Hairy Bikers Parkin Recipe

This traditional Hairy Bikers Parkin recipe is a dark, sticky gingerbread cake made with medium oatmeal, black treacle, and warming spices, ready in about 1 hour and 15 minutes. The real magic happens when you let it rest, transforming from a simple sponge into a dense, chewy classic that gets better with time. I love making this for Bonfire Night, but honestly, it’s a comforting treat any time the weather turns cold.

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Why This Classic Works

I’ve always loved how unpretentious this recipe is; it’s a proper Northern classic that doesn’t need fancy decoration. What makes this version stand out is the balance between the golden syrup and black treacle. Some recipes go too heavy on the treacle, making it bitter, but the Hairy Bikers’ style strikes the perfect note—rich and dark without being overpowering.

The secret weapon here is the medium oatmeal. Unlike a standard ginger cake, the oatmeal gives parkin its signature speckled texture and slight nutty grit. I learned the hard way that you can’t rush eating it; if you tuck in straight away, it’s just a cake, but leave it in a tin for three days, and it becomes the sticky, chewy masterpiece it’s meant to be.

Hairy Bikers Parkin Recipe Ingredients

• 220g unsalted butter, softened
• 200g golden syrup
• 55g black treacle
• 110g soft dark brown sugar
• 200g self-raising flour
• 110g medium oatmeal
• 4 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 tbsp milk (if needed)

How To Make Hairy Bikers Parkin Recipe

1. Melt the wet ingredients: Preheat your oven to 140°C fan (160°C/Gas 3). Grease a deep 20cm (8-inch) square cake tin and line it with baking parchment. In a large saucepan, gently melt the butter, golden syrup, black treacle, and brown sugar over a low heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar has dissolved and the butter is melted, but do not let it boil. Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly for about 5-10 minutes.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: While the syrup mixture cools, combine the self-raising flour, medium oatmeal, ground ginger, nutmeg, mixed spice, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Whisk them briefly to remove any lumps and ensure the spices are evenly distributed.
3. Combine the batter: Pour the warm syrup mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir well with a wooden spoon until everything is combined. Gradually beat in the eggs until the batter is smooth. If the mixture feels very stiff, add the milk one tablespoon at a time to loosen it—it should be a pourable, dropping consistency.
4. Bake the parkin: Pour the batter into your prepared tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour. You’ll know it’s done when the top is firm and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
5. Cool and mature: Leave the parkin to cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cold, wrap it tightly in baking parchment and foil, or place it in an airtight tin. Leave it for at least 3 days before eating to allow the sticky texture to develop.

Recipe Tips

• The Oatmeal Rule: You must use “medium oatmeal” for the authentic texture. If you can only find porridge oats, pulse them in a food processor until they resemble coarse flour, otherwise the cake will be too open-textured.
• Patience is Key: Freshly baked parkin can be a bit dry and crumbly. The treacle and oatmeal need time to interact with the moisture in the air. Storing it makes it sticky and soft.
• Gentle Heating: When melting the butter and syrups, keep the heat low. If the sugar mixture gets too hot, it can crystallise or cook the eggs when you add them later.
• Oven Temperature: Parkin has a high sugar content, which means it burns easily. Bake it low and slow. If the top starts darkening too quickly, cover it loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes.

What To Serve With Parkin

In Yorkshire, this is traditionally served on Bonfire Night with a mug of hot tea or a warm apple cider. For a proper pudding, serve a slice slightly warmed with a generous pouring of hot vanilla custard, which cuts through the spicy richness perfectly.

How To Store

Store the parkin in an airtight tin or container lined with greaseproof paper. It will keep for up to 2 weeks comfortably. In fact, it is best eaten between day 3 and day 10. You can also freeze the baked parkin (wrapped well) for up to 3 months.

FAQs

Can I use plain flour instead of self-raising?
Yes, use 200g of plain flour and add an extra 2 teaspoons of baking powder (totaling 3 tsp including the one already in the recipe) to get the right rise.

Why is my parkin hard?
Parkin is often hard straight out of the oven. It relies on the maturing process in an airtight container to soften up. If it’s still rock hard after 3 days, it might have been overbaked.

What is medium oatmeal?
It is a coarse flour made from oats, grittier than flour but finer than porridge oats. It is essential for the correct dense texture of parkin.

Can I use molasses instead of black treacle?
Yes, black treacle and molasses are very similar and can be swapped 1:1. Black treacle tends to be slightly more bitter, which balances the golden syrup.

Nutrition

• Calories: 285 kcal
• Total Fat: 13g
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Cholesterol: 45mg
• Sodium: 180mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 40g
• Protein: 3g

Try More Recipes:

• Hairy Bikers Onion Gravy Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Mulligatawny Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Lamb Vindaloo Recipe