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Today: How to make Welsh Cakes. My favourite recipe for fabulous Welshcakes. They’re traditional, super simple to make and absolutely delicious.
Until I moved to Cardiff 10 years ago I’d never had a welshcake. Now I adore them! If you haven’t tried one I’d describe them as a cross between a scone and a biscuit but you cook them in a dry pan (or on a ‘stone‘ if you’re very traditional). This gives them that lovely brown top and bottom but with a pale, moist middle. We’re back in England now and although you can pick them up in some supermarkets I just don’t think they can quite measure up to a homemade batch. I’ve taken to making them myself since finding a traditional Welshcakes recipe in The Great British Book of Baking
a couple of years ago. I’ve adapted it slightly and it’s very straight forward and easy for the kids to get involved which is always a bonus.
Traditional Welshcakes Recipe
- 225g self-raising flour
- a pinch of salt
- 100g butter (chilled and diced)
- 75g caster sugar (plus some for dusting at the end)
- 50g dried fruit (I use sultanas)
- 1 egg yolk
- 3tbs milk
How to make welsh cakes
They keep for a few days but they a lovely while they are still warm. I don’t know why but these seem particularly appropriate at Easter. If you like to mess with tradition you can add a bit of hot cross bun type spice by adding 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp mixed spice and 1/4 tsp nutmeg and including a bit of candied peel in your dried fruit.
If you enjoy traditional baking check out Mummy Alarm’s Traditional Tarte Tatin recipe, yum!
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Time needed:25 minutes.
How to make Welsh Cakes
- Rub the butter into the flour and salt until it looks like crumbs then stir in the sugar and the fruit.
- Mix together the egg yolk and the milk. Then add it to the flour mixture, bringing it together into a dough. It shouldn’t be sticky.
- You may need to add a little more milk or flour to get it to the right consistency for rolling (depending mainly on the temperature of your kitchen and your hands).
- Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1cm think. Cut out the cakes with a round cutter. I get about 18.
- Heat your pan (or stone/griddle) to a medium temperature. You shouldn’t need to grease it as long as it is relatively ‘non-stick’.
- Cook the cakes in batches until they are brown on the outside and slightly puffed up. It takes around 2 minutes per side. Don’t try and flip them over too soon as they are quite ‘floppy’ at that stage.
- Remove to a plate and let them cool until you can just pick them up. Then dust with caster sugar or dip both sides into a plate of sugar to lightly coat them.
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Comments
Michelle saysThese are delicious! I make Welsh Cakes at least monthly as my daughters are slightly addicted to them. Much more filling than a biscuit 🙂
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- Charlotte says
These look lovely! I love scones and I love biscuits so I will definitely be trying these! x
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- Mary Keynko says
yummy! I will have to try them with GF flour!
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- Su Tyler says
Just made some of these. Not made welshcakes for ages. I’ve never used egg in mine – just milk but did try this time and they taste delicious.
I so miss my nan’s bakestone though..hers were the best – done on a big thick bakestone that took two people to lift onto the cooker and took 15 mins to warm up!!Reply
- Cass@frugalfamily says
These look delicious!
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- claire says
About to make these. I grew up eating my great Nan’s Welsh cakes. She was from Bridgend and used a bakestone. They were always delicious and quite light and fluffy. I am on the hunt for the right recipe, this is my sixth attempt to get the taste of nan’s! A storage tip, Nan always wrapped them in a tea towel to cool and stored them in a tin with a slice of bread. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
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- Margaret says
YUMMY
My son-in-law has Welsh parents – living in QLD. I live in Sydney and have just made these for the first time – they are delicious and my son-in-law thinks I am the best cook in the world. I have tried them with different fruit – sultanas, currents and raisins – they’d were all great. Thankyou.
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- Anonymous says
Mine fell apart while cooking,don’t know what happened.
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- Nigel says
Mine turned out rather “dry” think I’ll use more butter or shortening next time
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[…] foods to keep us busy and the boys love getting stuck in. This year we’ve already tried some Easter spiced versions of traditional Welshcakes and I have plans for Coconut Nest cookies (any excuse to add some mini-eggs), I’m making up a […]
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