St. David’s Day is every March 1st and if you read my post from last year, you might recall that it is the celebration of St. David, the patron saint of Wales. If you can’t be in Wales to celebrate St. David’s Day, then you can at least make some Welsh Cakes right at home and enjoy with a cup of your favorite tea or if you’re really up for it, some Twinings Prince of Wales Tea!
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. 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!
- 225g/8oz plain flour
- 100g/4oz butter
- 75g/3oz caster sugar
- 50g/2oz currants (or raisins can be used)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp mixed spice (to make mixed spice, simply mix 1 tablespoon ground allspice, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of ground nutmeg, 2 teaspoons of ground mace, 1 teaspoon of ground cloves, 1 teaspoon of ground coriander, and 1 teaspoon of ground ginger)
- 1 egg
- A pinch salt
- A little milk to bind
Sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, mixed spice) together into a mixing bowl. Cut up the butter and rub into the flour. Stir in the sugar and fruit, pour in the egg and mix to form a dough, use a little milk if the mixture is a little dry. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about the thickness of a biscuit. Use a pastry cutter to cut out rounds. Cook the cakes on a greased bake stone or griddle until golden. The heat should not be too high, since the cakes will cook on the outside too quickly, and not in the middle. Once cooked sprinkle with caster sugar and serve with butter.
According to the Welsh Travel Website where this recipe comes from, an alternative you can try is mixed dried fruit or tropical fruit instead of currants or raisins. Some grated lemon or orange rind is also good, too! An unusual but delicious addition is 1 teaspoon of lavender flowers with some citrus zest. Add a little orange juice, zest and icing sugar to some soft butter to serve with the Welsh cakes.
Have a Dydd Gwŷl Dewi (Sant) hapus!
-CD
FAQs
Saint David in Welsh (St David the person) is "Dewi Sant"
Welsh people will also greet each other with 'Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus', which translates as happy St Davids Day in Welsh.
What is the story behind Welsh cakes? ›
Welsh Cakes have been tea-time favourites in most parts of Wales since the second half of the nineteenth century. 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.
What is the meaning of Welsh cake? ›
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.
What is the traditional St Davids Day greeting? ›
'Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus' is Welsh for 'Happy St David's Day'.
How do you say Happy St David's Day in Welsh Google Translate? ›
Happy St David's Day translates to “Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus” in Welsh. The phonetic translation is, “deethe goil Dewi hapeece”.
What's the difference between a Welsh cake and a scone? ›
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.
How are you supposed to eat Welsh Cakes? ›
How to serve your Welsh cakes. I suggest eating these warm, either straightaway or reheated in the toaster. Traditionally I believe these are eaten just as they are, or of course you can add a topping such as butter or jam. I'm thinking now that peanut butter might work on these too, or even chocolate spread!
Why are Welsh Cakes so popular? ›
Made from simple pantry items like flour, sugar, milk and butter, Welsh Cakes are considered a special treat since they take a great deal of time and effort to make. Being griddled, they pretty much must be made by hand and this is why there are very few commerical makers of these cakes in the world.
What is the difference between Eccles cake and Welsh cake? ›
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.
What is unique about Welsh culture? ›
Wales is known for its traditional Welsh language music, including religious hymns and patriotic folk ballads. It's also home to lots of world-famous singers such as Tom Jones and Bonnie Tyler. The harp is one of the most common instruments associated with Wales, particularly the triple harp or three-row harp.
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.
What does St David's Day mean to Welsh people? ›
St David is the patron saint of Wales, who is celebrated on the 1 March. To mark the day, many Welsh people around the world wear one or both of Wales's national emblems - a daffodil and a leek. Special concerts and parades are also held in St David's honour.
What does David mean in Welsh? ›
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.
What was St David's Welsh name? ›
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.
What do Welsh people say for Valentine's Day? ›
Description 'Dydd Sant Ffolant Hapus' is Welsh for 'Happy St Valentine's Day'. 'Caru Ti' is Welsh for 'I Love You'.
What are Welsh nicknames for David? ›
David in Welsh can be translated as Dafydd. Alternative versions/nicknames also include Dai and Dewi.
What does cymru am byth mean? ›
(Welsh, 'Wales for ever'.) Source: Brewer's Dictionary of Modern Phrase & Fable Author(s): John AytoJohn Ayto, Ian CroftonIan Crofton. The motto of the Welsh Guards, formed in 1915. The words are also generally in use as a rallying ...
What is the meaning of Gwyl Dewi? ›
Traditionally, St David's Day, or Dydd Gwyl Dewi is known as the Feast of St David, a day when Welsh people hold celebrations to honour Saint David, or Dewi Sant. The saint is honoured with special parades, Welsh symbols, and concerts.
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. 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!
dough, use a little milk if the mixture is a little dry. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about the thickness of a biscuit. Use a pastry cutter to cut out rounds. Cook the cakes on a greased bake stone or griddle until golden. The heat should not be too high, since the cakes will cook on the outside too quickly, and not in the middle. Once cooked sprinkle with caster sugar and serve with butter.
teaspoon of lavender flowers with some citrus zest. Add a little orange juice, zest and icing sugar to some soft butter to serve with the Welsh cakes.