Welsh cakes

Lifestyle Recipes Baking and desserts Welsh cakes Traditional, gently-spiced, griddle-baked treats (sitting somewhere between a scone and a biscuit) studded with dried fruit Save Gift this article free Gift article Give full access to this article, free time. You have 15 articles left to gift, this month. Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Add us as preferred source Share article Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Diana Henry The Telegraph's award-winning cookery writer Diana Henry is the Telegraph’s much-loved cookery writer. She shares recipes each week, for everything from speedy family dinners to special menus that friends will remember for months. She is also a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, and her journalism and recipe books, including Simple and How to Eat a Peach, are multi-award-winning. A mother of two sons, Diana can satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.    See more Published 21 May 2026 9:52am BST Related Topics Baking recipes, Afternoon tea recipes, Cake recipes, Easy recipes, Picnic recipes, Biscuit recipes Save Share article Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Gift this article free Gift article Give full access to this article, free time. You have 15 articles left to gift, this month. Log in or Subscribe Copy link X Icon twitter Facebook Icon facebook WhatsApp Icon whatsapp email Add us as preferred source Perfect with a mid-afternoon cup of tea Credit: Haarala Hamilton and Valerie Berry Diana Henry The Telegraph's award-winning cookery writer Diana Henry is the Telegraph’s much-loved cookery writer. She shares recipes each week, for everything from speedy family dinners to special menus that friends will remember for months. She is also a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, and her journalism and recipe books, including Simple and How to Eat a Peach, are multi-award-winning. A mother of two sons, Diana can satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.    See more Published 21 May 2026 9:52am BST AI used to generate this audio I’d never tasted a Welsh cake until I went to St Dogmaels local producers’ market for the BBC, some years back. I had them hot off the griddle with butter. They’re fragile and melting and much better than any scone. They’re also easy, quick to make and inexpensive, so just right for rainy-day weekend baking (when you bake a cake for someone else but want a treat for everyone in your house too), or even a midweek pick-me-up.   Overview Prep time 20 mins Cook time 20 mins Serves 16 Ingredients 225g self-raising flour 110g butter, cut into cubes, plus more to serve ¼ tsp mixed spice 85g caster sugar, plus more to serve (optional) 110g currants or raisins, or a mixture of both 1 large egg, lightly beaten A little milk if you need it Lard or butter, for frying Method Step Put 225g self-raising flour and 110g cubed butter into a bowl and rub them together with your fingertips until you have something that looks like breadcrumbs.  Step Add ¼ tsp mixed spice, 85g caster sugar and 110g currants or raisins (or a mixture of both). Mix in 1 large lightly beaten egg – I just use a knife – until you form a dough. You might need a little milk to bring everything together. Step Put the ball of dough on to a lightly floured surface and roll out to a thickness of 5mm. Cut the dough into rounds using a 6½cm cutter. Step You need to cook Welsh cakes on a griddle or in a heavy frying pan. Start to heat the pan over a medium heat and apply a knob of lard or butter to the surface as soon as it’s warm enough (hold it in a thick piece of kitchen paper). Don’t use too much. Step Cook the Welsh cakes for about 3 minutes each side, turning the heat down if the outside is getting too dark. You have to cook the middle of the Welsh cakes without burning the outside. They should be crisp and brown. Step Leave them as they are or sift a little sugar over them. Eat warm with lots of butter. Advertisement More Stories