Welsh Cakes Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Why are my Welsh cakes so dry? ›

The consistency needs to be bound together, so if too dry add another egg.

Cakes may be eaten straight from the package however most people prefer them warmed. Warming takes 8-10 seconds for one cake in a 1500W microwave, 10-12 seconds for a whole pack. If heating in an oven, 2-3 mins @ 275 will usually do.

Welsh cakes (Welsh: picau ar y maen, pice bach, cacennau cri or teisennau gradell), also bakestones or pics, are a traditional sweet bread in Wales. They have been popular since the late 19th century with the addition of fat, sugar and dried fruit to a longer standing recipe for flat-bread baked on a griddle.

These are somewhat similar in appearance to Eccles Cakes but Welsh Cakes are a bit flatter than an Eccles Cake and unlike an Eccles Cake, Welsh Cakes are not filled. In order to make Welsh Cakes, these must be made on a griddle or a bake stone. Once you get the hang of cooking these, it's literally a piece of cake!

Wrap it in several layers of cheesecloth and saturate the cheesecloth with rum or brandy. Place in a sealed container or zip bag. If the cloth starts to dry out, add more booze. Your fruitcake should be ready to eat in 7–10 days but it will keep for many weeks when properly aged in alcohol.

The ratio of wet to dry ingredients determines a cake's moisture level. If there's simply too much flour and not enough butter, a cake will taste dry. On the other hand, if there's too much milk and not enough flour, a cake will taste too wet. Finding the right balance between wet and dry ingredients is key.

Discover your new favourite cake. Welsh cakes (or Pice ar y maen in Welsh!) originate from Wales and are a cross between a cookie, scone and a pancake but are truly unique when it comes to their taste and texture.

They were usually called Pica ar y Maen in south Carmarthenshire, West Glamorgan and South Glamorgan. In English, they would be called 'bakestone cakes' or simply 'bakestones'.

If there are loads of crumbly bits its probably too dry. You want to be aiming for a nice soft dough that stays together but isn't sticky and messy!

Enjoy them with sugar, butter, plain, jam, cream, or even chocolate spread and marshmallow – the point of a welsh cake is that is makes you feel warm and cosy for a little minute. If you have more tips on how you cook your welsh cakes then we'd love to hear them. Add them to the comments below!

What is the national dish of the Welsh? ›

Cawl, pronounced "cowl", can be regarded as Wales' national dish. Dating back to the 11th century, originally it was a simple broth of meat (most likely lamb) and vegetables, it could be cooked slowly over the course of the day whilst the family was out working the fields.

Welsh cakes can be eaten hot or cold, though the vast majority of Welsh people will tell you how to eat Welsh cakes is eating them while they're still warm. You can heat them up easily in a pan, toaster oven, standard oven, or even your microwave.

When Oliver Cromwell gained power in 1650 A.D., both the wakes and the eating of Eccles Cakes were banned due to the Puritan belief that they both had pagan connections. On the other hand, maybe the powers that be in London, did not want their Northern subjects to have too much of a good thing!

The Welsh Cakes were originally called "picau ar y maen" or "cakes on the stone." They are one of the most popular Welsh treats and the favorite food of so many in Wales. In fact, we asked over 25 people what their favorite Welsh recipe was and half of them answered Welsh Cakes.

For the halal-conscious traveller

Be sure to try the traditional Welsh cakes. A cross between a cookie, scone and pancake, they are authentic handmade and griddled treats.

Dry fruit leads to dry fruitcake, says Reid. Water goes to where it's driest, and if the fruit is very dry, the moisture will go there instead of the cake batter. Soak your fruit for at least 24 hours and as long as a couple of months, before you mix it into your batter.