Home > Recipes > Welsh recipes > Welsh cakes

Welsh cakes

Name: Welsh cakes
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting; 1 tsp baking powder; ¼ tsp mixed spice; 100g butter, cut into cubes and softened (see tip), plus 1 tsp extra for greasing; 50g golden caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling; ¼ tsp salt; 25g currants; 25g sultanas; 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest; 1 large free-range egg yolk; 2 tbsp milk

Published: 30 Apr 13
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Traditionally, Welsh cakes are cooked on a bakestone, but you can use a heavy griddle or flat-iron pan instead.

Easy
May 2013

Test kitchen approved

Serves 8
Ready in 20 min

Traditionally, Welsh cakes are cooked on a bakestone, but you can use a heavy griddle or flat-iron pan instead.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 268kcals
Fat: 12.1g (7.2g saturated)
Protein: 3.4g
Carbohydrates: 36.3g (16.6g sugar)
Fibre: 1.3g
Salt: 0.5g

Save recipe

Save

Save recipe Print

Rate

Ingredients

225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp mixed spice
100g butter, cut into cubes and softened (see tip), plus 1 tsp extra for greasing
50g golden caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
¼ tsp salt
25g currants
25g sultanas
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 large free-range egg yolk
2 tbsp milk

Cook Mode Sticky screen? No thanks! Tap to prevent your screen from going off while cooking.

Method

Sift the flour, baking powder and mixed spice into a large bowl. Add the 100g butter to the bowl, then use your fingertips to rub it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Stir in the 50g sugar and the salt, currants, sultanas and lemon zest. Add the egg yolk and milk, then stir until the ingredients bind together and form a soft and pliable dough. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour.
Knead the dough on a lightly floured work surface for 2-3 minutes, then roll it into a 1cm thick disc. Use a round 8cm pastry cutter to punch out 8 cakes, re-rolling if necessary.

Gently heat a heavy-based griddle pan and lightly grease with the 1 tsp butter. Add the cakes and cook over a low heat for 3-4 minutes on each side until lightly golden, then cool on a wire rack (you may need to do this in 2 batches). The cakes should be crisp on the outside and slightly pillowy in the middle. Sprinkle with sugar, then serve warm or cold with a lick of butter.

Recipe from May 2013 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 268kcals
Fat: 12.1g (7.2g saturated)
Protein: 3.4g
Carbohydrates: 36.3g (16.6g sugar)
Fibre: 1.3g
Salt: 0.5g

delicious. tips

To soften cold butter quickly, cut it into cubes and immerse in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes, then drain. The water will cause the butter to warm a little, making it easier to handle.
Freeze the finished cakes, then warm in a low oven from frozen.