A St. David’s Day recipe in collaboration with Food & Drink Wales.
Happy Dydd Gwyl Dewi- St David’s Day!
St. David is the patron saint of Wales who, during his lifetime in the 6th century AD, founded around twelve monasteries, including the Celtic monastic community at Glyn Rhosyn (The Vale of Roses) on the western headland of Pembrokeshire. It is believed that he died on the 1st of March, 589 and he was canonised by Pope Callixtus II in 1120 during a time of Welsh resistance to the Normans.
Now, the feast of St. David’s Day is a time of great celebration. People wear daffodils and leeks, symbols of Wales and Saint David respectively, and eat traditional Welsh food such as cawl (a traditional Welsh soup, the national dish of Wales) and Welsh rarebit (melted cheese on toasted bread), and women wear traditional Welsh dress.
‘Tinkers Cake’ is a traditional Welsh apple cake recipe made historically for travelling ironworkers in the valleys of South Wales. This recipe is a modern twist on the classic recipe, turning it into cupcakes with the addition of Welsh cider in the frosted topping.
This recipe also includes wholemeal spelt flour, which was a common cereal crop in the Iron Age and has experienced a revival in the last decade or so. This, plus the crunchy demerara sugar, the grated apples (which I’ve left unpeeled for added flavour and texture) and the flavoursome pieces of stem ginger make a rather fantastic savoury-sweet muffin perfect for breakfast or a mid-morning/afternoon snack.
I confess I have only ever visited Wales once, a very, very long time ago. A friend and I took a road trip from Aberdeen in Scotland all the way down to Fishguard, a beautiful Welsh coastal town. After getting lost in Runcorn we turned south and drove through the most stunning landscape – narrow winding roads flanked with high stone walls and thick forests.
It’s a place I’ve been wanting to return to ever since. A climb of Snowdon beckons!
There has never been a better time for Welsh food and drink, with the number of products attaining European protected food name status nearly doubling in the past year and the number of Welsh entries for the prestigious Great Taste Awards reaching a record high.
Producers from across Wales have come together to challenge consumers to buy Welsh this March. The challenge will be kick-started to coincide with St David’s Day, 1st March 2018, as the largest celebration of Welsh food and drink ever held on a UK wide level is set to go ahead. A celebration which includes this rather scrummy recipe blog post for a modern twist on a classic Welsh recipe.
If you’re having a Welsh themed feast this St. David’s Day you might also like Andrea’s Welsh Salt & Vinegar Mackerel Carpaccio, Becca’s Classic Welsh Rarebit, Choclette’s Snowdon Pudding, Chris’ Welsh Cakes or Camilla’s Slow Cooker Shoulder of Welsh Lamb with Apricot & Chestnut Stuffing.
Have you ever been to Wales? Do you have a favourite Welsh product? Caerphilly cheese? Welsh cider? Let me know in the comments!
Apple & Ginger Muffins with Cider Frosting
Ingredients
for the apple & ginger muffins
- 200 grams self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 50 grams wholemeal spelt flour
- 100 grams demerara sugar
- 2 free-range eggs
- 125 ml full fat milk
- 4 tbsp butter melted (or sunflower oil)
- 250 grams cooking apples grated
- 50 grams stem ginger chopped
for the cider frosting
- 50 grams butter melted
- 175 grams icing sugar
- 2 tbsp traditional Welsh cider
- 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
Affiliate Links
This recipe card may contain affiliate ingredient and equipment links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C/ 160 C fan/ Gas 4.
- Mix together the flours, ginger, baking powder and sugar in a bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and melted butter (or oil), and pour into the dry ingredients.
- Fold in the grated apples and chopped ginger and spoon into 12 muffin cases.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes.
- Cool completely on a wire rack while you prepare the frosting.
- To make the frosting, mix together the melted butter, icing sugar and traditional Welsh cider until smooth.
- Frost each cooled muffin and sprinkle the tops with the pumpkin seeds.
