Welsh Cakes in the air fryer are my shortcut to one of the cosiest teatime cakes from the British Isles. In Welsh they are called picau ar y maen, and they are traditionally cooked on a hot griddle. The dough resembles scone dough, with butter, currants, cinnamon and nutmeg, but it is rolled out noticeably thinner, so the cakes turn out small, flat, buttery and tender.
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The best part is that they are quick to make. The dough is mixed and cut out in a quarter of an hour, and the air fryer handles the baking in two batches, so you have a plate of warm cakes on the table after 31 minutes. They are sprinkled with sugar while they are still warm, and then all that is missing is a cup of tea.
Table of Contents
Why I love Welsh Cakes in the air fryer
Welsh Cakes sit somewhere between a scone, a biscuit and a pancake. They have the scone’s tender, crumbly texture, the size of a biscuit and the flat shape of a pancake, and the cinnamon and nutmeg give off a warm aroma that spreads through the whole kitchen. In Wales they are a fixture on the tea table all year round, and especially on St David’s Day on 1 March, which is the national day of the Welsh. I love them because they ask for so little: a bowl, a rolling pin, a round cutter and completely ordinary baking ingredients.
The air fryer makes it even easier. I don’t have to stand over a pan turning the heat up and down, because the temperature stays at 180 °C and the cakes get the same colour from batch to batch.
The difference between a griddle and an air fryer
On a griddle the cakes get their heat from below, and it is the contact with the hot iron that gives the characteristic browned surface. In the air fryer the heat comes as circulating air, so the colour is more even and a little lighter. That is why I brush the cakes thinly with melted butter and turn them halfway through the cooking time. That way both sides get colour and a lightly crisp surface, while the middle stays tender.
My kitchen test of Welsh Cakes
I have tested the recipe in my Cosori Dual Blaze, where the basket has heating elements both above and below. That gives even baking from both sides, but I still turn the cakes after 4 minutes, exactly as the recipe says. At 180 °C each batch got 8 minutes in total, and with two batches that came to 16 minutes of baking time. If I add a quarter of an hour of preparation on top, the total time ends up at 31 minutes.
After the first 4 minutes the tops were light golden, and once turned the cakes became golden on both sides and firm at the edges. I rolled the dough out to about 8 mm and used a 6 cm cutter, which gave 16 cakes. If you have a smaller air fryer, you can bake them in three batches instead of two, so they still sit in a single layer with a little air between them.
Use the butter straight from the fridge, and stop kneading as soon as the dough holds together. Cold butter and a light hand make all the difference between a tender and a tough Welsh Cake.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistake is kneading the dough for too long, because then the cakes turn out tough instead of tender. Bring it together only just enough to form a firm, smooth ball. The next mistake is rolling the dough out too thick. Welsh Cakes should be noticeably thinner than scones, about 8 mm, otherwise the outside turns golden before the middle is baked through. The third mistake has to do with the baking paper. Only put it in the basket once the air fryer has preheated and the cakes can immediately weigh it down, because loose baking paper can be sucked up against the heating element.
How to serve Welsh Cakes
Welsh Cakes taste best warm, and they don’t need much company. Here are my favourite ways to serve them:
- As they are, sprinkled with sugar and still warm from the air fryer
- With a thin layer of butter and a spoonful of strawberry or raspberry jam
- For afternoon tea, ideally a strong black tea with milk
- With coffee instead of biscuits or scones
- In a packed lunch or on a picnic, because they taste good at room temperature too
Storage and reheating
Welsh Cakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If you want them warm again, give them 2-3 minutes in the air fryer at 150 °C. They can also be frozen in a freezer bag for up to 3 months, and then they only need to thaw at room temperature before you warm them up.
Welsh Cakes in the air fryer show that old-fashioned baking doesn’t have to be difficult. Bake a batch, put the kettle on for tea, and enjoy them while the sugar still crunches lightly on top. You’ll find the full recipe at the bottom of the page.
FAQ
Welsh Cakes are small, flat teatime cakes from Wales, called picau ar y maen in Welsh. The dough resembles scone dough but is rolled out thinner, and the cakes are traditionally cooked on a griddle and sprinkled with sugar.
Recipe
Welsh Cakes in the Air Fryer
Cooking Guide
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Airfryer size
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Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Rolling pin
- 1 Round cutter - About 6 cm
- Parchment paper (for air fryer)
- 1 Small saucepan
- 1 Brush
- 1 Offset spatula
- 1 Cooling rack
Shopping list
Ingredients
How to make it
Preparation
- Rub 75 g butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Add 50 g currants and stir them in so they are evenly distributed.
- Crack 1 pcs egg into the bowl and stir with a spoon until the dough starts to clump together. Only add 1 tbsp milk if the dough is too dry to hold together.
- Bring the dough together with your hands and knead it only just enough to form a firm, smooth ball. If it is kneaded for too long, the cakes will turn out tough.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of about 8 mm, which is noticeably thinner than for scones.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 180 °C fan.
- Melt 15 g butter in a small saucepan over a low heat.
- Brush the tops of the cakes thinly with the melted butter.
- Bake the cakes at 180 °C for 4 minutes, until the tops are light golden.
- Turn the cakes over with a palette knife, brush the new top side thinly with butter and bake them for a further 4 minutes at 180 °C, until they are golden on both sides and firm at the edges.
- Transfer the baked cakes to a wire rack and immediately sprinkle them with sugar while they are still warm. Divide 2 tbsp sugar between the two batches.
- Bake the rest of the cakes in the same way at 180 °C for 4 minutes on each side, and sprinkle them with the rest of the sugar while they are warm.
Our notes for the recipe
Welsh Cakes are traditionally cooked on a hot griddle. In the air fryer this is mimicked by turning the cakes halfway through the cooking time, so both sides get some colour. Use cold butter and knead the dough as little as possible, and the cakes will turn out tender rather than tough. Only place the baking paper in the basket once the air fryer has preheated and the cakes can immediately hold it down, because loose baking paper can be sucked up against the heating element. Variation:
Traditionally, Welsh Cakes are flavoured with the British spice blend mixed spice, which is replaced here with cinnamon and nutmeg. If you have mixed spice, you can use half a teaspoon of it instead. The currants can be swapped for small raisins or chopped dried cranberries, and a little finely grated lemon zest in the dough gives a fresh flavour. Serving:
Welsh Cakes taste best warm, either as they are or with a little butter and jam. They go well with afternoon tea or coffee. Portion size:
The recipe makes about 16 small cakes, which is 4 cakes per serving. If your air fryer is smaller, you can bake the cakes in three batches instead of two.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
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