These easy soul cakes are sweet, mildly spiced biscuits filled with raisins and marked with a cross. Traditionally associated with All Souls' Day, they're a lovely bake for Halloween and autumn afternoons.
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Quick Summary - Soul Cakes
I make the dough by hand, so there's no need to get the electric mixer out. Alongside the traditional mixed spice, I add a little ground allspice for an extra layer of flavour. Beth (Effortless Foodie)
🕒 Ready In: Prep time - 10 minutes, Bake time - 13-15 minutes
👪 Serves: 20
🍽 Calories: 171
🥣 Main Ingredients: Butter, caster sugar, egg yolks, plain flour, mixed spice, allspice, milk and raisins.
👩🍳 Difficulty: Easy
👌 Why this recipe? These easy soul cakes are ready in just 25 minutes, use everyday baking ingredients and can be made by hand without an electric mixer. Mixed spice and a little allspice give the fruity biscuits a warming flavour, and they freeze well for a handy make-ahead treat.
Summarise & Save This Content On
Despite their name, soul cakes are more like thick biscuits than sponge cakes. This simple recipe uses everyday ingredients and takes just 25 minutes, with no electric mixer needed.
Enjoy them with a cup of tea, or add them to a Halloween spread alongside my green apple monsters!
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What are soul cakes?
Soul cakes are traditional British baked treats associated with All Souls' Day on 2 November and the custom of "souling".
Recipes differ, but they commonly contain dried fruit and spices, with a cross marked on top. This recipe makes biscuit-style soul cakes using raisins, mixed spice and a little ground allspice.
Souling involved people visiting homes and receiving food in exchange for prayers for the dead. Today, soul cakes can be enjoyed as a seasonal bake, whether you're marking All Souls' Day or simply fancy a spiced biscuit with your tea.
Why you'll love this recipe!
- Quick to make - just 10 minutes of preparation before they go into the oven.
- Simple ingredients - made with everyday baking staples, dried fruit and spices.
- No mixer required - softened butter makes the dough easy to prepare by hand.
- Easy to adapt - use raisins, currants or a mixture of both.
- Freezer-friendly - make a batch ahead and save some for another day.
Ingredient notes
A full ingredients list along with Metric and US Customary measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Butter - use softened unsalted butter so it creams easily with the sugar. It should be soft, rather than melted.
Golden caster sugar (superfine sugar) - sweetens the biscuits. White caster sugar also works, or substitute granulated sugar if necessary.
Egg yolks - you'll need the yolks from three large eggs. Save the whites for another recipe or freeze them for later.
Plain flour (all-purpose flour) - gives the biscuits their structure. There's no baking powder in this recipe, so use plain flour rather than self-raising flour.
Mixed spice - a British baking spice blend that gives the biscuits their warm, sweet flavour.
Ground allspice - adds extra flavour alongside the mixed spice. Allspice is a single spice, rather than a spice blend.
Milk - use just enough to bring the dough together. I use whole milk and add it a tablespoon at a time.
Raisins - add fruity sweetness. Currants work too, or use a mixture of raisins and currants.
Need to substitute an ingredient?
Have an allergy or dietary preference? Let AI customise the recipe for you.
Variations
- Currants - replace the raisins with the same weight of currants, or use a mixture of both.
- Orange zest - stir in the finely grated zest of one orange with the flour and spices.
- Extra mixed spice - replace the ¼ teaspoon of ground allspice with an extra ¼ teaspoon of mixed spice if needed.
- Icing sugar (powdered sugar) - lightly dust the cooled biscuits before serving.
How to make soul cakes - step by step
One: Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / 350°F / Gas 4. Line two large baking trays with baking paper.
Two: Cream the softened butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Use a wooden spoon or an electric mixer, whichever you prefer.
Three: Beat in the egg yolks, then stir in the flour, mixed spice, ground allspice and raisins.
Four: Add the milk one tablespoon at a time and bring the dough together with your hands. Stop adding milk when the dough holds together without feeling wet or sticky.
