Ginger Parkin (or thank you for babysitting)

It was my birthday recently and the weekend before my in laws babysat at short notice so I could get out for the evening.  To say "thank you" to my Yorkshire born Father in law, I made some ginger parkin.

This is not the traditional recipe as that contains oats but this is adapted from how my mum made it so apologies if it's not authentic.  Ounces first because this is how the recipe was written, it's pretty old...

Ginger Parkin

Ingredients

2oz, 55g Margarine
5oz, 140g Brown sugar, I used molasses sugar for that real dark hit
2 tbsp Black treacle
9oz, 250g Self Raising Flour (or plain flour plus the recommended amount of baking powder)
2 rounded tsp Ground (powdered) ginger
7 fl oz, 200ml milk
1 rounded tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
1 tbsp Boiling water
1 Egg

Method

Grease and line a tin approx 11 inches by 8 inches.  If you haven't got a tin that size or shape, check your baking dishes and aim for approx 88 square inch area so 9 by 9 would do.  Err on the side of slightly smaller than bigger if you need to, you don't want it too shallow.

Preheat the oven to 180oC, 350F.  (170oC in my fan oven.)

Cream the butter and sugar together as best you can, unrefined sugars can be a bit tough going on this.  Add the egg and beat until fully mixed in.

Sift the flour and ginger together.

Mix the treacle in then alternate mixing in the milk and the flour and ginger.  Mix well and then lastly mix the bicarb with the boiling water and quickly mix into the batter.  Work quickly pouring into the lined dish and bake for 45-60 minutes (45 in my fan oven) or until the sponge springs back when pressed and an inserted sharp knife comes out clean.

Cool for 20 mins or so in the tin, then lift out onto a cooling rack.  Cut into squares when cool.

This keeps very well getting stickier over a few days if you can stop people eating it!  My mum likes to serve this split and buttered but I like it as it is.  It tastes rather like a well known brand of Jamaican Ginger Cake.

This was more for the adults than for pumpkin because it's heavy on the sugar but he did have a little bit of Grandad's when everyone thought I wasn't looking!

I've linked this lovely old recipe up to the Spice Trail Ginger challenge.