Welsh Cakes are traditional Welsh treats that are a great recipe to make with kids, and so delicious. Why not have a go at making a batch of fresh cooked welsh cakes for St. David’s Day, today March 1st!?! (St. David is the patron saint of Wales, in the same way that Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland). There is also a printable with an easy-to-follow recipe that the kids can color, with the Welsh dragon (from the Welsh flag) tucking into a Welsh cake!
Welsh Cake Recipe Printable (just download and print)
At first glance, Welsh cakes look a little bit like scones that haven’t risen, but don’t let that fool you, when you cook them yourself you’ll find that they are moist and sweet (but not too sweet) and perfect for a little treat with a cup of tea or glass of milk.
Most Welsh cake recipes call for currants, but when we make them at home we substitute in sultanas (or golden raisins in America) because the kids prefer them. Another change we make at home is that we use a non-stick frying pan to cook our Welsh cakes. Traditionally a cast iron griddle stone is used, but like pretty much everyone else out there, we don’t have one and the frying pan works just fine!
Welsh Cake Recipe
Ingredients (makes approximately 20 small welsh cakes)
250g (1.05 cup) self raising flour
A pinch of mixed spice
Half a tsp of baking powder
A pinch of salt
125g (4.4 oz or 8.3 tbsp) unsalted butter
75g (1/3 cup) castor sugar (also caster sugar, a fine grind of granulated sugar)
50g (1/5 cup) sultanas
1 egg
5 tsps of milk
A little bit of oil to grease the frying pan for cooking.
Directions
1. Sieve flour, baking powder, mixed spice and salt into a bowl.
2. Rub in the butter until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
3. Stir in the sultanas and castor sugar.
4. Mix in the egg and milk until a stiff dough forms (add extra milk if needed)
5. Chill the dough in the fridge for half an hour.
6. Roll out to about 1cm (little less than 1/2 inch) thick on a floured surface and cut out your Welsh cakes. Most traditional welsh cakes are cut with a circular cutter with fluted edges, but any shape that isn’t fiddly will do.
7. Cook in a lightly greased frying pan or on a griddle at a medium heat for about three minutes on each side, until they are lightly browned (about five or six small welsh cakes in the pan at once).
8. Place to cool on a plate that has a sprinkling of castor sugar on it and sprinkle a little more over the top.
Traditional welsh cakes always use the mixed spice and currants/raisins/sultanas combination, but you can play around with the recipe to a certain extent to make your own custom “Not Very Welsh Cakes.” Try some of your own favorite flavors with the basic dough. We’ve tried chopped up crystallized ginger, dried cranberries, and dried mango all together with delicious results! The lemon zest and poppy seed combo that works so well with scones also tastes top notch!
It is entirely possible to make some very nice savory versions by removing the sugar and adding ingredients like grated cheese or mustard, and precooked chopped leeks or tinned sweet corn. This makes a very versatile snack that can be easily popped in a lunch box or brought along for an extra after school energy boost. The savory version photographed below has both leek and sweet corn in it, with some ground almond replacing the sugar in the recipe, and goes really well with some fruit, cheese, and chutney on the side!
You can make life much easier by making a lot and freezing them. Although cooked welsh cakes freeze well, I’d suggest cutting out and freezing raw welsh cakes so you can get that just baked awesomeness each time. Once they are frozen on a tray you can stack them into baggies in the freezer with a bit of parchment paper between each one. Then all you need to do is pull them out to defrost and cook them as normal to have a fresh, fast and tasty savory snack or sweet treat.
Use our printable and decorative recipe sheet with your kids to make your own batch of traditional Welsh cakes this St David’s Day (or any day, because once you’ve tried them you’ll want to make them again and again!).
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FAQs
If your Welsh Cakes turned out hard, dry or crumbly, your mixture was probably not wet enough. Next time, add a little bit of milk so the mix is softer.
What is the story behind Welsh cakes? ›
It is certain that the cakes, generally known today as 'Welsh Cakes', have been tea-time favourites in Glamorgan since the latter decades of the last century. At one period they would be eaten regularly in farmhouses and cottages alike, and the miner would also expect to find them in his food-box.