Five: Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to approximately 6 mm (¼ inch) thick. Cut out rounds using a 5 cm (2 inch) fluted biscuit cutter, gently bringing the scraps together and rerolling as needed.
Six: Transfer the rounds to the lined trays and gently score a cross on top of each with a knife. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until lightly golden. Leave on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Top Tips
- Use softened butter. This makes it easier to cream the butter and sugar together evenly.
- Add the milk gradually. You may not need the full amount, so judge by the dough's consistency.
- Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Add a little more flour if the dough starts to stick.
- Roll to an even thickness. This helps all the biscuits bake at a similar rate.
- Lift the rounds with a palette knife or flat spatula. It's easier to move them without stretching the dough.
- Score the cross gently. Mark the top without cutting all the way through.
- Check towards the end of baking. Remove the biscuits when lightly golden rather than waiting for them to turn dark brown.
Serving suggestions
Enjoy this traditional soul cakes recipe with a cup of tea or a glass of milk. They're also great for after-school snacks and to pop into lunchboxes!
Why not make a batch to hand out to trick-or-treaters on Halloween, along with my Halloween bark and green apple monsters.
Storage
Store - cool completely, then keep in an airtight container or biscuit tin for up to 3 days.
Freeze baked soul cakes - freeze the cooled biscuits in an airtight container for up to 3 months, separating layers with baking paper. Defrost at room temperature before serving.
Freeze the dough - wrap unused dough well and freeze for another day. Defrost in the fridge until pliable enough to roll, then cut and bake as directed.
Troubleshooting guide
The dough is too crumbly - add a little more milk, a teaspoon at a time, and gently bring it together with your hands.
The dough is sticky - work in a little extra flour. If the dough feels warm and very soft, chill it briefly before rolling.
The biscuits lose their shape during transfer - slide a palette knife or flat spatula underneath each round to lift it onto the tray.
The biscuits are browning unevenly - check that the dough is rolled evenly and that the biscuits have space between them. Remove any that are already lightly golden.
The biscuits break when moved - leave them on the baking tray for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack.
Soul cakes FAQs
They're sweet and fruity, with warming mixed spice and a little allspice. Raisins or currants add small bites of dried fruit throughout.
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.
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.
Yes, pumpkin pie spice is a practical substitute if you can't find mixed spice. Use the same quantity, although the flavour will differ slightly depending on the blend.
The cross reflects their association with the Christian observance of All Souls' Day. In this recipe, it's gently scored into the dough before baking.
More biscuit and cookie recipes
- Easy Lemon Biscuits
- Empire Biscuits
- Gypsy Creams
- Easy Halloween Sprinkle Cookies
- Chocolate Biscoff Cookies
- Golden Syrup & Oat Cookies
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Recipe
Easy Traditional Soul Cakes
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Equipment
- 5cm Cookie Cutter
Ingredients
- 175 g Butter softened
- 175 g Golden Caster Sugar (Superfine sugar)
- 3 Egg Yolks from large eggs
- 420 g Plain Flour (All-purpose 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.175 g Butter, 175 g Golden Caster Sugar (Superfine sugar)
- Beat in the egg yolks.3 Egg Yolks
- Stir in the flour, mixed spice, allspice and raisins.420 g Plain Flour (All-purpose flour), 1½ teaspoon Mixed Spice, ¼ teaspoon Allspice, 50 g 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.2 tablespoon Milk
- 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.
Helen says
How many mm's approx do you roll the Cookies out to? I'm in Australia 😊
Mags says
The recipe I see doesn’t say what weight of raisins I need….
Beth Sachs says
Hi Mags. Apologies, the recipe card has now been updated. It's 50g of raisins.
Heather says
These soul cakes were fascinating to learn about! Thank you for all of the great info and wonderful baking tips 😀
Marlynn says
These were easy to make and so tasty! Loved learning the history of them, too.
Matt @ Plating Pixels says
Yum! Perfect for fall season as well as my morning coffee.
Colleen says
I've never heard of soul cakes, so I learned something new here. The history is so interesting and these look delicious!
Claudia Lamascolo says
Cant wait to get into the kitchen and make these delicious cookies its perfect fall flavors also!