Notes
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This sponsored recipe post is part of the Welsh Government’s #ThisisWales / #GwladGwlad campaign, ensuring Wales and its first class produce are centre stage on the patron’s saint day. All thoughts and opinions expressed are our own. Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me to do what I love: mess up my kitchen and share recipe stories.
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These look and sound amazing I do like the sound of Welsh cakes x
the recipe sounds great and also lends itself to other similar variations very easily too
We had friends from the US come to visit us over Christmas and New Year, and we tooke them to North Wales several times to see castles, pretty towns and of course to the obligatory craft centre where they indulged in some retail therapy and we had a fabulous lunch of Welsh produce. I like Welsh cakes and also Caerphilly cheese.
This recipe sounds great, I love ginger so much!
The recipe sounds amazing. I haven’t visited Wales for a long time. I want to go again soon as I don’t actually live that far away in Somerset.
they sound amazing. I can’t wait to try them.
This recipe looks amazing I am definelty trying this
I had several wonderful holidays in Wales – the scenery is breathtaking.
I have never been and I’ve always wanted to go, it looks beautiful x
They looked very tasty
These sound lovely – I’d enjoy them! 🙂 I’ve only been to Wales once, and that was to see my favourite band Kids In Glass House’s last show before they split so bittersweet memories for me 🙂
It look absolutely delish – and utterly worthy of The Great British Bakeoff itself!
I love Pembrokeshire, I’ve had so many lovely ho,idays there. My parents took me as a small child & I’ve loved it ever since
Some good recipes here and when we go to Wales we love the scenery but its pitch black!!!We go underground.
love apple and ginger together so this recipe sounds delicious. memories of wales, well rain or shine you can’t help but have a lovely time, pembrokeshire is beautiful
I have lovely memories of holidays in Wales. Beautiful scenery, great food, bottle-feeding calves, river trips – all great fun.
I’ve only ever been to Wales once on holiday as a kid, had a great time. Beautiful scenery and very friendly people.
i live in Wales so this recipe looks perfect to me!
I love the recipe, it sounds delicious and certainly looks it too. I haven’t been to wales…yet. Always wanted to go though.
They look lovely, and a really unique recipe. It gives it a twist having the cider topping too x
I love the sound of the recipe! I’ve never heard of Tinkers Cake before, but it sounds delicious and I love this take on it. I love anything apple and if it has ginger in even better, so the muffins sound right up my street 🙂
Wales is somewhere I’ve been plenty of times – I’ve lived in Somerset my whole life, so it’s just a fairly short hop over the bridge! My best memory is probably when we went to Bluestone a few years ago – the only time I’ve ever been to Wales for longer than a day trip. It was fantastic, though unfortunately we did get the typical Welsh weather 🙂
I really like the recipe – something different from what we usually make! 🙂
I don’t know much about Welsh food but have been on a few holidays to Tenby in South Wales. There is some lovely coastline in South Wales!
This recipe looks really delicious and I will add to my list to try!
Recipe sounds great, I’m particularly drawn to the cider frosting for some reason
Great recipe. My favourite is Welsh griddle cakes. I make them on the top of my log burner and the smell and taste is the best x
Fantastic recipes, I wish I had time to cook / bake more things. I have never been to Wales.
Love Wales, have some lovely friends who live there
they look and sound delicious especially the cider part
I love the sound of this recipe, apple-flavoured treats are my favourite.
I am lucky enough to live in a beautiful part of North Wales and always buy Welsh produce. Snowdonia Cheeses are fabulous with the Black Bomber being a firm favourite
We’ve spent a few happy family holidays staying on caravan sites in the snowdonia area.
This sounds amazing l love fruit with spices for pudding. I love Wales, we go to Llangollen its so beautiful and picturesque.
These look and sound amazing, I’ll have to try and make them this Sunday! x
This recipe looks absolutely delicious
I think my mum would like these, she loves stem ginger. I don’t, but they do look really pretty.
I’ve had some great holidays in Wales, and it’s the only place I’ve ever swum in the sea because it was warm enough!
