In Welsh, picau ar y maen, pice bach, cacen gri or teisen radell, in English, Welsh cake, pics, bakestones, and griddle scones are traditional in Wales. They have been popular since the late 19th Century. Welsh cakes are served sprinkled with caster sugar, hot or cold, as is, but if desired, like scones, split and spread with jam or butter.
Welsh Cakes
Recipe by: Fae’s Twist & Tango (fae-magazine.com)
Traditionally, Welsh cakes are made of lard, currants and nutmeg, which in this recipe have been replaced by butter, raisins and cinnamon.
INGREDIENTS
• 225 g / 1¾ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 70 g / 1/3 cup caster sugar[1] (plus ½ cup to sprinkle over grilled cakes)
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch salt
• 100 g / 7 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and kept chilled until use (plus 1 Tbsp for frying)
• 160g / 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 large egg
• 60 ml / ¼ cup milk
[1] If caster sugar is not available at your neighborhood markets, grind same amount of granulated sugar in a food processor for 1~3 minutes.
DIRECTIONS
◊ Add flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a food processor and process to mix for 30 seconds. Add cut, cold butter pieces and process for another 30 seconds. Empty the mixture into a large bowl.
◊ In a small bowl, beat the egg with milk and add to the flour mixture. With your fingers, rub in the butter and liquid until crumbly. Add in the raisins and mix. Don’t knead too much for the cakes to be airy. Squeeze the crumbly dough into a large firm ball.
◊ Rub the rolling pin with flour and lightly flour work surface. Roll out the dough to the 12mm/½” thickness. Cut out using a 6 ~ 8cm round cutter (in the photo, used 6 cm round and heart shaped cutters). Re-roll any trimmings.
◊ Barely grease a flat griddle pan or large, heavy frying pan with butter, and place over heat, a tad higher than medium-low (#4). Cook for about 6 minutes each side, until golden brown, cooked through and crispy outside.
◊ Commonly sprinkled with caster sugar and served warm or cold. It is also served warm with butter and jam
~ Mwynhewch eich bwyd! ~
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I made these simple and fairly quick to make cakes today. I enjoyed them with tea, reminiscing about all the pleasure my son gave me growing up, and of course, my Mother who I think of and miss all the time. I made these heart-shaped ones, thinking of her.
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Happy Mother’s Day!
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I was so surprised to see Welsh cakes! You have done the Welsh proud Fae they look wonderful. I was suprised to read that you cannot get caster sugar. I thought it was an international ingredient.
Hello dear Maria, I’m so happy to hear these encouraging words from you. Thank You! Yes, only specialty stores carry caster sugar. The best way is to make our own. 🙂
Your cooking is so versatile, Fae! You already have posted recipes of so many countries, and now Wales. Very impressive.
Hi Stefan, Isn’t it fun? I get a kick out of knowing what other nations enjoy as meals or snacks. I was introduced to these cakes watching a Japanese program. Japanese are very curious about cuisines of other countries. I may have gotten it growing up there. I see a lot of interesting recipes on your blog. I love to learn from you, but they are truly over my head. Therefore, a compliment from a chef makes me very happy. 🙂
They look so cute Fae! Thanks a lot for this original recipe!
Thanks Fae, I can make it for my kids, they’love it so much! 🙂
Yes, Mochi, it is a kind of snacks that children can hold in their hands and eat. 🙂
Fae these look delicious and they seem so easy to make, what a wonderful idea about making them in heart shapes and thinking of your dear mom! Love how you have recipes from all over the world, I have to hurry up and make these!
Homa, I was also thinking of your buttermilk pancakes when I was making these Welsh cakes. 😛 These cakes only have a hint of sweetness, with an umph, satisfies me as nan-ghandi does. 🙂
As yet I haven’t made this version, but I’ve baked a local recipe that’s fairly similar and can vouch for how delicious these are. Will have to try the Welsh equivalent sometime soon.
