Warm, crumbly, fruity Welsh cakes are a traditional tea time treat in Wales, similar to a scone but cooked in a heavy frying pan on the stove-top. Served with sweet, whipped honey butter, they make a scrumptious after school snack or an easy and delicious breakfast.

Traditionally, the fruit that’s added is dried currants (zante), but they are complicated and stupidly expensive to buy locally, so I used raisins in this batch. Other alternatives are sultanas, dried cranberries or dried blueberries. Welsh cakes are best served warm from the pan, but they can be kept in an airtight container in the pantry for several days.

Makes a baker’s dozen (13) 8cm cakes
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 20 minutes (for three batches)

Welsh cakes

250g (2 cups, spooned and scraped) all-purpose (plain) flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
pinch ground cinnamon, or to taste
115g (1 stick or 1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, diced
75g (1/3 cup) caster sugar
1/2 cup dried fruit (weight will vary by fruit)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
~1 Tbsp milk to bind, as needed
additional caster sugar for sprinkling

Directions

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a mixing bowl.

Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until it resembles soft breadcrumbs.

Add the sugar and fruit, add the egg and mix to form a dough. Add a splash of milk if necessary if the dough is crumbly.

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/2cm (about 1/4″) thick.

Use a cookie cutter or drinking glass to cut out rounds, re-rolling and cutting the scraps as you go.

Rub a cast iron pan with a little butter, and heat the pan on medium-low. Cook the cakes in batches for about 3 minutes on each side, adjusting the heat as necessary, until golden brown. The heat should not be too high, otherwise the cakes will scorch on the outside before they are cooked through.

Transfer the cooked cakes to a wire rack and sprinkle with additional caster sugar.

Honey butter

115g (1 stick or 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 – 3 Tbsp dark liquid honey
small pinch fine salt

Directions

Beat together the butter, 2 tablespoons of the honey and a little salt until smooth, light and creamy, taste and add more honey if desired.

Serve immediately if you want it soft and whipped, or transfer to parchment or plastic wrap, form into a log, wrap and refrigerate until firm.