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    Home » Recipes » Baking

    Easy Soul Cakes Recipe

    Published: Oct 1, 2021 · Modified: Oct 31, 2022 by Beth Sachs · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 7 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Soul cakes pin image.

    Traditionally made on the eve of All Souls' Day, which falls on the 2nd of November, these easy soul cakes are quick to make, super simple, and delicious with a cup of tea!

    A stack of soul cakes for All Souls' Day.
    Soul Cakes for Samhain

    Soul cakes are round spiced thick biscuits, stuffed with raisins or currants.

    Typically, mixed spice is used to flavour the biscuits, but in this version, I've used a combination of mixed spice and allspice, as I find it gives the best flavour.

    👩‍🍳 Love a biscuit with your cup of tea? Try my easy oatmeal cinnamon cookies too!

    Jump to:
    • What was the purpose of soul cakes?
    • ✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
    • 🛒 Ingredients
    • 🔪 How to make soul cakes - step by step
    • 💭 Top tips
    • 🍴 Serving suggestions
    • 📖 Variations
    • 🥡 Storage
    • ❓Frequently asked questions
    • 😋Related recipes
    • Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    What was the purpose of soul cakes?

    Soul cakes (and spiced ale!) were used to pay beggars (soulers as they were known), and children, who knocked door to door on All Souls' Eve, offering to say prayers for the family's departed. Every cake eaten represented one soul saved from Purgatory.

    During the Middle Ages, soul cakes were also given to the costumed entertainers known as mummers, who made their rounds on Halloween. This practice is widely regarded as the origin of what we know today as 'trick or treating'.

    ✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!

    Here's why these are the best soul cakes!

    • Quick and easy to make biscuit.
    • Mildly spiced and fruity - kids and adults love them!
    • A traditional British recipe to celebrate All Souls' Eve.
    • Perfect with a cup of tea or glass of milk.
    • Freezer Friendly.

    🛒 Ingredients

    Ingredients needed to make soul cakes for All Souls' Eve
    • Caster Sugar - golden caster sugar, or ordinary white caster sugar. Substitute for granulated sugar if that's all you have.
    • Butter - unsalted and softened.
    • Eggs - only the yolks are needed for this recipe, but you can freeze the egg whites for use at a later date....or make a meringue!
    • Plain Flour - plain white flour.
    • Mixed Spice
    • Allspice
    • Milk - just enough to bring the dough together. I used 2 tablespoons of full-fat milk.
    • Raisins - or currants.

    🔪 How to make soul cakes - step by step

    The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post

    1. Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. I do this by hand but feel free to use an electric mixer if you prefer.
    2. Beat in the egg yolks.
    3. Stir in the flour, mixed spice, allspice, and raisins.
    4. Add just enough milk to bring the dough together by hand. Add 1 tablespoon at a time so you don't accidentally add too much in one go. You want the dough to come together easily with your hands but not be too soft or sticky.
    5. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to the thickness of 2 £1 coins and use a 5cm fluted cookie cutter to stamp out the rounds. Carefully place the biscuits on lined baking trays (you'll need 2 large ones) and mark a cross on each with a knife.
    6. Bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes until lightly golden. Leave to cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
    Step by step photo instructions for making traditional soul cakes.

    💭 Top tips

    • Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature before starting the recipe.
    • Use a palette knife or fish slice to transfer the uncooked soul cakes to the baking trays.
    • Make sure you liberally flour your work surface and rolling pin, before rolling the dough out. This will prevent the dough from sticking.

    🍴 Serving suggestions

    Enjoy these traditional British soul cakes with a cup of tea or glass of milk. They are also great for after-school snacks and to pop in lunchboxes!

    Why not make a batch to hand out to trick-or-treaters on Halloween, along with my Halloween bark?

    For such a simple bake these little 'cakes' (which are more like biscuits if I'm honest!), are really rather moreish!

    📖 Variations

    • If you can't find allspice, just add more mixed spice instead.
    • Use currants instead of raisins, or a mixture of both.
    • Add the zest of 1 orange for extra flavour.
    • Dust the cooled cakes with icing sugar if you are serving these for Afternoon Tea.
    • Make a double batch and freeze half for another day.

    🥡 Storage

    Store: The soul cakes will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container or biscuit tin.

    Freeze: Any uncooked dough can be frozen for future use. The baked cakes can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

    ❓Frequently asked questions

    What do soul cakes taste like?

    Soul cakes are sweet round thick biscuits (despite being called cakes), flavoured with mixed spice, and added raisins or currants.

    What is souling?

    The action, practice, or ritual of going door to door asking for donations of food (soul cakes) and drink (spiced ale), traditionally on the eve of All Souls' Day.

    What is mixed spice?

    Mixed spice, also called pudding spice, is a British blend of sweet spices, similar to the pumpkin pie spice used in the US. Cinnamon is the dominant flavour, but it also includes other spices such as nutmeg and allspice, and sometimes cloves and ground ginger. It is often used in baking.

