Sticky Treacle Yorkshire Parkin with Ginger

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic Yorkshire parkin: treacle-rich, gingery, and irresistibly sticky after a few days’ rest.
• Squidgy edges and a moist oatmeal crumb—comfort baking at its best.
• One-bowl, melt-and-mix method—no electric mixer required.
• Keeps beautifully; flavor deepens over time.

Grocery List

• Produce: None
• Dairy: Unsalted butter; Whole milk; 1 large egg
• Pantry: Medium oatmeal (or rolled oats to pulse), Plain/all-purpose flour, Baking powder, Bicarbonate of soda, Ground ginger, Mixed spice (or pumpkin pie spice), Fine salt, Golden syrup, Black treacle (or dark molasses, not blackstrap), Dark brown soft sugar, Baking parchment

Full Ingredients

For the Parkin

• 200 g medium oatmeal (about 2 cups) or rolled oats pulsed to a coarse meal
• 200 g plain/all-purpose flour (about 1 2/3 cups), sifted
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 2 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp mixed spice (or 1/4 tsp cinnamon + 1/8 tsp nutmeg + 1/8 tsp allspice)
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 200 g unsalted butter, cut into pieces (7 oz; 14 tbsp)
• 180 g golden syrup (about 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp)
• 180 g black treacle (or dark molasses, not blackstrap; about 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp)
• 125 g dark brown soft sugar (about 2/3 cup, packed)
• 60 ml whole milk (1/4 cup)
• 1 large egg, room temperature, beaten

To Prepare the Tin

• Butter, for greasing
• Baking parchment to line base and sides

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the tin and oven

Heat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan) / 320°F. Grease a deep 20 cm (8-inch) square cake tin and fully line it with baking parchment, letting the paper rise a little above the rim. This helps the slow-baked parkin rise evenly and unmold cleanly.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the oatmeal, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger, mixed spice, and salt. If using rolled oats, pulse them in a food processor 8–10 times to a coarse, sandy texture before adding. Set aside.

Step 3: Warm the treacle mixture gently

In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the butter, golden syrup, black treacle, dark brown sugar, and milk. Stir until the butter is melted and the sugar dissolves. Do not let it simmer—heat just until smooth and fluid. Remove from the heat and cool 2–3 minutes; the mixture should be warm, not hot, to avoid scrambling the egg.

Step 4: Make the batter

Pour the warm treacle mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until no dry pockets remain. Add the beaten egg and stir again until the batter is glossy and pourable. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes so the oatmeal begins to hydrate—this helps create that signature moist, squidgy crumb.

Step 5: Bake low and slow

Scrape the batter into the lined tin and smooth the top. Bake on the middle rack for 55–65 minutes. The parkin is done when the center is just set, the top looks matte, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few damp, sticky crumbs but no wet batter. If the top is browning too quickly near the end, tent loosely with parchment.

Step 6: Cool completely, then wrap to mature

Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then lift out using the parchment and cool completely on a rack. Once cool, wrap in a fresh layer of baking parchment and then foil. Leave at room temperature for at least 3 days (up to 7) before slicing. During this rest, the top becomes deliciously sticky and the ginger treacle flavors deepen.

Step 7: Slice thick and serve

Unwrap, trim the very edges if you like, and cut into 12 generous rectangles. Serve thick slices with a mug of strong tea. The edges will be tender and squidgy, and the interior moist with a gentle ginger warmth.

Pro Tips

• Use medium oatmeal, not instant oats. If you only have rolled oats, pulse to a coarse meal for the right texture.
• Measure by weight for best results; treacle and syrup are sticky and hard to measure by volume.
• Do not overbake—parkin should be just set with a tacky crumb. Check from 50 minutes.
• Resist slicing early. A 3–5 day rest transforms the cake from good to glorious and sticky.
• Molasses swap: use dark (not blackstrap) molasses in place of black treacle if treacle is unavailable.

Variations

• Stem Ginger Parkin: Fold in 40 g (1/4 cup) finely chopped stem ginger in syrup for extra zing.
• Lancashire-leaning: Use 220 g golden syrup and 140 g treacle for a lighter, sweeter profile.
• Gluten-Free: Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour and certified GF oatmeal; bake time may vary by 5–10 minutes.

Storage & Make-Ahead

After the 3-day maturing, keep parkin wrapped in parchment and foil in an airtight tin at cool room temperature for up to 2 weeks. It freezes well: wrap tightly and freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight at room temperature, still wrapped. Parkin is best served at room temperature.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate per slice (1 of 12): 390 kcal; Fat 15 g; Saturated Fat 9 g; Carbohydrates 60 g; Sugars 36 g; Fiber 2 g; Protein 4–5 g; Sodium 220 mg.