Traditional Welsh Cakes

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cookies bars Easy

Short, buttery rounds of currant-studded dough, lightly spiced and cooked on a hot griddle until golden and dusted with sugar while warm. They are somewhere between a scone and a cookie. Makes 12 cakes in about 35 minutes.

Prep 20 min

Cook 15 min

Total 35 min

Servings 12

Ingredients

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servings

1 ¾ cups (225 g)all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp (6 g)baking powder
¾ tsp (2 g)ground mixed spice (or allspice and cinnamon)
1 pinchfine salt
½ cup (110 g)cold unsalted butter, cubed
⅓ cup (75 g)granulated sugar, for the dough
2 ½ oz (75 g)currants
1 (50 g)egg, beaten
1 tbsp (15 ml)cold milk, only if needed
½ tbsp (10 g)butter for greasing
2 ½ tbsp (30 g)granulated sugar, for dusting, for the to cook and finish

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Instructions

Whisk the flour, baking powder, 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 and make a well in the center.
Add the beaten egg and mix with a round-bladed knife until the dough comes together, adding a splash of milk only if it is dry.
Roll out on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick and cut 2-inch (5 cm) rounds. Re-roll the scraps once.
Heat a heavy griddle or cast-iron pan over low-medium heat and grease lightly. A few drops of water should sizzle and skip.
Cook the cakes 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deep golden and cooked through; lower the heat if they brown too fast.
Dust with sugar while still warm and serve.

Tips

A low, steady heat cooks the cakes through; too hot and the outside burns.
Keep the dough only 1/4 inch thick so they cook evenly.
Serve warm with butter or plain with tea.
Good with hot tea.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make traditional welsh cakes?

Plan on 20 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes 12 cakes (12 servings).

How should I store traditional welsh cakes?

Store airtight at room temperature up to 4 days; rewarm in a skillet briefly.

Can I make traditional welsh cakes ahead?

It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.

Welsh cakes (picau ar y maen) are small, flat, currant-studded cakes cooked on a bakestone or griddle, a traditional Welsh teatime treat. Serve it with hot tea.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.

184 Calories / serving

8.1g Fat

25.6g Carbs

2.7g Protein

10.1g Sugar

Whole recipe (12 servings): ~2208 cal · 97g fat · 307g carbs · 32g protein · 121g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.