Why is my parkin dry?

It is almost always because it was overbaked or cut too soon. Make sure your oven is not running hot and always rest the cake for at least a day before slicing.

Can I make parkin ahead of time?

Yes, and you absolutely should. Bake it two to three days before you need it. The texture and stickiness improve so much with time that making it ahead is not just convenient, it is genuinely the better approach.

What is the difference between parkin and gingerbread?

Parkin uses oatmeal and black treacle which gives it a denser, stickier crumb and a more bitter, complex flavour. Gingerbread tends to be lighter and sweeter with a more open texture. They are related but quite different in the end result.

Does parkin have to use black treacle?

Traditionally yes, and it really does make a difference to the depth of flavour. That said, if you cannot find it or find the taste too strong, golden syrup alone still produces a lovely cake. It just will not have that signature dark, slightly bitter edge.

Sticky Parkin Cake Recipe for Bonfire Night Treacle

Name: Sticky Treacle Parkin Cake for Bonfire Night
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 200g medium oatmeal; 150g plain flour; 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 2 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp mixed spice; 150g dark brown sugar; 125g unsalted butter; 150g black treacle; 150g golden syrup; 2 medium eggs, beaten; 3 tbsp whole milk

1

Preheat and Prepare the Tin

Preheat your oven to 160 degrees C fan or 180 degrees C conventional. Grease a 20cm square baking tin and line it with greaseproof paper, leaving a little overhang so the cake is easy to lift out later.

2

Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, combine the oatmeal, plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger, and mixed spice. Stir them together well so everything is evenly distributed. Set this aside.

3

Melt the Wet Ingredients

Put the butter, dark brown sugar, black treacle, and golden syrup into a medium saucepan. Heat gently over a low flame, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Do not let the mixture boil. Remove from the heat and let it cool for about 5 minutes.

4

Combine and Add Eggs

Pour the warm treacle mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Add the beaten eggs and the milk, then mix everything together until you have a smooth, fairly runny batter. It will look looser than a standard cake batter and that is exactly right.

5

Bake the Parkin

Pour the batter into your prepared tin and spread it level. Bake in the centre of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes. The parkin is done when it no longer wobbles in the middle and a skewer inserted near the centre comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, not wet batter.

6

Cool and Rest

Leave the parkin to cool completely in the tin, then lift it out using the paper. Wrap it tightly in fresh greaseproof paper and then foil. Store at room temperature for at least 24 hours, ideally 48, before slicing. This resting time is what gives parkin its famously sticky, dense texture.