Two very vivid memories of our honeymoon in North Wales 49 years ago in August. Hubby picked me up to carry me over the threshold of our room…..and dropped me. Also on a day’s touring stopped to make a brew and were invaded by a group of a dozen or so inquisitive sheep who showed far too much interest in me! PS. Still happily married 🙂
The recipe looks great and one i shall certainly be trying
My best friend is Welsh and brings me back packets of Welsh cakes whenever she visits her parents and they are so moorish and delicious served warm and spread with lots of butter.
The recipe looks gtreat and I might have a crack at it x
Fond memories of spending the summer with my grand parents in Abergele
What’s not to love about this recipe? I adore muffins, apples and ginger so this is perfect. Wales is a gorgeous place to visit. We’ve stayed a few times in North Wales. Caernarfon Castle was on my bucket list ever since seeing Prince Charles’s inauguration when I was little. It didn’t disappoint me and we’ve been back a few times now.
The recipe certainly sounds delicious. I would love to try it.
I am lucky enough to live in Wales its a beautiful place and i wouldnt want to be anywhere else. These muffins look lovely i will deffo be making them. yummy!
Visit Cardiff Castle in Spring.
This recipe sounds very tasty. Will have to give it a go sometime
I have only visited Wales once, very briefly, and it reminded me of the rolling hills of new Zealand. Lovely. Didn’t try any Welsh food, though.Would be nice to do so.
This recipe sounds delicious! I can’t wait to try it!
The recipe does sound good! We make apple cakes quite often, as we have a small Bramley tree in the garden.
when i was a little girl my nan used to take me to Wales x such good memories x
Muffins look amazing, I will try this and attempt to make them look as great as yours!
The recipe looks delicious. My favourite recipe is to make welsh cakes.
These look so yummy, I’m moving into a new flat next weekend with a brand new oven and these will be first on my baking list !
this recipe sounds lovely
Looks lovely
This recipe sounds lovely – would really like to try it out!
sound lovely we are of to wales for a family holiday this summer
I loved it when we went to Anglesey and visited Beaumaris. I like the sound of the recipe too. Will try it.
I live in Wales and hubby is Welsh. I remember meeting his mum for the first time and her making Welsh cakes on the Aga hotplate for me., introducing me to the Welsh speciality of laver which is seaweed and eulogising about the beauty of Gower where we holiday annually and have been doing so for nearly 40 years now.
Love ginger and apples so this sounds like a great pairing would love to give this a try
The muffins sound lovely, especially the cider frosting
Had a lovely weekend in Pembrokeshire.
da iawn . . . . as Wales is my adopted country l simply love it
I love walking on the Pembrokeshire Coast
This sounds delicious
They look amazing I will definitely try them
These look delicious! We have only been to Wales once too but we absolutely loved it. It’s such a beautiful place.
Yum! These muffins sound amazing! I have only ever made blueberry muffins before so would love to get a bit more adventurous and try this recipe out. What an amazing hamper giveaway too xx
Oh wow these sound delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipe! x
They look great
So technically I am Welsh being born in Cardiff! Although we don’t visit much ourselves as we no longer have family there. I like the idea of making this into cupcakes and you cant have cupcakes without frosting! Will have to give this a go
i have so many great memories of wales we used to go there every year for our family holidays! Both my grandads were welsh too xx
When I was little I remember being taken to Wales on our family holiday every summer. We used to go
camping and I remember thinking the places used to be like something out of the enid Blyton books I used to enjoy
These little muffins of goodness look great! I love the cider icing on them too! Wish I could enter your giveaway. Goof luck to all who can! 🙂
I am a muffin lover anyway, but these just look super pretty. I think these would be perfect to gift in a lovely handmade box x
These look yum! I’d make this without the frosting for my girls’ school lunches. We visited Snowdonia 18 months ago – the views were just breathtaking! I’d love to go back. x
These look and sound delicious! I wish I was better at baking, everything I make is always a fail but I’m tempted to try these nonetheless as they sound so delicious! x
I do like welsh cider myself so using it for frosting sounds yummy to me!
