitting on the counter? Turn them into a wholesome banana oat traybake that the whole family will love.
Mash the bananas with oats, honey, and a little butter, then spread the mixture into a tin and bake until firm and golden.
You can toss in chocolate chips, raisins, or chopped nuts for extra flavor and texture. These bars are naturally lower in refined sugar, making them a smart snack option.
One batch makes at least 16 bars.
6. Caramel Shortbread Blondies
Blondies are like brownies' sunny, caramel-flavored sibling, and they're just as easy to make. Brown butter and brown sugar are the key ingredients that give these bars their deep, toffee-like flavor.
Stir in eggs, flour, and vanilla, pour into a lined tin, and swirl caramel sauce over the top.
Bake until the edges are set and the middle is still slightly soft. Blondies firm up as they cool, so patience pays off.
They keep well for several days in an airtight container.
7. Flapjacks
Flapjacks have been a British bake sale staple for generations, and for good reason — they're ridiculously simple to make. Just melt butter, golden syrup, and brown sugar together, stir in rolled oats, press into a tin, and bake until golden around the edges.
The trick is to cut them while still slightly warm, then leave them in the tin to cool completely. They firm up as they cool into perfectly chewy bars.
Add seeds, dried fruit, or chocolate chips for variety.
8. Victoria Sponge Traybake
All the charm of a classic Victoria sponge, but made in a tray so it's a hundred times easier to serve at a party. The all-in-one sponge batter — butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and a splash of milk — takes just minutes to mix and bakes evenly in a flat tin.
Once cooled, spread generously with strawberry jam and a dusting of icing sugar. No layers to balance, no fuss.
Cut into squares and you've got enough to serve a whole crowd beautifully.
9. Peanut Butter Chocolate Traybake
Peanut butter and chocolate is one of those flavor combinations that never, ever gets old. This traybake layers a rich chocolate brownie base with dollops of creamy peanut butter swirled right through the batter before baking.
The result is gorgeous both visually and taste-wise.
Use a skewer or butter knife to create the swirl pattern — no artistic skill required. Bake until just set, cool completely, and slice into squares.
Even people who claim they don't like sweet treats tend to grab seconds.
10. Coconut and Raspberry Traybake
There's something tropical and cheerful about a coconut and raspberry traybake that makes it stand out on any dessert table. A simple shortbread-style base is spread with raspberry jam, then topped with a sweet coconut mixture that bakes up golden and slightly chewy.
It's the kind of bake that looks impressive but takes very little effort. Desiccated coconut is the only slightly unusual ingredient, and it's easy to find in any supermarket.
This tray serves 16 to 20 people generously.
11. Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Cookie bars give you everything you love about chocolate chip cookies but in a format that feeds a crowd without the hassle of rolling and shaping individual cookies. Press the classic cookie dough — butter, sugars, eggs, flour, and plenty of chocolate chips — into a lined tin and bake as one big slab.
The edges go crispy while the center stays wonderfully soft and gooey. Slice into bars once cooled.
These are always a hit with kids and adults alike at any gathering.
12. Sticky Toffee Traybake
Sticky toffee pudding is one of Britain's most beloved desserts, and turning it into a traybake makes it completely stress-free to serve a crowd. Soaked dates give the sponge its incredibly moist, almost fudgy texture, while dark brown sugar adds rich depth of flavor.
Pour a warm toffee sauce over the top just before serving for full sticky pudding effect. It pairs wonderfully with a dollop of cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
One tray comfortably serves 12 to 16 people.
13. Carrot Cake Traybake
Carrot cake might sound fancy, but in traybake form it's one of the easiest cakes you can bake. Grated carrots keep the sponge incredibly moist, and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg fill the kitchen with an irresistible aroma while it bakes.
Top the cooled cake with a simple cream cheese frosting — just cream cheese, icing sugar, and a little vanilla. Spread it on thick and cut into generous squares.
This is a reliable crowd-pleaser at family gatherings and office events alike.
14. Biscoff Traybake
Biscoff spread has taken the baking world by storm, and for very good reason. Its warm, spiced caramel flavor transforms a simple sponge into something that feels genuinely special.
Swirl Biscoff spread through the batter before baking, then drizzle more over the top once cooled.
Crushed Biscoff biscuits scattered over the finished bake add a lovely crunch and make it look bakery-worthy. You need no special tools — just a bowl, a tin, and a spatula.
Feeds a crowd without breaking the bank.
15. Marble Cake Traybake
Marble cake looks like it took real skill to make, but the swirling effect is actually incredibly easy to achieve. Make one batch of vanilla sponge batter, divide it in half, and stir cocoa powder into one portion.
Drop alternating spoonfuls into the tin and swirl with a skewer.
Bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. The dramatic swirl pattern inside makes every slice feel like a little surprise.
It's a brilliant option when you want something that looks impressive without extra effort.
16. Chocolate Orange Traybake
Few flavor pairings feel as festive and satisfying as chocolate and orange together. This traybake uses cocoa powder in the batter along with fresh orange zest and a splash of orange juice to create a bright, citrusy depth that cuts through the richness of the chocolate.
Top with a simple chocolate ganache and scatter over some extra orange zest or even segments of a chocolate orange bar for a fun finishing touch. It's brilliant for holiday gatherings and birthday parties throughout the year.
17. Vanilla Sheet Cake with Buttercream
Sometimes simple is best, and a classic vanilla sheet cake proves that point every single time. The soft, fluffy sponge comes together with pantry staples — butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and vanilla extract — and bakes evenly in a large rectangular tin with no fuss.
Swipe on a generous layer of vanilla buttercream once the cake has cooled, then add sprinkles, fresh fruit, or whatever decoration suits the occasion. One standard tin yields around 20 squares, making it the ultimate easy party cake.
18. Gingerbread Traybake
Warm, spicy, and deeply comforting, gingerbread traybake is the kind of bake that fills the whole house with the most incredible aroma. Ground ginger, cinnamon, and a hint of cloves give it that signature cozy flavor, while black treacle or molasses adds a rich, dark color.
A simple white icing drizzle over the top takes it from humble to handsome in under a minute. This traybake actually improves in flavor the day after baking, making it perfect to prepare ahead for any event.
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