Welsh Cakes Recipe: How to Make Traditional Welsh Cakes

A Welsh cake is a traditional, semi-sweet flatbread originating in Wales that is cooked on the griddle and dusted with sugar. These popular Welsh round cakes are traditionally eaten hot straight off of the griddle. The lightly sweet dough is flavored with tender dried fruit like currants or raisins and has warm, earthy notes of ground mace. Texturally, Welsh cakes are a flaky, melt-in-your-mouth dish that falls somewhere between a pancake and a scone.

Also known as griddle cakes, Welsh tea cakes, Welsh miner cakes, or bakestones—due to the fact they were originally cooked on a cast-iron ‘bakestone’ placed over a fire—these simple cakes are made with a handful of pantry staples, including flour, lard or butter, eggs, milk, and spices.

Welsh cakes require only a few simple ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry. Once you have made the dough, the cakes come together in a matter of minutes. However, there are a few things you can do to make sure that your Welsh cakes turn out amazing.

1. 1. Make your own caster sugar. Using caster sugar—an ultra-fine sugar that dissolves quickly—in this recipe will help give the cakes their trademark soft texture. You can find caster sugar in many grocery stores, or make your own by adding granulated sugar to the blender and pulverizing it to a finer texture.
2. 2. Avoid overworking the dough. Overworking any pastry dough may result in a tough texture as a result of overdeveloping the gluten. Instead, knead the dough until it just comes together enough to be rolled out.
3. 3. Don’t forget the toppings. These simple cakes can be dressed up with a wide variety of toppings, from classic breakfast toppings like butter, honey, fruit jams, and maple syrup, to decadent additions like whipped cream or ice cream.
4. 4. Make the cakes ahead of time. Welsh cakes are best served warm, but they can be made ahead of time for easy serving. Toast the pre-cooked cakes in the toaster or microwave for 30 seconds before serving. Unmade Welsh cakes can also be frozen in a freezer-proof bag for up to two months. When you’re ready to make them, simply let your dough thaw, then make them on the stovetop.