Welsh Cakes
They're never baked in an oven — every Welsh cake is cooked on a flat griddle called a bakestone, the same way they were made in mining-village kitchens generations ago.
A spiced, currant-studded dough is rolled out, cut into rounds, and cooked on a hot griddle until lightly browned on both sides, then dusted with sugar. Market stalls and festival vans across Wales cook them fresh to order, handing them over warm in a paper bag.
What is Welsh Cakes?
Welsh cakes (pice ar y maen in Welsh) are small, round, flat cakes made from a rubbed-in dough with currants, a little spice and sugar. They sit somewhere between a scone, a biscuit and a pancake: slightly crumbly, a little sweet and tender inside. They are cooked on a bakestone, a flat cast-iron griddle, rather than in an oven, and are sold warm from market stalls and festival vans across Wales, often dusted with caster sugar.
Because they need only a hot plate, they suited kitchens without a proper oven, which fits their place in Welsh home baking. Recipes vary from family to family: some use only butter, others add lard, and some leave out the spice or swap currants for raisins or sultanas.
How to make Welsh cakes
Ingredients
- 225 g plain flour, plus extra for rolling
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon mixed spice (optional, but common)
- A pinch of salt
- 100 g cold butter, diced (some cooks use half butter, half lard)
- 75 g caster sugar, plus extra for dusting
- 75 g currants
- 1 medium egg, beaten
- 1-2 tablespoons milk, only if needed
- A little butter or neutral oil for the griddle
Method
- Mix the flour, baking powder, mixed spice and salt in a bowl. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
- Stir in the sugar and currants. Add the beaten egg and mix with a knife, then your hands, to a soft dough that holds together. If it is crumbly and will not come together, add milk a teaspoon at a time. It should be soft but not sticky.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 8 mm to 1 cm. Cut into rounds with a 6 cm cutter. Re-roll the trimmings once or twice. You should get about 16 to 20 cakes, depending on thickness.
- Heat a heavy frying pan, griddle or bakestone over a medium-low heat. Rub it very lightly with butter or oil, or leave it dry and wipe away any excess.
- Cook the cakes in batches for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until they are golden brown and have risen slightly. They should be cooked through, with no raw dough in the centre. If they are browning faster than that, turn the heat down.
- Lift them onto a wire rack and, while still warm, dust or toss them in caster sugar. Eat warm or the same day.
Tips
- Keep the heat moderate. Too hot and the outside burns before the middle cooks; too cool and they turn pale and dry.
- Do not roll the dough too thin, or you will get dry biscuits rather than soft cakes. Do not handle it more than necessary either.
- Test the first cake: break it open to check the middle is cooked, then adjust the heat for the rest.
- A heavy, thick-based pan holds heat evenly and is a good substitute for a bakestone.
Regional versions
- Use sultanas or raisins instead of currants, or leave out the mixed spice for a plainer cake.
- Some cooks make them thicker and split them hot to fill with butter or jam. Others use a little lard with the butter for a more traditional flavour.
- Some cooks, including those who want an egg-free version, leave out the egg and bind the dough with milk instead. Most traditional recipes include egg, and the egg-free dough is a little drier and less rich, so add the milk gradually.
Questions
What are Welsh cakes made of?
Flour, butter (sometimes with lard), sugar, currants, an egg and a little baking powder and mixed spice, rolled out, cut into rounds and cooked on a griddle.
Are Welsh cakes baked in the oven?
No. Traditionally they are cooked on a bakestone or griddle, and a heavy frying pan over a medium-low heat works well at home.
Can you freeze Welsh cakes?
Yes. Cool them fully, freeze them in a sealed container, and warm them through in a dry pan or low oven before eating.
