⚡ Quick Answer
Welsh cakes cost 87p for 12 — that's 7p each. They take about 5 minutes to mix, 10 minutes to cut out, and roughly 6 minutes per batch in a dry frying pan. No oven. No tin. No faff. Serve with jam, cream, or just a sprinkle of sugar.
đ Contents
87 pence. That's the total cost of this entire recipe — a full dozen Welsh cakes, enough to fill a wire rack and have the kitchen smelling like something from a proper Welsh bakehouse. At 7p each, it's difficult to name a homemade bake that comes close on cost. A shop-bought biscuit costs more.
I made these for the first time expecting something halfway between a scone and a biscuit — and that's more or less what they are. But what I didn't expect was how quick the whole thing would be. Five minutes to mix, a bit of rolling and cutting, and then a few minutes each side in a dry pan. No preheating the oven. No greasing a tin. No waiting around. Just a stack of warm, golden cakes that taste considerably better than their price tag suggests.
This recipe uses standard UK supermarket ingredients — self-raising flour, butter, lard, sugar, sultanas, an egg, and a splash of milk. Nothing unusual, nothing specialist. You'll find all of it at Aldi, Lidl, or Tesco without breaking a sweat or the budget.
đ Why This Works
Welsh cakes are cooked in a dry pan on the hob, not in the oven — which means no preheating time and no electricity bill for 40 minutes of baking. The lard keeps the cost down while giving the cakes that traditional short, crumbly texture. Sultanas add sweetness without needing extra sugar. And the whole recipe comes in under 90p using ingredients you likely already have.
There's a reason this recipe has been made in Welsh homes for generations — it's fast, it's cheap, and the results are genuinely good.
The questions I get most often about this recipe: Can I leave out the lard? (Yes, but use all butter and expect a slightly softer texture.) Do I need a special cutter? (Any round cutter or even a drinking glass works fine.) Why is my dough cracking when I roll it? (Almost always because it's a touch too dry — a half teaspoon of extra milk sorts it.) I've covered all of these below.
Full Cost Breakdown
All prices checked at Aldi and Tesco, March 2026. Costs reflect the amount used in this recipe, not the full pack price.
| Ingredient | Amount Used | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Self-raising flour | 225g | 12p |
| Butter | 50g | 39p |
| Lard | 50g | 10p |
| Sugar | 20g | 4p |
| Sultanas | 30g | 7p |
| Egg (free range, medium) | 1 | 14p |
| Milk | 1 tbsp | 1p |
| Total (12 Welsh cakes) | 87p | |
| Cost per Welsh cake | 7p | |
⚠️ Price disclaimer: Supermarket prices change regularly. These costs were checked at Aldi and Tesco in March 2026. Your local prices may vary slightly. Lidl and Asda own-brand products are often comparable or cheaper.
Ingredients
Makes 12 Welsh cakes
- 225g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
- 50g butter (cold, cut into small pieces)
- 50g lard (cold, cut into small pieces)
- 20g caster or granulated sugar
- 30g sultanas
- 1 medium egg
- 1 tbsp whole or semi-skimmed milk (plus a tiny extra splash if needed)
To serve (optional): raspberry jam, double cream, or a light dusting of caster sugar.
Step-by-Step Method
Step 1 — Rub in the Fat (5 minutes)
Put the self-raising flour, cold butter, and cold lard into a large mixing bowl. Rub them together between your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine, sandy breadcrumbs with no large lumps of fat visible. If you have a food processor, blitz them together — it takes about 60 seconds and gives a perfectly even result.
Step 2 — Add Sugar and Sultanas
Stir in the 20g of sugar and the sultanas with a spoon. Give everything a good mix so the fruit is evenly distributed through the flour mixture before you add any liquid.
Step 3 — Bring Together with Egg and Milk
Crack the egg into a small cup or jug, add the tablespoon of milk, and whisk them together briefly. Pour this into the dry mixture and stir with a spoon until the dough begins to clump. Then get your hands in and press it together into a ball. You want a firm, non-sticky dough — similar to shortcrust pastry. If it still feels too dry and crumbly after kneading for 30 seconds, add just a half teaspoon more milk and try again.
