Parkin

Ingredients

4oz plain flour
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 heaped teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
8oz oatmeal, preferably fine but medium will do
8oz black treacle
8oz dark brown sugar (such as Dark Muscovado)
3oz butter or margarine
1 egg
5 to 6 tablespoons milk

Instructions

Sieve together flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices. Add oatmeal. Melt butter, treacle and sugar in a saucepan and add, with the beaten egg, to the dry ingredients. Lastly stir in the milk to give a fairly soft batter. Turn into a 9 inch cake tin lined with greaseproof paper or baking parchment. Bake at 350F/180C/Gas Mark 4 for 25 minutes. Turn down to 325F/170C/Gas 3 until a knife or skewer, when inserted, comes out clean, at least another 20-30 minutes, possibly more. Leave overnight before eating. A traditional northern English recipe for eating round the bonfire on Guy Fawkes Night (5 Nov)