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British Irish

Welsh Cakes

Traditional Welsh cakes cooked on a griddle with butter, currants, nutmeg, and a light sugar finish.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 1 September 2026Updated

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Welsh Cakes

35 mintotal

Prep 20 min · Cook 15 min

Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
Spice
None
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 4 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

No inactive time; mix lightly and cook straight away, as the raising agent begins working the moment the egg goes into the dough.

Method

  1. Mix the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl.

  2. Rub in the cold butter until the mixture looks like fine crumbs.

  3. Stir in the sugar and currants.

  4. Add the beaten egg and mix into a soft dough, adding a little milk only if needed.

  5. Roll the dough to medium thickness and cut into rounds.

  6. Cook on a dry heavy pan or griddle over medium-low heat until golden on both sides and cooked through.

  7. Dust with sugar while warm and serve fresh.

How to tell it's done

Welsh cakes should be lightly crisp outside, soft and cakey inside, with currants in every bite.

Getting it right

Tip

Welsh cakes are cooked like griddle cakes, not baked; keep the heat gentle so they cook through.

What to serve it with

Serve warm with butter, jam, tea, or as a lunchbox sweet snack.

Common mistakes

The outsides burn before the middle cooks.
Medium-low heat and a dry pan, with patience. Welsh cakes are thicker than they look and a hot griddle colours them in ninety seconds while the centre stays raw.
They come out hard rather than short.
Rub the butter in while it is properly cold, and handle the dough as little as possible. Warm butter and over-kneading both turn a Welsh cake into a biscuit.

Substitutions

  • Use Raisins only if Currants are unavailable; chop them smaller for a closer texture.
  • Use Cinnamon Powder instead of Nutmeg Powder for a warmer spice note, though it is less classic.
  • Cook on medium-low heat so the outside browns without leaving the centre doughy.

Storing and reheating

Keep a week in an airtight tin and are traditionally made in a batch for exactly that reason. They freeze for three months. Warm briefly on a dry pan to bring them back; the microwave makes them tough.