This look delicious, I love the flavour combination. Kaz
love the sound of the recipe but have yet to visit Wales
Such an interesting background story! These muffins sound perfect, especially with that cider frosting.
Wow what a delicious combination that sounds! Cider frosting sounds amazing, I would definitely love to try them!
I’m Welsh and was brought up in North Wales so have never tried tinker cakes or these muffins (which look delicious btw) I do however have fond memories of my Mammy boiling Cawl on the stove and made it myself for my daughter on Thursday to keep the St David’s Day traditional going in our family as my daughter is English. The smell reminds me of my family home and it’s such an easy recipe to make and a brilliant way to use up leftovers x
These sound great! And never been to Wales, or tried any Welsh food. I think im missing out.
I moved to Wales over 40 years ago, I only came to visit friends and never went home!We have been snowed in this St Davids Day but even better reason to sample my favourite – Penderyn whisky and their delicious Brecon Gin
It sounds amazing!
These look delicious! I really should bake more, this recipe might just give me the nudge I need.
I personally love eating muffins and this recipe sounds beautiful so i’ll need to try it next time i make muffins.
These sound lovely! Never been to wales but really want to go! Also fancy a jaunt up snowdon 😉
I am excited to visit Wales again and these cupcakes look so deliciously yummy and mouthwatering
I love Wales, it’s such a beautiful country. These cupcakes sound beautiful too.
These look and sound delicious. I would love to try one now with my cup of tea 🙂 Beautiful photos.
I do love a muffin but I have never had one with frosting before. These look lovely.
Ahhh! I’m well and truly Welsh. 🙂 My favourite Welsh food has to be a warm Welsh Cake… BUT I have never found a shop bought one that tastes as good as a homemade one. 🙂
Looks so yummy! Some day, I’ll have to try these. They would make amazing treats for my sisters. Thanks!
These look amazing and the perfect treat for St. David’s Day! All your food always looks amazing, I need to get back into baking! Sim x
Apple and ginger is such a wonderful combination. I bet the muffins were scrumptious!
Ohhh they sound delicious, I’m definitely going to have to make these, they’ll go down a treat.
When have gone to Wales it is always raining
I haven’t tried this one yet, but I’m sure my husband will be delighted once he tasted this. Sounds like an awesome giveaway!
I hadn”t heard of these before despite being from Wales, but they look absolutely delicious. I will have to try out your recipe sometime.
i have friends in wales and every time we go to cardiff they make us lots of yummy food,
You had me at cider frosting!!! Man!!! Is it wrong I am thinking of making extra so I can eat it with a spoon??? (Shush don’t tell my kids!)
What a great giveaway!!! (I am in Australia so not entering) but there are certainly plenty of goodies in that hamper! I want to try that smoky campfire marmalade!!!!!!!!!!!!
Welsh food seems to get missed out when people talk about cuisines but my favourite after school snack as a kid was Welsh rarebit. I just loved that mix of cheese and Worcestershire. YUM!!!
Pinning this recipe as I am certain it is going to be a hit with my kids
I’m tempted to make these. They look lovely.
I have never been to Wales and would like to go. These muffins look delicious! I like apple and ginger and with the cider frosting sounds wonderful. I need to make these and have with a good cup of tea.
We love waterfall walking in the Brecon Beacons
They sound yummy
Sounds like a lovely recipe
The recipe sounds delicious. My grandparents lived near the border of England and Wales so ventured there with my family when I was a child. Surprisingly, I’ve not been there on holiday as a adult, have in fact only been once to Swansea and that was a work related trip. Would like to have a family holiday there perhaps in Tenby or somewhere like that.
These muffins sound scrummy
I bet the apple and ginger flavours really compliment each other x
Oh yum, wonder how the cider topping would taste like. The muffin looks yummy.
The recipe sounds and looks delicious! My memory of Wales is visiting my Aunt and Uncle at their pub when I was little. I loved it because I could drink as much coke as I wanted as it was on draught behind the bar and could help myself – I was in sugar heaven!!
I’ve never been to Wales but I really want to visit some time!
This recipe sounds amazing, I love apples in baked goods.
