Parkin (cake)

For other uses, see Parkin (disambiguation).

Parkin
Yorkshire parkin
Place of originEngland
Region or stateNorthern England
Main ingredientsFlour, oatmeal, molasses, ginger, lard or butter

Parkin is a gingerbread cake traditionally made with oatmeal and black treacle,[1] which originated in Northern England. Often associated with Yorkshire,[2] it is widespread and popular elsewhere, notably in Lancashire. Parkin is baked to a hard cake but with resting becomes moist and even sometimes sticky. There are regional differences; for example, in Hull and East Yorkshire, it has a drier, more biscuit-like texture than in other areas, whereas in Lancashire it is generally made with golden syrup rather than with the treacle used elsewhere. Parkin is traditionally eaten on Guy Fawkes Night,[3] 5 November, and when celebrating "Yorkshire Day" on 1 August, and it is also enjoyed throughout the winter months. It is baked commercially throughout Yorkshire but is mainly a domestic product in other areas.

  1. ^ Roberts, Chris (2006). Heavy Words Lightly Thrown: The Reason Behind Rhyme. Thorndike Press. ISBN 0-7862-8517-6.
  2. ^ Bates, Margaret (1964). Talking about Cakes. Penguin Books, p.88.
  3. ^ Lepard, Dan (3 November 2007). "100-Year-Old Parkin". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 21 May 2010.