Parkin is a fantastic British cake hailing from Yorkshire, and is traditional and particularly popular across the north of England. I’m a little late with making this as it’s most commonly eaten around Bonfire night (5th November). It’s a beautiful cake, which my Grannie used to make frequently (even after she’d moved ‘down south’!). This Freezable Yorkshire Parkin recipe really brings back fond memories of my childhood.
Parkin is essentially a gingerbread cake. It’s a fairly ‘heavy’ cake, as cakes go. Full of sticky gingery yumminess. It’s great for cold winter weather when you need a bit of sustenance. If you’ve never had it then you should definitely give it a go!
How to eat this Freezable Yorkshire Parkin
It’s perfect with a strong cup of tea in the afternoon. You can also eat it as more of a ‘dessert’ with a decent scoop of ice cream.
Parkin is made with treacle traditionally – which is basically molasses. Since I couldn’t find treacle in Dubai I made it with molasses (this was the brand I used) and it was great! Molasses is a little more bitter than British treacle, but I couldn’t really discern the difference in this recipe.
How to freeze Parkin
This is a great cake to make if you are looking for a bit of indulgence for one. Simply portion and freeze – wrap each slice in clingfilm and then in foil before freezing. This will stop freezer burn. Then remove from the freezer a few hours before you want to eat it. I’ve provided a recipe which allows for 9 decent pieces. There is really no point making a smaller amount when you can freeze it and enjoy it over a few months!
How long will Yorkshire Parkin keep unfrozen?
While you can eat this recipe straight away once baked, it’s actually best to leave it for 2-3 days to let the flavour intensify. I would also recommend doing this before you freeze if you are going to. It will keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
Let me know if you try – particularly if you’ve never eaten it before! I’d love to hear your thoughts. Want to try another British dessert recipe? Check out this Sticky Toffee Pudding.
Products that work well for this recipe
Master class Square 8inch / 20cm Non Stick Cake Tin
Airtight Tin Snack Containers
Joseph Joseh Dimple Ice Cream Scoop
Freezable Yorkshire Parkin
Course: Afternoon TeaCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy9
servings20
minutes1
hour280
kcalFreezable Yorkshire Parkin – sticky, gingery, gooey and indulgent. This traditional British cake is easy to make and perfect for freezing.
Ingredients
100g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
80g oatmeal
175g golden syrup
50g molasses
100g unsalted butter
100g demerara sugar
1 medium egg (beaten)
2 tsp milk (I used semi skimmed, but it will be creamier with full fat)
- Equipment
1 baking tin – around 20cm x 20cm (8 inch x 8 inch)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 160C / 320F
- Sieve the flour into a bowl and add in the baking powder, ginger, nutmeg and oatmeal. Mix together well.
- Add the syrup, molasses, butter and brown sugar into a small saucepan. See note 1. Place over a medium low heat until everything has melted together. Do not let it boil!
- Add the syrup mixture to the flour bowl and combine well. Then add the beaten egg and milk until you have a pourable consistency.
- Grease your baking tray with butter and line with baking paper. Pour the mixture in and place in the middle of the oven. Bake for 1 hour – it should feel firm but springy to the touch.
- Remove from the oven and cool. If if you can, wait 3 days before eating to allow for the flavours to develop. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks or portion and freeze wrapped in clingfilm and then foil.
- Serve with a strong cup of ‘builders tea’ and a scoop of ice cream if you like!
Notes
- You will find it easier to weigh the treacle and syrup directly into the saucepan rather than have to decant it from another vessel.
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