Step 4 — Roll and Cut
Dust your work surface with a little flour and turn out the dough. Press it into a rough round shape first with your hands, then use a rolling pin to roll it to about half a centimetre thick — just over a quarter of an inch. Don't go thicker than this or they'll take longer to cook through and can end up raw in the middle. Use a small round cutter (or a drinking glass) to cut out your Welsh cakes. Press the scraps back together, re-roll, and cut again until you've used all the dough. You should get 12.
Step 5 — Cook in a Dry Pan
Place a dry frying pan — no butter, no oil — over a medium-high heat and let it get properly hot before you add anything. Lay the Welsh cakes in the pan without crowding them (3–4 at a time is comfortable) and cook for about 3 minutes per side. You're looking for an even golden-brown colour on each side. They'll puff up slightly as they cook, which is exactly what you want. Transfer to a wire rack and repeat with the remaining batches.
Step 6 — Serve
Best eaten warm. Serve with a spoonful of raspberry jam and a dollop of double cream, or simply dust with a little caster sugar straight from the pan. They're good cold too, but there's nothing quite like them fresh off the hob.
What If It Goes Wrong?
đ´ Dough is too dry and crumbly to roll
Add half a teaspoon of milk at a time and knead briefly after each addition. Egg sizes vary — a small egg won't provide quite enough liquid. This is the most common issue and the fix is always the same: a tiny splash more milk.
đ´ Welsh cakes burning on the outside but raw inside
Your pan is too hot, or your cakes are too thick. Roll them thinner (aim for half a centimetre) and turn the heat down slightly to medium rather than medium-high. The colouring should develop gradually over 3 minutes, not within 60 seconds.
đ´ Cakes are pale and dense, not golden
Pan wasn't hot enough before you added them, or the heat was too low. Let the dry pan heat up properly before you place the first batch in — you should feel clear heat when you hold your hand a few inches above the surface.
đ´ Dough is sticky and hard to work with
Too much milk was added, or the butter and lard weren't cold enough when rubbed in. Warm fat makes the dough soft and greasy. Chill the dough in the fridge for 15 minutes — it usually firms up enough to roll.
Common Mistakes
- Rolling too thick. Welsh cakes should be about half a centimetre. Much thicker and the inside won't cook through before the outside colours.
- Using a greased pan. Welsh cakes are cooked in a completely dry pan. Adding butter or oil makes them greasy and changes the texture entirely.
- Not letting the pan heat up first. A cold pan gives pale, undercooked results. Get it properly hot before the first batch goes in.
- Over-mixing the dough. Once the egg and milk are in, mix just enough to bring it together. Over-working develops gluten and makes the cakes tough rather than short and crumbly.
- Adding too much extra milk at once. If the dough is dry, add milk half a teaspoon at a time. It's easy to go too far and end up with a sticky mess.
Is This Worth Making?
✅ Verdict: Yes — unambiguously.
Cost: 7p each, 87p for a dozen. Hard to name a homemade bake that beats this on value.
Effort: Low. About 5 minutes of actual mixing work. Rolling and cutting adds another 10. The whole thing from ingredients out to Welsh cakes on the rack is under 30 minutes.
Result: Genuinely good. Short, crumbly, lightly sweet, with pockets of sultana. The dry-pan method gives them a slightly crisp exterior that you don't get from oven baking.
Who this is best for: Anyone who wants a quick, cheap homemade bake — especially those without a working oven or who want to keep energy costs down. Also brilliant for kids' packed lunches or a mid-morning snack that won't cost much to replace when they disappear quickly.
The Northeast England Connection: Singing Hinnies
If you've made this recipe and thought it seemed familiar even if you've never had a Welsh cake before, there's a reason. The northeast of England has its own near-identical version called a singing hinny — a scone made using the same dry-pan method. The name supposedly comes from the sizzling sound the cakes make as they cook on the griddle. Traditionally they were made on a bakestone or griddle over a coal fire, which is exactly the same cooking principle as this recipe — direct heat, no oven, no fat in the pan.
Whether you call it a Welsh cake or a singing hinny, the core technique is the same, and the result is the same: a quick, filling, inexpensive bake that's been keeping families going for a very long time. Sometimes the old recipes are old because they work.
