Welsh Cakes Recipe - easy to follow recipe | The Worktop (2024)

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Make these Welsh Cakes with an easy to follow recipe. Think of a mini pancake or flat circular scone, packed with spices and sultanas/raisins, and dusted with caster sugar. You'll love these Welsh Breakfast Cakes.

Welsh Cakes Recipe - easy to follow recipe | The Worktop (1)

One of the best parts of living in the London is the sheer number of places that we can go for high tea. It's such a fun British tradition. But it doesn't really start until about 2 PM, andsometimes I just cannot wait until the afternoon.

I first had these Welsh Cakes served ona three tier cake stand during high tea. Since then, I've discovered that I love them during the mornings for breakfast.

Welsh Cakes Recipe - easy to follow recipe | The Worktop (2)

I like to think of these Welsh Breakfast Cakes as finger food pancakes in form. But even better -- with the rich butteriness that normally comes with a scone.

Welsh Cakes have the best attributes of both a pancake and a scone

They look adorable, and can be picked up with one hand and eaten in three dainty bites. For a special brunch, we love these Welsh Breakfast Cakes.

Welsh Cakes Recipe - easy to follow recipe | The Worktop (3)

Griddle Welsh Cake History

But if you aren't familiar with griddle Welsh Cakes, you may wonder what exactly makes a Welsh Cake a Welsh Cake. How is a Welsh Cake different from a pancake, and what is the best way to eat a Welsh Cake?

Welsh Cakes originated in Wales in the late 1800's and are also known as bakestones or griddle scones because they are made on a griddle.

Think of a mini pancake or flat circular scone withsultanas/raisins, and dusted with caster sugar.

Indulge at breakfast with this Welsh Cake recipe

Unlike a pancake though, Welsh Breakfast Cakes are buttery and a bit brittlein texture. You should be able to break them in half with the slightest pressure, so you can pick up and eat these with your hands.

Welsh Cakes Recipe - easy to follow recipe | The Worktop (4)

These little griddle Welsh Cakes can be enjoyedplain by themselves, unlike a British scone, which is usually paired with a jam or clotted cream.

Unlike a pancake, these Welsh Breakfast Cakes need no additional maple syrup or topping. Each bite should be filled with just enough sultanas, sweetness and spices.

These Welsh Breakfast Cakes are delicious served on their own with no additional toppings

That being said, there is no hard rule how to eat Welsh Breakfast Cakes. You definitely can eat them with some kind of spread if you prefer.

A thin spread of butter does wonder for these griddle Welsh Cakes. If you have a sweet tooth, you can dip them in maple syrup to give them a more traditional breakfast taste.

Welsh Cakes Recipe - easy to follow recipe | The Worktop (5)

If you're like me and too impatient to wait until the afternoon for high tea, don't be shy and enjoy theselittle Welsh Breakfast Cakes with your morning cup of tea or coffee. Go ahead, treat yourself!

Welsh Breakfast Cakes are perfect with a cup of coffee

And if this post hasn't convinced you to make these griddle Welsh Cakes, here are 18 Reasons Why Welsh Cakes are Literally The Best Food in The Whole Entire World by BuzzFeed.

Welsh Cakes Recipe - easy to follow recipe | The Worktop (6)

Welsh Cakes Recipe - easy to follow recipe | The Worktop (7)

Griddle Welsh Cakes

4.60 from 27 votes

Print Recipe Save Recipe

Serves: 12 welsh cakes

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Make these Welsh Cakes with an easy to follow recipe. Think of a mini pancake or flat circular scone, packed with spices and sultanas/raisins, and dusted with caster sugar. You'll love these Welsh Breakfast Cakes.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon mixed spice
  • 1 pinch salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter - chilled and cubed
  • ¼ cup currants
  • 1 medium egg
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk (plus extra, as needed)
  • caster sugar (for sprinkling on top)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, mixed spice and salt. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender. You can also use your fingers to rub the butter in, until you get a fine bread crumb consistency. Be careful not to rub the butter too much and melt it. Toss in the currants.

  • In a small bowl, beat the egg and milk together.

  • Using a fork, mix the egg mixture into the flour mixture, until just mixed. Use your hands to finish mixing the dough together. It should be short, so don't over mix. The dough should be wet, but not too sticky to handle. Add in more milk as needed.

  • Heat a cast-iron skillet on medium to medium-low heat with a little bit of oil.

  • Pour the dough out onto a lightly floured silicon mat. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out until about 1-cm thick. Using a 7-cm diameter cookie cutter, cut out as many rounds as you can. Combine the remaining dough together, and roll it out again until about 1-cm thick. Cut out as many rounds as you can. Repeat as necessary, but note that with each successive rolling and cutting, the pastry may get over mixed.

  • Once the cast-iron skillet is ready, cook each side of the welsh cakes for 4 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed so that the welsh cake becomes a golden brown with 4 minutes on each side (I switched my induction hob between heat levels 4/9 and 5/9).

  • Transfer to a cooling rack and sprinkle them with caster sugar.

Course: Breads and Muffins, Pancakes and Waffles

Cuisine: British

Keyword: Welsh Breakfast Cakes

Special Diet: Vegetarian

Author: The Worktop

Cal : 156kcal

Note: Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

Love this?I would appreciate a star review! Snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram using #theworktop and tagging me @theworktop.

Made these Welsh Breakfast Cakes? Pair it with this easy blueberry jam with chia seeds!

« Chorizo and Chickpea Stew with Baked Eggs

Courgette and Pancetta Arancini »

About Tina Jui

A breakfast lover and food blogger. Tina develops everyday breakfast recipes on The Worktop, and writes about all things related to breakfast and brunch. Read more about Tina Jui or drop an email to say hi.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Amira says

    Welsh Cakes Recipe - easy to follow recipe | The Worktop (9)
    They are really good frozen, then put them in a moderate oven for about 5 to10 mins. They are amazing and as good as when you just make them.

