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, in her home kitchen, Tamsin creates fuss-free flavour-packed food for friends and family, with baking being her ultimate form of comfort cooking
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, in her home kitchen, Tamsin creates fuss-free flavour-packed food for friends and family, with baking being her ultimate form of comfort cooking
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.
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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.
