Vegan Welsh cakes are a classic treat I can’t let the first of March pass without sharing! I’m not Welsh, but Mr TS is, and I first tasted these delicious griddle scones over 30 years ago courtesy of his lovely Mum. When she retired from teaching and lecturing, she and my father-in-law travelled to all the places they had dreamed about, and everywhere they went, a batch of Welsh cakes went with them. They even took them to the Egyptian Pyramids “just in case.” It makes me giggle a bit, but only because it is so ‘them’ and I love it.
I’ve updated my mother-in-law’s recipe to remove the egg and replace the butter, and these vegan Welsh cakes are just as tasty as the original, I think she would approve! I don’t make them as often as she did but, whenever I do, they disappear very rapidly. They are perfect for week days, picnics, lunchboxes or elevenses with a quiet cup of tea.
The ingredients are simple: tender, lightly spiced dough dotted with juicy dried fruit, brought together with vegan butter and a splash of plant-based milk, and finished with a sprinkling of sugar. It’s amazing how a few basic ingredients can create something so comforting.
I cook mine in a heavy cast iron frying pan. My mother-in-law made hers on a traditional Welsh griddle, and I’m still on the lookout for a vintage one. Until then, the frying pan works beautifully.
How to Make Vegan Welsh Cakes
There is a printable recipe card with full ingredient list and method at the bottom of this post, but here a few tips and tricks to make sure things go smoothly.
Gently rub vegan butter into the flour, lifting your fingers out of the bowl as you do so and letting the mixture fall back in until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Take your time, this is what gives the cakes their tender texture.
Stir in the sugar, dried fruit, and a pinch of mixed spice.
Gradually add plant-based milk, mixing gently, until you have a soft, workable dough. Different flours absorb liquid differently, sometimes you may need 5 tablespoons of milk, sometimes only 3. Add it gradually, you don’t want a sticky dough.
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1cm/1/3 inch thick. Cut into rounds with a 7cm/3 inch cookie cutter.
Heat a heavy frying pan over medium-low heat. There is no need to grease, though I like to wipe a smidgeon of vegan butter wiped around with kitchen roll for a touch of buttery flavour.
Cook the cakes for a few minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Patience is key, too hot and the outsides will colour before the centre cooks. I always try a test cake first to make sure I have the temperature right (Yes, I get to taste test it too!)
While still warm, sprinkle with a little extra caster sugar.
Tips for Cooking in a Pan or on a Griddle
A traditional baking stone or griddle gives even heat, but a heavy bottomed frying pan works beautifully too.
Keep the heat steady rather than high.
Cook in batches, wiping out any excess flour between rounds if needed.
Optional Variations
Citrus zest – Add finely grated lemon or orange zest to the dough.
Chocolate chips – Replace some of the dried fruit with vegan chocolate chips for a less traditional but very popular twist. I have a dried fruit hater in my family so I make Welsh cakes this way sometimes so he celebrate his roots too!
Other Fruits – Currants are traditional, I swap them for sultanas because I love their plump juiciness. Raisins or chopped dried apricots also work well.
Serving Suggestions
Best eaten slightly warm or at room temperature.
Serve with tea, coffee, or on their own. Some people, apparently, top them with jam!
Storage
- Welsh cakes keep well for 3 or 4 days in an airtight tin.
They also freeze beautifully so it’s well worth making a double batch. Allow to cool and layer them in a suitable container with baking paper. Reheat gently in a pan or toaster.
Seasonal Notes
While often associated with St David’s Day, Welsh cakes are likely to appear at any time of the year in our household. They are as much for ordinary weekdays as for celebrations, a small comfort in the middle of a busy day.
There is something reassuring about keeping a traditional recipe alive in a modern kitchen. The cast iron pan on the hob may not be a bakestone or Welsh griddle, but the results are just as comforting – tender, lightly spiced, and full of flavour. When I do make them, Mr TS’s eyes light up, they are a real taste of home for him.
If You Are Looking For More Tea Time Treats
You might like my:
Vegan Welsh Cakes
Equipment
- 1 heavy bottomed frying pan
- 1 7cm/3 inch round cookie cutter
- 1 large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 225 g self raising flour + 3 level tsp baking powder if using all purpose flour
- 60 g caster sugar
- 120 g vegan butter cold, diced
- 100 g dried fruit I use sultanas. Currants are traditional. Raisins are fine too!
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 5 tbsp plant based milk you may need more or less milk
Instructions
- Gently rub vegan butter into the flour, lifting your fingers out of the bowl as you do so and letting the mixture fall back in until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Stir in the sugar, dried fruit and mixed spice.
- Gradually add plant-based milk, mixing gently, until you have a soft, workable dough. You may not need all the milk, you may need a bit more.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1?cm / ??inch thick. Cut into rounds with a 7?cm / 3?inch cookie cutter.
- Heat a heavy frying pan over medium-low heat.
- Cook the cakes for a few minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through.
- While still warm, sprinkle with a little extra caster sugar.
Notes
Nutrition
This photo was taken for my original post back in 2013 and before I was vegan, I think you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference between these and my Vegan Welsh Cakes!
Mmmm! I love all things like this! So are these like dense scones? I shall bookmark this and try soon 🙂
Not really! They are light and tender – not as fluffy as scones but definitely not dense!
I definitely need to try these. I love welsh cakes but have never made them myself!
Do it, do it!
Those look just gorgeous Chris. The only time I tried making Welsh cakes, I burnt them, so I really must make some that look a little more palatable. Love the idea of Welsh Cakes at the pyramids.
I like a well travelled Welsh cake – I may need to take up the baton and take them with me wherever I go!