A cross between a scone and a pancake – the perfect way to celebrate St David’s
Day, or any day really. This recipe is super easy to make, ready in under half an hour
(depending on how carried away you get with the fillings) and completely delicious.
It’s also gluten-free and vegan-friendly.

Ingredients

For the Welsh cakes
• 225g gluten-free plain flour
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder (if you don’t have baking powder, you can
use 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice or apple cider
vinegar)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 egg, whisked, or 1 flax egg (1 teaspoon ground flaxseeds mixed in 3
tablespoons of water and left to stand for 10 minutes until a gel-like consistency is
formed)
• 75g coconut sugar or another sugar of your choice
• 100g butter or vegan butter
• 75g currants, raisins or sultanas
• 3 tablespoons of your choice of milk

To serve
• Jam
• Cream or vegan cream
• Greek yoghurt or coconut yoghurt
Or (if you want to go all out…)
Chia berry jam
• 2 cups fresh or frozen berries
• The juice of 1/2 a lemon or lime
• 2 tablespoons of chia seeds
• Optional dash of maple syrup
Cashew cream
• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for at least 30 minutes (better if you can
soak for 2-3 hours, or better still overnight)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4-5 dates, or 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3/4-1 cup water, plus more as needed

Method

For the Welsh Cakes
1. Sift the flour into a large bowl, then whisk through the cinnamon, nutmeg,
baking powder and salt. Add the butter and use your fingers to rub it into the
mixture to make a breadcrumb-like consistency.
2. Add the sugar, dried fruit and 2 tablespoons of milk. Mix together gently until it
comes together, you may need to add another tablespoon if the mixture is too
dry. Be careful not to overwork the dough, it should be a similar texture to
shortcrust pastry. Gently roll into a large ball.
3. Lightly flour a clean surface and a rolling pin (a wine bottle will work too!), then
roll out the dough to around a 5mm thickness. Use a round cookie cutter, about
6cm in diameter, to cut out rounds. If you don’t have cookie cutters you can use
a glass, the thinner the better. Gather up any scraps, re-roll them and cut out
more rounds until you have no dough left.
4. Grease a skillet or griddle pan with butter or oil and heat over a medium heat.
Add as many welsh cakes as will fit and cook for around 3 minutes, or until
golden, on each side. Keep an eye on your welsh cakes as they burn easily. You
may need to reduce the heat to make sure they’re cooked all the way through.
5. To serve: sandwich with jam, cream or yoghurt and a sprinkle of sugar.

Jazzy Homemade Fillings

(Make these before you make the welsh cakes)
Chia Berry Jam
1. Pour the berries into a pan over a medium heat, bring to a simmer then reduce
the heat and cook for around 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the
berries have broken down
2. Remove from the heat and use a spoon to mash to your desired consistency,
then stir through the lemon juice and chia seeds
3. Set the jam aside and allow to thicken for around 5-10 minutes, then serve or
store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.
Cashew Cream
1. Rinse and drain your soaked cashews, then add them to a high-speed blender
with the rest of the ingredients and 3/4 cup water. Blend until creamy, stopping
to scrape down the sides as needed
2. If needed add more water, just 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time. You could use plant
milk or coconut cream instead of water
3. Taste and add more dates or maple syrup as needed
4. Keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Serve with welsh
cakes, pancakes, porridge and other sweet dishes.