How to make the perfect Welsh Cakes on St David's Day (2024)

FAQs

Why do my Welsh cakes go hard? ›

Why did my Welsh cakes turn out hard, dry or crumbly? If your Welsh Cakes turned out hard, dry or crumbly, your mixture was probably not wet enough. Next time, add a little bit of milk so the mix is softer.

So how do you say "Happy St David's Day" in Welsh? That would be: "Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus." For those of you who skipped Welsh lessons at school, it is pronounced "Deethe goo-eel Dew-ee happ-iss" - the th sound in dydd is soft, as in "the".

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. Some folks tell us they toast the cakes and we like that too.

They were usually cooked on a bakestone and the Welsh names given to these cakes were usually based on the different regional Welsh name for the bakestone. These included pice bach, tishan lechwan or tishan ar y mân (bakestone cakes), but in English they became known generally as Welsh Cakes.

You can try any of the following: adding a 1 oz. package of pudding (any flavor that complements the cake's flavor profile), adding 1-2 egg yolks (along with the eggs called for on the box), or substituting milk for the water called for on the box.

David in Welsh can be translated as Dafydd. Alternative versions/nicknames also include Dai and Dewi. Dafydd is a traditional Welsh boy's name that has been popular in Wales for centuries.

Dafydd. Dafydd was a popular name in the Middle Ages. Dafydd ap Gwilym was the most famous poet of the period, and Dafydd ap Gruffudd was the brother of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last prince of Wales. The name comes from the Hebrew word for friend, and the English version is David.

David (Welsh: Dewi Sant; Latin: Davidus; c. 500 – c. 589) was a Welsh Christian prelate who served as Bishop of Mynyw during the 6th century. He is the patron saint of Wales.

Welsh cakes are great for storing. They will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or so! They can also be frozen for up to 3 months (remember to wrap them well, label and date). If you are eating them the same day, feel free just to leave them (covered) on a plate on the worktop!

Getting the temperature of your griddle or bakestone correct is the key to this Welsh cake recipe. If it's too hot the cakes will burn before they are cooked through. Too low and the texture will be dry.

Are Eccles cakes the same as Welsh Cakes? ›

What is a Welsh Cake? It's like a cross between a pancake, cookie, or a scone but they are nothing like it. 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.

They have gone by a few different names since their inception including their Welsh language names “cage bach” or "picau ar y maen" but also they are known as "Griddle Cakes", "Welsh Tea Cakes" and "Welsh Miner Cakes".

When you look at this recipe you will see how similar it is to a scone. The only real difference is that less milk is used in the Welsh Cake batter because you want a dough that can be easily rolled and cut into rounds.

Welsh cakes

Perhaps the best-loved of all Welsh treats, these small, circular cakes are dusted in sugar and provide the perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of tea. Traditionally cooked on a bakestone, Welsh cakes can also contain sultanas and chocolate chips for a sweeter twist on the original recipe.

This can be avoided by setting the right temperature. Cake becomes hard when the temperature set is incorrect or less. Try baking a cake between 180 degrees to 220 degrees, depending on the type of cake and if it still happens, then you should reduce the quantity of the batter.

If your cake is hard, the problem probably lies in the beating. The butter must be beaten well in the early stages to give the mixture enough air for a light and fluffy texture. To achieve this the butter must be lukewarm and therefore not too hard.

Biscuits are essentially dried cakes, so absorb ambient moisture. Cakes are much more moist, so evaporate water to the surrounding air.