Mary Berry Parkin
Mary Berry Parkin recipe is traditional Yorkshire gingerbread cake, rich with oatmeal, black treacle, and golden syrup, perfect for Bonfire Night. This sticky, spiced treat improves with age, becoming moister after a few days.
Equipment
- 8-inch (20cm) square baking tin
- Baking parchment
- Large mixing bowl
- Small saucepan
- Whisk or wooden spoon
- Measuring jug
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 200 g self-raising flour
- 100 g medium oatmeal or finely ground rolled oats
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 100 g light brown sugar
- 50 g black treacle molasses
- 100 g golden syrup
- 110 g salted butter
- 1 large egg
- 150 ml milk
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C fan) or Gas Mark 3. Grease an 8-inch square baking tin and line it with baking parchment, ensuring the paper overlaps the edges for easy removal.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the self-raising flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the medium oatmeal and light brown sugar. Stir well to combine.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, gently melt the butter, black treacle, and golden syrup, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
- In a measuring jug, whisk the egg and milk together. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda until fully dissolved.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the melted butter mixture, followed by the egg and milk mixture. Stir thoroughly until the batter is smooth and well-combined. The batter will be slightly runnier than typical cake batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until the top feels firm and slightly crusty. A skewer inserted into the center should come out clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover with foil after 50 minutes.
- Allow the parkin to cool in the tin for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. For best results, wrap in parchment and store in an airtight container for 2–3 days to develop its sticky texture and deeper flavors.
- Cut into squares or fingers. Serve at room temperature with tea, custard, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream for a cozy treat.