Welsh cake facts for kids
Home-made Welsh cakes
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| Alternative names | Bakestones |
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| Place of origin | Wales, United Kingdom |
| Serving temperature | Hot or cold |
| Main ingredients | Flour, sultanas, raisins, and/or currants |
| Variations | Llech Cymreig, jam split |
Welsh cakes (Welsh: picau ar y maen, pice bach, cacennau cri or teisennau gradell) are a traditional and tasty treat from Wales. They are also known as bakestones or pics. These sweet, flat cakes have been popular since the late 1800s. They started as a simple flatbread recipe. Over time, people added fat, sugar, and dried fruits to make them even better.
What Are Welsh Cakes?
Welsh cakes are a type of flatbread or scone. They are usually round, about 7–8 cm (a few inches) across. Each cake is about 1–1.5 cm (half an inch) thick. They are made from simple ingredients. These include flour, butter or lard, and eggs. They also contain milk and dried fruits like currants or sultanas. Spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg give them a warm, sweet flavor.
How Are Welsh Cakes Cooked?
Welsh cakes get their other names, griddle cakes or bakestones, from how they are cooked. Traditionally, they are baked on a special pan called a bakestone. In Welsh, this is called a maen (meaning "stone") or planc (meaning "board").
A bakestone is a thick cast iron griddle. It is usually about 1.5 cm (half an inch) thick. This griddle is placed directly on a fire or a cooker. The cakes are cooked slowly on this hot surface until they are golden brown.
How to Enjoy Welsh Cakes
Welsh cakes can be eaten either hot or cold. Many people like them dusted with a little caster sugar on top. Unlike scones, Welsh cakes are usually eaten plain. They don't typically need butter or jam. However, you might find some Welsh cakes sold already split. These sometimes have jam spread inside them for an extra sweet treat.
