Brown Sugar Honey Welsh Cakes

A Welsh take on the British fairy cake, sweetened with honey and brown sugar instead of refined white. The cinnamon stays subtle here and the honey does most of the flavor work, leaving a slightly caramelized edge as it bakes. These differ from traditional griddled Welsh cakes (which are flat, scone-like, and pan-cooked) since they’re baked in patty tins for a softer, muffin-like crumb.

The key technique is the egg-white fold. Beating the white separately and folding it into the finished batter is how you get the airy, sponge-cake lightness in such a small bake. Skip the fold or rush it and the cakes turn dense and tight.

Pro Tips

• Whisk the egg white in a clean, grease-free bowl. Any fat will keep it from holding stiff peaks.
• Fold the white in with a rubber spatula in three additions. Cutting through and turning up from the bottom protects the air bubbles you just whipped in.
• “Patty tins” in the original recipe means small muffin or cupcake tins. Half-fill them so they have room to dome.
• Caster (superfine) sugar dredged on top forms a delicate crisp crust as the cakes bake.

Variations

• Add the zest of one lemon to the batter for a brighter flavor.
• Swap cinnamon for ½ teaspoon mixed spice (British blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice).
• Fold ¼ cup currants or raisins into the batter just before the egg whites for a more traditional Welsh touch.