    Reply

  2. Amira says

    Welsh Cakes Recipe - easy to follow recipe | The Worktop (10)
    Love them, have made them many times. Great to make in a hurry.
    I use nutmeg, they are beautiful. Thanks so much for the recipe. I'll always find time to make these.

    Reply

  3. Kam says

    Hi what do you think would be a good substitute for the egg in this recipe? I have made your eggless banana bread and it was the best!
    Thanks

    Reply

    • Tina Jui says

      Hi - I haven't tried to make this without egg before so I'm probably not too helpful. But perhaps you could try to substitute the egg with a "flax egg"? It might take some trials, but I would think something along the lines of using 1 tbs ground flax seed and 2 tbs water.

      Reply

  4. mary says

    what is "mixed spice" anyway?

    Reply

    • Tina Jui says

      It's a blend of spices that's commonly used in British baked goods - here it is

      Reply

    • Diana says

      The receipe didn't give amounts, when I looked for it . It's cinnamon coriander, caraway and nutmeg. More cinnamon and less of everything else. I hope this helps.

      Reply

  5. Vanessa says

    Thanks for sharing! Do they keep long?

    Reply

  6. Suzanne says

    These look so good! What a fun way to have something a little different for tea time!

    Reply

    • Helen smith says

      I am in USA my daughter always asks me to make her some welsh cakes but I cannot find the spices Thankyou

      Reply

      • Rizza says

        Welsh Cakes Recipe - easy to follow recipe | The Worktop (11)
        You can make your own mixed spice. Google it and you probably have all the ing. available. v

        Reply

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Welsh Cakes Recipe - easy to follow recipe | The Worktop (2024)

FAQs

Why do my Welsh cakes go hard? ›

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 slang for Welsh cakes? ›

Pica Bach or Pice Bach

These were general terms used for Welsh cakes, and refer to the food as being 'small cakes'. They can also be called 'pican' or 'picen' and were called these in Carmarthenshire, Aberystwyth and the old West Glamorgan (Swansea and Neath Port Talbot today).

What is the difference between Eccles cakes and Welsh cakes? ›

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. In order to make Welsh Cakes, these must be made on a griddle or a bake stone. Once you get the hang of cooking these, it's literally a piece of cake!

Are drop scones the same as Welsh cakes? ›

According to Doug Windsor, the former national chef of Wales, the two cakes are made in a different way. He explained: "A Welsh cake is made from a dough, while a drop scone is made from a batter and is more of a pancake," he said.

Why are my Welsh Cakes burning? ›

Getting the temperature of your griddle or bakestone correct is the key to this Welsh cake recipe. If it's too hot the cakes will burn before they are cooked through. Too low and the texture will be dry.

How can I make my cakes firmer? ›

You can try any of the following: adding a 1 oz. package of pudding (any flavor that complements the cake's flavor profile), adding 1-2 egg yolks (along with the eggs called for on the box), or substituting milk for the water called for on the box.

Do you eat Welsh cakes hot or cold? ›

Welsh cakes are served hot or cold, sometimes dusted with caster sugar.

What does DAP mean in Welsh? ›

dap (plural daps) (West Country, Somerset, Bristol, Wales, usually in the plural) A plimsoll.

How do you say hello in Welsh slang? ›

The simplest way to greet someone in Welsh is by saying “helô”. This Welsh word can be used on both formal and informal occasions. An informal way of saying hello in Welsh is 'haia', which is similar to the English 'hiya'.

Why were Eccles Cakes banned? ›

When Oliver Cromwell gained power in 1650 A.D., both the wakes and the eating of Eccles Cakes were banned due to the Puritan belief that they both had pagan connections. On the other hand, maybe the powers that be in London, did not want their Northern subjects to have too much of a good thing!

What is Britain's favorite cake? ›

The UK's favourite cakes in numbers:
RankCakeMonthly search volume
1banana bread74000
2victoria sponge74000
3chocolate cake49500
4red velvet cake40500
26 more rows
Sep 12, 2022

What are British fairy cakes? ›

“Fairy cakes are smaller units, baked in smaller cases and trays,” she told British Baker. ”Traditionally the tops were cut off and set aside, a small amount of jam placed in the centre and a small amount of cream on top.

What do Welsh people call Welsh Cakes? ›

Welsh cakes (or Pice ar y maen in Welsh!) originate from Wales and are a cross between a cookie, scone and a pancake but are truly unique when it comes to their taste and texture.

What are British Jaffa Cakes? ›

The most common form of Jaffa cakes are circular, 21⁄8 inches (54 mm) in diameter and have three layers: a Genoise sponge base, a layer of orange flavoured jam and a coating of chocolate. Each cake is 46 calories.

Do you toast Welsh Cakes? ›

Cakes may be eaten straight from the package however most people prefer them warmed. Warming takes 8-10 seconds for one cake in a 1500W microwave, 10-12 seconds for a whole pack. If heating in an oven, 2-3 mins @ 275 will usually do. Some folks tell us they toast the cakes and we like that too.

How do I stop my cake from hardening? ›

How do I stop my cake from being baked hard on the top? It happens with most of the cake , it even happened to me . To stop it ,u just have to reduce the temperature of the oven and increase the baking time . You better have a measuring cup which will be very helpful.

Why does my cake become hard after baking? ›

2) Too much flour was used

Any baked good — especially cake —with too much flour will be dry, hard, crumbly … take your unhappy pick. For best results, please weigh your flour (and other ingredients).

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