Spicy ginger cake traditionally enjoyed on Bonfire Night.
RECIPE DETAILS
1. This parkin mix will need a 20 cm (8 in) square cake tin. Pre-heat the oven to 140 oC/275oF/Gas Mark 1.Sift together the self-raising flour, salt, ginger, nutmeg and mixed spice. Mix in the oatmeal.
2. The dark syrup (or golden syrup and black treacle), butter and sugar will now have to all be melted in a saucepan together. This can be made easier by first sitting the pan on the scales and weighing it. Now add the dark syrup or golden syrup and treacle. This saves a lot of sticky transferring. Now just add the weighed sugar and butter. Heat together, only allowing all to melt and not simmer or boil.
3. Stir the syrup mix into the dry mix and blend together. Add in the egg and milk to create a soft, almost pouring consistency. Pour the mixture into the greased tin. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 1 ¼ hours until firm in the centre.
4. Once cooked, leave to stand in the tin for 30 minutes before turning out. Once cooled, the parkin can be served straight away. However, if kept in an airtight tine the cake will, like a good wine, mature with age. It should be left for a minimum of 2 weeks, when a whole new texture will have been created; for best flavour, leave for 3 weeks.
5. Spicey ginger cake enjoyed on Bonfire night.