Do you eat Welsh cakes hot or cold? ›
Welsh cakes can be eaten hot or cold, though the vast majority of Welsh people will tell you how to eat Welsh cakes is eating them while they're still warm. You can heat them up easily in a pan, toaster oven, standard oven, or even your microwave.
What's the difference between a scone and a Welsh cake? ›
Scones are usually larger and baked, and originate from Scotland. Welsh cakes are round, small, flat, and cookie/biscuit-like, and they are cooked on a flat griddle. Welsh cakes are usually made with currants. Scones might or might not contain currants.
Why do my Welsh Cakes fall apart? ›
If there are loads of crumbly bits its probably too dry. You want to be aiming for a nice soft dough that stays together but isn't sticky and messy!
How do you make a hard cake moist? ›
5 Ways to Moisten a Dry Cake That's Already Baked
- Brush with simple syrup glaze. Velez recommends adding a simple syrup glaze to your cake layers if they end up coming out too dry. ...
- Soak your cake in milk. ...
- Fill the cake with mousse or jam. ...
- Frost the cake. ...
- Stick it in the fridge.
For the halal-conscious traveller
Be sure to try the traditional Welsh cakes. A cross between a cookie, scone and pancake, they are authentic handmade and griddled treats.
What is the slang for Welsh cakes? ›
' Some may casually use 'cêcs' in their conversations, which is the Welsh slang for 'cakes. ' It's indeed one of those words that sparks conversations due to its unique variations!
What are Welsh cakes called in England? ›
They were usually called Pica ar y Maen in south Carmarthenshire, West Glamorgan and South Glamorgan. In English, they would be called 'bakestone cakes' or simply 'bakestones'.
Do Welsh cakes go bad? ›
For Welsh Cakes and Scones, we suggest eating within 3.5 weeks if unrefrigerated. 4.5 weeks if refrigerated and 20 weeks or more if frozen.
Cawl, pronounced "cowl", can be regarded as Wales' national dish. Dating back to the 11th century, originally it was a simple broth of meat (most likely lamb) and vegetables, it could be cooked slowly over the course of the day whilst the family was out working the fields.
How do British people eat cake? ›
She continued: 'If you are served a dry cake, such as a pound cake, you would tear it into small bitesize pieces with your fingers, and then neatly eat with your hands. 'A moist cake, for example, a cheesecake, you would use a fork and a spoon if required.
What is a fun fact about Welsh Cakes? ›
The Welsh Cakes were originally called "picau ar y maen" or "cakes on the stone." They are one of the most popular Welsh treats and the favorite food of so many in Wales. In fact, we asked over 25 people what their favorite Welsh recipe was and half of them answered Welsh Cakes.
What do you eat with Welsh Cakes? ›
Enjoy them with sugar, butter, plain, jam, cream, or even chocolate spread and marshmallow – the point of a welsh cake is that is makes you feel warm and cosy for a little minute. If you have more tips on how you cook your welsh cakes then we'd love to hear them. Add them to the comments below!
Are Eccles cakes the same as Welsh Cakes? ›
What is a Welsh Cake? It's like a cross between a pancake, cookie, or a scone but they are nothing like it. These are somewhat similar in appearance to Eccles Cakes but Welsh Cakes are a bit flatter than an Eccles Cake and unlike an Eccles Cake, Welsh Cakes are not filled.
How do you keep a cake from hardening? ›
Using an air-tight container is the best and easiest way to keep your cake from getting exposed to air. However, if you don't have one of those, you can wrap your cake in cling film, or if it's iced, place a large inverted bowl over it to trap the air.
Why do my cakes get hard after baking? ›
Toughness in cakes is caused by over-mixing, or the wrong type of flour. Solution: Mix your cake according to the recipe. There is a function to the order in which ingredients are added to create the right texture.
What causes a cake to harden? ›
If you have too much flour in a recipe and not enough fat, like butter or oil, your cake is going to be dry and hard. For best results, I would encourage you to use a scale when baking, but if you don't have a scale, then just make sure you're using measuring cups correctly.
What causes cake to come out hard? ›
Here are some common reasons why a cake might become hard: Overbaking: Baking the cake for too long or at too high a temperature can cause the moisture in the cake to evaporate excessively, leading to a dry and hard texture. Too Much Flour: Using too much flour can result in a dense and dry cake.