    😋Related recipes

    More biscuit and cookie recipes to try!

    • Easy Lemon Biscuits
    • Empire Biscuits
    • Gypsy Creams
    • Easy Halloween Sprinkle Cookies
    • Chocolate Biscoff Cookies
    • Golden Syrup & Oat Cookies

    Tried this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating in the comments!

    Recipe

    A stack of soul cakes on a wire rack.
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    5 from 5 votes

    Easy Soul Cakes

    Traditionally made on the eve of All Souls' Day, which falls on the 2nd of November every year, these easy soul cakes are quick to make, super simple, and delicious with a cup of tea!
    Course Cookie
    Cuisine British
    Keyword easy soul cakes, soul cakes, soul cakes recipe, traditional soul cakes
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 25 minutes
    Servings 20
    Calories 171kcal
    Author Beth Sachs
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Kitchen Scales
    • Mixing Bowl
    • Rolling Pin
    • 5cm Cookie Cutter
    • Baking Sheets

    Ingredients

    Metric - US Customary
    • 175 g Butter softened
    • 175 g Golden Caster Sugar
    • 3 Egg Yolks from large eggs
    • 420 g Plain Flour
    • 1½ teaspoon Mixed Spice
    • ¼ teaspoon Allspice
    • 2 tablespoon Milk
    • 50 g Raisins

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 180°C (160 fan/ Gas 4/ 350F) and line 2 large baking sheets with baking paper.
    • Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. I do this by hand but feel free to use an electric mixer if you prefer.
    • Beat in the egg yolks.
    • Stir in the flour, mixed spice, allspice and raisins.
    • Add just enough milk to bring the dough together by hand. Add 1 tablespoon at a time so you don't accidentally add too much in one go. You want the dough to come together easily with your hands but not be too soft or sticky.
    • Roll the dough out on a floured surface to the thickness of 2 £1 coins and use a 5cm fluted cookie cutter to stamp out the rounds. Carefully place the biscuits on the lined baking trays and mark a cross on each with a knife.
    • Bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes until lightly golden. Leave to cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

    Notes

    Top Tips:
    • Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before beginning the recipe.
    • Use a palette knife or fish slice to transfer the uncooked biscuits to the baking trays.
    • Make sure you liberally flour your work surface and rolling pin, before rolling the dough out.
     
    Variations:
    • If you can't find allspice, just add more mixed spice instead.
    • Use currants instead of raisins, or a mixture of both.
    • Add the zest of 1 orange for extra flavour.
    • Dust the cooled cakes with icing sugar if you are serving them for Afternoon Tea.
    • Make a double batch and freeze half for another day.
     
    Storage:
    The soul cakes will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container or biscuit tin.
     
    Nutrition:
    The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
     
     
    Nutrition Facts
    Easy Soul Cakes
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    171
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    5
    g
    8
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    6
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Cholesterol
     
    29
    mg
    10
    %
    Sodium
     
    3
    mg
    0
    %
    Potassium
     
    35
    mg
    1
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    27
    g
    9
    %
    Fiber
     
    1
    g
    4
    %
    Sugar
     
    9
    g
    10
    %
    Protein
     
    4
    g
    8
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    46
    IU
    1
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    1
    mg
    1
    %
    Calcium
     
    20
    mg
    2
    %
    Iron
     
    1
    mg
    6
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Claudia Lamascolo

      October 01, 2021 at 5:15 pm

      5 stars
      Cant wait to get into the kitchen and make these delicious cookies its perfect fall flavors also!

      Reply
    2. Colleen

      October 01, 2021 at 5:22 pm

      5 stars
      I've never heard of soul cakes, so I learned something new here. The history is so interesting and these look delicious!

      Reply
    3. Matt @ Plating Pixels

      October 01, 2021 at 5:26 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! Perfect for fall season as well as my morning coffee.

      Reply
    4. Marlynn

      October 01, 2021 at 6:17 pm

      5 stars
      These were easy to make and so tasty! Loved learning the history of them, too.

      Reply
    5. Heather

      October 01, 2021 at 8:33 pm

      5 stars
      These soul cakes were fascinating to learn about! Thank you for all of the great info and wonderful baking tips 😀

      Reply
    6. Mags

      October 31, 2022 at 2:44 pm

      The recipe I see doesn’t say what weight of raisins I need….

      Reply
      • Beth Sachs

        October 31, 2022 at 2:47 pm

        Hi Mags. Apologies, the recipe card has now been updated. It's 50g of raisins.

        Reply

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    Beth Sachs Food Blogger

    Hi, I’m Beth, a Mum of three (and one crazy dog), living in Cornwall, UK. I love creating easy, delicious and fuss-free recipes, perfect for busy families, just like my own.

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