Hi Johnny, If your local, similar, baked cakes (what are they called?) are delicious, please share the recipe! I found Welsh cakes interesting, because they have dried fruits in them, are grilled in a matter of a few minutes and are buttery. 🙂
Hi Fae! My husband’s family is from Scranton, Pennsylvania, where many Welsh people settled–many worked in the coal mines there. I first had what they call “Welsh Cookies” when my husband and I started dating (when we were in high school!). I make them from a recipe his grandmother gave me (that I’ve changed a bit–butter instead of lard), and have discussed them in my blog. The ones I make have nutmeg and currants. They also have a lot of fat, so the griddle does not need to be greased at all. I’ve never had them sprinkled with sugar, but yours look very pretty!
Thank you for bringing it up, dear Merril. You are absolutely right. Almost every recipe I saw on-line called for lard, currants and nutmeg, three ingredients I’m not too fond of, which in this recipe I have replaced by butter, raisins and cinnamon. 😉 I think, when they are eaten as is, they are dusted with sugar. When served like scones, they are plain and served with butter and jam. I should include the traditional ingredients in the opener. I did look for your post Welsh Cookies, aka “Daddy Cookies”. They look just like mine, not dusted with sugar. Otherwise, is my recipe close to yours?
The recipe is similar, except for the currants and nutmeg. 🙂 My recipe makes about 5 dozen cookies though. It’s 5 cups of flour and about 3 sticks of butter, I think. I don’t have it in front of me. Not real sweet though–only 1 cup of sugar.
Welsh cake! My wee son love this. Love the heart shape!
Thank you! I can see why… I think, they are good and satisfying snack.
They look so delicious☺
They are satisfying kind of treat as snack, I think. 🙂
I will take jam or butter with mine please! They look delicious Fae – hope you had a beautiful Sunday 🙂
I will make them fresh for you again! It was a quiet and nice Sunday, thank you Judi!
Hello there Fae, These Welsh cakes sound a lot like the dutch Drie in de Pan, although they are made with yeast I believe.
Canny dutch housewives would serve them after a hearty rib-sticking soup like Brown Bean soup so that you couldn’t fit in too many pancakes I suppose! My Dutch husband remembers always having Apple Pancakes after Pea & Ham soup and then having to lie down afterwards!
Are these heavy? They do look very appealing and make me yearn for a proper afternoon tea.
Cheers Mimsey
Based on what I saw in Google images, Dutch Drie in de Pan looks like breakfast pancakes. These Welsh cakes are more like scones. I’m sure, they are equally delicious. 🙂 Story of your husband is so funny… apple pancakes after pea & ham soup. 😀 )))
These look pretty and sound delicious, Fae. I’ve heard of them before, but never made them. Now to find what the French equivalent of caster sugar may be…
Thank you, Darya. Caster sugar is a finer granulated sugar. In my neighborhood market it is not stocked. I make my own by grinding regular granulated sugar in a food processor.
They look so pretty!!
I used a drinking glass to cut the circles, but I think, round fluted cookie cutter would make them look prettier.
Cookie cutters are easier to remove from the dough too aren’t they?? I find dough sticks to glasses when I try using them 🙁
Yes, you are right. 😀 ))) However, in the case of these Welsh cakes, I did not have problem. But definitely, sharp knife like cutters give better finish. 🙂
Love these–they look so yummy!
I think they are perfect for mid-day snack, or served in lieu of tea time scones.
Fabulous
Thank you, Sonal. 🙂
Very unique treats!
I think so too. It is not as fancy as sweet desserts, but are excellent for breakfast or mid-day snack, I think. 🙂
What a lovely post Fae, your Welsh Cakes are wonderful and the memories are too, you are like a food historian I am constantly amazed at your knowledge foods from so many different cultures. Happy Mothers Day! Hope you had a great day.
– Thank you so much, dear Suzanne. My son wasn’t with me, but he called and made my day. I hope you had a great Mother’s Day.
– There are so many wonderful foods in the world. I like to try making as many of them as I can.
Wow! They look really delicious..
If you like scones, you would really like them too.