Storage & Freezing
Room temperature: Keep in an airtight tin or container for up to 3 days. They're best on day one but remain good on day two and perfectly acceptable on day three.
Refrigerator: Not necessary and tends to dry them out faster. Stick to an airtight tin at room temperature.
Freezer: Yes — these freeze well. Cool completely, then layer with baking paper between them in a freezer bag or container. They'll keep for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a dry frying pan over a low heat for 2–3 minutes per side, or in a low oven (150°C) for about 10 minutes.
If you're building a batch-cooking habit around budget bakes, it's worth checking out the Simple Coconut Cake at 21p per slice — another storecupboard recipe that freezes well and uses similarly basic ingredients.
Allergen Information
⚠️ This recipe contains:
- Gluten (self-raising flour)
- Dairy (butter, milk)
- Eggs
May contain traces of other allergens depending on the brands used. Always check individual product labels if you're cooking for someone with a diagnosed allergy.
đ Key Takeaways
- 87p for 12 Welsh cakes — 7p each. Prices checked March 2026.
- No oven required — cooked in a dry frying pan on the hob.
- Ready in about 25 minutes start to finish.
- Dough should be firm, not sticky. Add milk half a teaspoon at a time if it's too dry.
- Half a centimetre thick — no thicker or the inside won't cook through.
- Freezer-friendly for up to 3 months.
- Serve with jam, cream, or just a dusting of sugar.
About the Author
Vinod Pandey runs Baking on Budget — a UK recipe blog focused on honest, costed recipes using supermarket ingredients. Every recipe is tested at least three times before publishing, with ingredient prices checked at Aldi, Tesco, and Lidl. No sponsored content. No inflated costs. Just real food at real prices.
More Budget Bakes You Might Like
- Simple Coconut Cake — Only 21p Per Slice
- Homemade Banoffee Pie — Only 47p Per Slice
- Easy Apple Strudel with Puff Pastry — Only 38p Per Slice
- Easy Coffee Cake on a Budget (Coffee Icing + Chocolate Top)
FAQ
Can I make Welsh cakes without lard?
Yes. Use 100g of butter in total instead of the split between butter and lard. The texture will be slightly softer and less crisp on the outside, but the taste is still good. Lard keeps the cost down and gives a more traditional result, but it's not essential.
Why do my Welsh cakes crack when I roll them?
The dough is too dry. Add half a teaspoon of milk at a time and knead gently. Egg sizes vary, so a small egg might not provide enough moisture. A few cracks around the edges as you roll are fine and won't affect the finished result — but if the dough is splitting all the way through, it needs more liquid.
Do I need a special Welsh cake griddle or bakestone?
No. A standard dry frying pan works perfectly. Cast iron is ideal if you have one because it holds heat evenly, but a regular non-stick frying pan gives excellent results.
Can I add other dried fruit instead of sultanas?
Yes. Currants are the most traditional choice — they're smaller than sultanas and distribute more evenly through the dough. Raisins work well too. Dried cranberries or mixed peel are less traditional but not a bad variation. Keep the quantity the same (30g).
How do I know when Welsh cakes are cooked through?
They should be golden brown on both sides and have puffed up slightly. Press the top gently — it should feel firm, not soft and doughy in the centre. If they look done outside but feel soft in the middle, reduce the heat and give them another 1–2 minutes per side.
What's the difference between a Welsh cake and a scone?
The main difference is how they're cooked — scones go in the oven, Welsh cakes go in a dry pan on the hob. Welsh cakes are also thinner and denser than scones, with a slightly crisp exterior you don't get from oven baking. They're also less airy inside because the flat-cooking method doesn't allow the same rise as oven heat.
Welsh cakes don't need reinventing. The recipe that's been made on bakestones in Welsh kitchens for generations works perfectly well in a modern frying pan, with supermarket ingredients, for 87p. What they do need is someone willing to actually make them — and the main barrier to that is usually just not knowing how straightforward the process is.
So here's the specific next step: the next time you have a spare 25 minutes and 87p worth of storecupboard ingredients, make a batch. Eat two warm with jam. Put the rest in a tin. See how long they last. That's all there is to it.
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