Welsh Cakes (Griddle Cakes with Currants)
Local name: Picau ar y maen
In short: Small, lightly spiced griddle cakes with currants, crisp outside and soft inside. Cooked in a heavy pan and dusted with sugar. It takes about 45 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 272 kcal
Welsh cakes are small, round, lightly spiced cakes studded with currants and cooked on a griddle rather than baked. The dough is closer to a rich scone than a biscuit, and the finished cakes have crisp, golden outsides and a soft, crumbly center. They are eaten warm, dusted with sugar, and often made in large batches for family teas and for Wales's national day on 1 March. A heavy frying pan works perfectly if you have no bakestone.
Instructions
- Mix the flour, spice and salt in a bowl. Rub in the cold butter until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar and currants.
- Add the egg and 2 tablespoons of milk and mix to a soft, not sticky dough, adding a little more milk if the mixture is dry.
- Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 5 mm (1/4 inch) thick. Cut out 6 cm (2 1/2 inch) rounds, rolling the trimmings once.
- Heat a griddle or heavy skillet over medium-low heat and grease it very lightly with butter.
- Cook the cakes in batches for about 3 minutes on each side, until deep golden and cooked through. Lower the heat if they brown before the centers are done.
- Move them to a wire rack and sprinkle with sugar while still warm. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips
- Keep the heat low and the pan lightly greased so the centers cook through before the outsides darken. A heavy pan holds an even heat best.
- Roll the dough to an even 5 mm (1/4 inch) thickness so the cakes cook at the same speed. They keep for 3 days in a tin and freeze well for up to 2 months.
Questions and answers
What are Welsh cakes?
Welsh cakes are small, round, lightly spiced griddle cakes with currants, cooked on a bakestone or heavy pan. They sit somewhere between a scone and a biscuit.
Do I need a griddle to make Welsh cakes?
No. A heavy, flat-bottomed skillet works well. Cook over medium-low heat with very little fat.
How do I store Welsh cakes?
Cool them completely and keep them in an airtight tin for up to 3 days. They also freeze well and can be warmed in a dry pan.
How long does it take to make Welsh Cakes (Griddle Cakes with Currants)?
About 45 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Welsh Cakes (Griddle Cakes with Currants)?
About 272 kcal per serving, with 4 g of protein, 39 g of carbohydrates and 11 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 272 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 39 g |
| Fat | 11 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 16 g |
| Sodium | 110 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