Katie xoxo
The recipes look delicious.
Happy ST David’s Day and what a perfect way to celebrate the patron’s day and Welsh heritage which these delicious apple and ginger muffins. I saw your tweet so I knew that I had to come and experience your delicious muffins through your post.
I love muffins, they’re the perfect recipe for breakfast especially when you’re in a hurry. This looks amazing and the combination of apple and ginger sounds interesting! I’d love to keep the recipe!
Delicious – hope yo all had a wonderful ST DAVIDS day with lots of treats
I’ve never been to Wales. I always try to get there and it doesn’t happen. Next time I’m in England I must make a point to visit because my Mum said it’s gorgeous! Now on to those muffins 🙂 The combination of flavours sounds delicious. I may give this a go before the weather gets to warm to turn on the oven.
My Mother-in-Law would love these, I think I might need to treat her for Mother’s Day x
Oh now these sound absolutely delicious – there is something about apple in cakes and ginger always adds a lovely twist.
These sound delicious love the different ingredients which work a treat together
These muffins sound delicious! Apple and ginger is such a classic combination and these would be perfect with a hot cup of tea.
These muffins look absolutely delicious! I’ll definitely be trying them out at some point – ginger is one of my favourite ingredients.
I think the recipe is very tempting – the pics make me drool 🙂
Happy st David’s day. These ginger and Apple muffins look delicious I certainly want to do baking now.
welsh cakes – simply divine
My memories of wales are at the seaside when I was a kid, cold sea and awful food at the local cafe or chippy!! Still always loved to see the sea and play on t he beach
The recipe looks delicious. I live in Wales so have many fond memories.
Travelled around the coast of Wales collecting seaweed species for my university dissertation! So many fond memories.
This sounds like such a great combination for muffins. And the cider frosting sounds so Yummy!
These look delicious and I will be trying them. We lived in Wales some 25 years ago, in the valleys in fact. My children were young and St Davids day was coming up. We were asked to all make Welsh cakes to send in to school for judging! It was long before the internet and I had no recipe for Welsh cakes, I asked a neighbour for a recipe and sent in something which resembled welsh cakes not a jot! Not my finest hour!
Happy Dydd Gwyl Dewi! These muffins are too cute! I love those pumpkin seeds on top.
The apple ginger combination sounds like the perfect match. I wish I had one of these to sit and enjoy with a cup of tea!
I love the combo of apple and ginger! Such a wonderful flavor, especially now that the days are warming up. 🙂
Oh I am LOVING these flavors together! They remind me of Fall, cool evenings, and visits to the pumpkin patch! And that cider frosting sounds ahhhhmazing.
My husband is w3lsh from Cardiff and his uncle sadly now passed away would make us real welsh cakes on a flat griddle on a Sunday , I m hopeless and have to but the from m & S
Love the recipe. We have a lot of family in Wales and have spent many a happy holiday there. Scenery and people are amazing.
Sounds delicious!
My family’s Welsh, so I had lots of childhood holidays in North Wales
I used to go to North Wales (Llanberis) quite often as I have family there …. it was lovely! This recipe sounds good ,,,,I will give this a go
LOVED OUR TRIP TO WALES THIS YEAR, WOULD DEFINITELY GO BACK.
I have only been there once – to visit a friend in Swansea. I remember the train journey was so scenic once we hit Wales! I would love to return but would fly as it is quite far!
The smell of my Mamgu’s welsh cakes cooking on the hob, burnt fingers from picking them up to hot and the fruity joy of the first bite into the soft golden topping.
I really like the recipe – my sort of treat
Muffins look amazing, I will try this and attempt to make mine look as professional as yours! Great competition thanks for the chance to win.
Went to Wales once it was absolutely beautiful would like to visit again.
What a great recipe. Love anything with apples. I do enjoy traditional Welsh cakes with sultanas
I’ve never been to Wales yet though I hope to go sometime in the future, I LOVE this recipe I love reading about traditional recipe’s
Only holidayed in Wales once and it was very rainy but very beautiful. Love the recipe.