Peter Howarth’s Traditional Yorkshire Parkin Recipe

In Yorkshire, Parkin is a Bonfire Night tradition, infact every granny in Yorkshire will no doubt have this staple ready a good week before the big event. Why, I hear you ask… well the secret to extra delicious sticky parkin is time! Placed in an airtight container, this gingery, oaty, buttery, treacly and floury fiery cake will no doubt taste even more irresistible over a few days to a week, and especially with Peter’s secret sticky glaze. Now the question is, can you wait a week?

Devonshire Parkin Recipe

7 oz/ 200g self-raising flour

Ingredients

1 tsp baking powder

8 oz/220g soft butter

4 tsp ground ginger

4 oz/110g soft, dark brown sugar

2 tsp nutmeg

2oz / 55g black treacle/molasses

1 tsp mixed spice

7oz / 200g golden syrup/ corn syrup

2 large eggs, beaten

5oz/ 120g medium oatmeal

2 tbsp milk

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 90 minutes

Total Time: 110 minutes

Yield: Serves 6

Heat the oven to 275°F/140°C/gas 1

Grease an 8" x 8"/ 20cm x 20cm square cake tin.

In a large heavy-based saucepan melt together the butter, sugar, treacle, golden syrup over a gentle heat. Do not allow the mixture to boil, you simply need to melt these together.

In a large, spacious, baking bowl stir together all the dry ingredients. Gradually add the melted butter mixture stirring to coat all the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Gradually, beat in the eggs a few tablespoons at a time. Finally add the milk and again stir well.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and cook for 1½ hours until firm and set and a dark golden brown.

Remove the parkin from the oven and leave to cool in the tin. Once cool store the Parkin in an airtight tin for a minimum of 3 days if you can resist eating it, you can even leave it up to a week before eating and the flavours really develop and the mixture softens even further and become moist and sticky. The Parkin will keep up to two weeks in an airtight container.

(The secret glaze)

While the parkin cools, brush on a mixture of 2 parts apple juice, 1 part golden syrup with a pinch of allspice.

Image credit: Instagram @gwhr3