Welsh cakes
Makes: 30
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Maja Smend
Welsh cakes
Welsh cakes are a sweet, quick bread, spiced and studded with currants. The thin rounds of dough were traditionally cooked on a heated bakestone over an open fire, which led to alternative names of bakestones, griddle cakes or pics (from the Welsh term picau ar y maen meaning ‘cakes on the stone’). Delicious served hot or cold, they are often dusted with sugar.
Makes: 30
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (Welsh cake)
Calories
103Kcal
Fat
4gr
Saturates
3gr
Carbs
14gr
Sugars
7gr
Fibre
0gr
Protein
1gr
Salt
0.2gr
Tamsin Burnett-Hall
Tamsin learned the tricks of the trade from cookery legend Delia Smith. A trusted recipe writer for the magazine for over 25 years, she is now our Senior Food Producer, overseeing testing and editing to ensure that every recipe tastes great, is straightforward to follow and works without fail. In her home kitchen, Tamsin creates fuss-free flavour-packed food for friends and family, with baking being her ultimate form of comfort cooking
See more of Tamsin Burnett-Hall’s recipes
Tamsin Burnett-Hall
Tamsin learned the tricks of the trade from cookery legend Delia Smith. A trusted recipe writer for the magazine for over 25 years, she is now our Senior Food Producer, overseeing testing and editing to ensure that every recipe tastes great, is straightforward to follow and works without fail. In her home kitchen, Tamsin creates fuss-free flavour-packed food for friends and family, with baking being her ultimate form of comfort cooking
See more of Tamsin Burnett-Hall’s recipes
Ingredients
- 300g self-raising flour, plus extra to dust (or use plain flour plus 1 tsp baking powder)
- 1 tsp ground mixed spice
- 150g salted butter (or half butter, half lard* or white vegetable fat), diced
- 75g caster sugar, plus 75g extra to dust (optional)
- 75g currants or raisins
- 1 medium egg
- 1 tbsp milk, plus extra if needed
- butter or oil, to grease
Step by step
- Sift the flour, spice and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl then rub in the diced fat to a breadcrumb-like texture. Stir in the sugar and dried fruit. Beat the egg with the milk and add to the dough, bringing it into a ball – add extra milk if needed.
- Dust a work surface with flour and roll out the dough to 8-10mm thick. Stamp out rounds with a 6-7cm cutter or an upturned tumbler.
- Heat a flat griddle pan or cast iron frying pan on the hob, over a medium heat. Grease with a little butter or oil then cook the Welsh cakes in batches for 3-4 minutes each side until golden and cooked through; take care that they don’t burn before the centre is ready.
-
Dust in caster sugar while still warm, if you like, and serve warm or at room temperature. They’ll keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or can be frozen and are best warmed through before eating.
*Don’t use lard for vegetarians.
