Welsh Cakes
Currant-studded griddle cakes, cooked on a bakestone and dusted with sugar.
AI assistance: the introduction, ingredient list, method, tips and FAQ on this page were drafted with an AI writing tool, working from long-established traditional methods. Named editor who reviewed it: owner to supply How we work
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Makes
- about 16 cakes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Course
- Cake
- Cuisine
- Welsh
Welsh cakes (picau ar y maen, "cakes on the stone") sit somewhere between a scone and a biscuit. They are cooked on a bakestone or heavy griddle rather than in the oven.
Ingredients
Cups use the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart. Weighing is more accurate.
- 225 g self-raising flour (US: self-rising flour)
- ½ tsp mixed spice
- pinch of salt
- 110 g cold salted butter, cubed (or half butter, half lard)
- 85 g caster sugar (US: superfine sugar), plus extra to dust
- 50 g currants
- 1 medium egg, beaten
- splash of milk, if needed
Equipment
Shop links are affiliate links (disclosure).
- Bakestone, griddle or heavy frying panHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- 6 cm round cutterHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- Digital kitchen scalesHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
Method
- 1
Mix the flour, mixed spice and salt, then rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- 2
Stir in the sugar and currants. Add the egg and mix to a firm dough, adding a little milk only if it is too dry.
- 3
Roll out on a floured surface to about 5 mm thick and cut into rounds with a 6 cm cutter.
- 4
Heat a bakestone, griddle or heavy frying pan over a medium-low heat and grease it very lightly with butter.
- 5
Cook the cakes for about 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown outside and cooked through.
- 6
Dust with caster sugar while still warm.
Frequently asked questions
What are Welsh cakes cooked on?
Traditionally a bakestone (in Welsh, maen): a flat, heavy griddle. A heavy frying pan works too.
Why are my Welsh cakes burnt outside but raw inside?
The heat is too high. Cook them on a medium-low heat for about 3 minutes each side.
How long do Welsh cakes keep?
A few days in an airtight tin, and they freeze well.
Guides for this recipe
Some of these guides contain shop links, which are affiliate links (disclosure).
How-to
Afternoon Tea Menu Ideas
Buying guide
Rolling Pins: Which Type Is Best for Pastry?
Buying guide
Griddles and Bakestones for Welsh Cakes and Farls
Buying guide
Scone Cutters: Plain or Fluted?
Buying guide
Baking Trays and Bun Tins: What You Need
Buying guide
Cast Iron Skillets: The Pan That Lasts for Generations
How-to
Essential Equipment for British Baking
Buying guide
Kitchen Scales for Baking: What to Look For
Buying guide
Frying Pans and Skillets: Cast Iron, Steel or Non-Stick?
Kitchen design
Cast Iron Pans: Seasoning, Cleaning and Rescuing Rust
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Card photos: A cream tea with scones, jam and clotted cream, Andy Li via Wikimedia Commons, CC0; A wooden rolling pin with handles, Peter Kammer via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; A flat round iron griddle, Rajani Gairshail via Wikimedia Commons, CC0; Round-cut scones on a baking tray going into the oven, James Petts from London, England via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped; Mince pies baked in a bun tray, Jeremy Keith via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped; A well-used black cast iron skillet, NMorales (WMF) via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; Small cakes cooling on a wire rack, James Petts from London, England via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped; A traditional mechanical kitchen scale, Berthold Werner via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; A cast iron skillet, NMorales (WMF) via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; Two cast iron skillets, one newly seasoned and one dark with use, FiveRings at English Wikipedia via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain; A Bakewell tart with a slice cut, showing the jam and almond filling, Brynn via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; A round loaf of brown soda bread cooling on a wire rack, michael clarke stuff via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped; A slice of lemon drizzle cake served with a cup of tea, Acabashi via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped. All credits: image credits.