Ginger cake or parkin??

[learntojive]

I'm in desparate need of a tried and tested recipe for either parkin or ginger cake.
Parkin always seems to be a dark and dry, and ginger cake not dark enough. I need something in between ...for tomorrrow if anyone has the time!
Thanks

[taliesin238]

Parkin but only because im allergic to ginger!! Have u tried Bara Brith??? By far the best!!

[TheWinner]

Hi, I have just made this today. I don't know where the recipe came from so at this point, can't credit the originator.

PARKIN
This is prepared in two parts. You combine dry ingredients in one bowl, and wet ingredients in another bowl, and then mix the two together.

Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 3 put the shelf in the middle of the oven. Base line a 7 x 7" square tin with non-stick baking parchment. (Don't grease it)

In mixing bowl ONE, mix the following DRY ingredients

10 ounces of Plain Flour
2 teaspoons of Baking Powder
2 teaspoons of Powdered Ginger
a good pinch of Nutmeg

In mixing bowl TWO, mix the following:

Warm 8 Fluid ounces of Milk, put into mixing bowl number Two, and add 4 ounces of Scott's Porage Oats, stir and the oats should thicken. Then add: 2 ounces of melted Butter, 1 Dessertspoon of Light Brown Sugar and 6 Fluid Ounces of Treacle and Syrup mix (measure this in a glass measuring jug, measure four fluid ounces of treacle and then add the Syrup until it totals six fluid ounces).

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.

The mixture should be a soft, dropping consistency, but sometimes it isn't because it depends on how hot the milk was, and how the oats thicken. So if it looks stodgy, add (bit by bit) more WARM milk, until it reaches a soft, dropping consistency. Make sure it isn't stodgy before you put it in the tin, it should drop off the spoon quite easily.

Put in the tin, and bake for approx. 45 minutes. (Test with a skewer, it should come out clean). When it comes out of the over, make a small amount of treacle and syrup mix (about two teaspoons of each), mix together and brush over the cake while it is still warm. Leave to cool. Store in airtight tin.

[pastafreak]

I have been making this for years, and my mom did before me.....sooo moist! ...and VERY dark 2 eggs,3/4 cup black treacle,3/4 cup oil(veg). In a seperate bowl-3/4 cup dark brown sugar-I use molasses sugar(Billingtons from Sainsbury's),21/4 cup plain flour,21/4tsp baking powder, 3/4 tsp baking soda,2tsp ground ginger,11/4 tsp cinnamon,1/2 tsp mixed spice. beat the wet ingrediants together and then gradually add the dry-mixing well after each addition. finally pour in 1 cup of boiling water and stir well. Pour into a greased and lined 9" tin and bake at gas mark 5-6 for aprox 1 hour-check for done-ness by inserting a knife or skewer...it should come out clean......sorry not metric-use an 8oz cup

[pastafreak]

PS- it is called Maryland Gingerbread

[nickmo]

http://www.thefoody.com/baking/index.html has both options - only little variations in the recipes.

To darken a ginger cake, try a touch extra molasses or black treacle....

[pastafreak]

Nickmo- my recipe is made with both molasses and black treacle-and believe me-it is very black!!

[nickmo]

Hi PF - crying out for a frosting then!!

[pastafreak]

I have actually put a chocolate frosting on it-that's when I want a sugar overload! lol!

[nickmo]

Oh
My
G*d

No, you can't do that to a ginger cake!!!!

[pastafreak]

oops-meant to say molasses sugar in earlier remark to nickmo-sorry .....Learntojive:did you make anything??

[pastafreak]

hehe-well I did...so there! haven't recently tho as cake is so moist and doesn't need it...sorry if I upset you :-(

[nickmo]

PF - the frosting enquiry was a sarky comment - not really wanting to hear you smothered the little darling with cream cheese as well - but then you pipe up with choc thingy???

My blood pump seized at the thought!

So, Jive - what have you created then?

[learntojive]

Thanks everyone, it was a bit of a disaster in the end, I saw on the email that I had some replies and hoped one of you had left me a nice recipe ...and then the site was off all day :o(
...I made a recipe out of a book I found called Cumbrian gingerbread, should have had warning bells ringing cos it was made with lard which sounded a bit strange but the picture looked lovely so i thought I'd try it ...it went in the bin and I had to rush to the supermarket to buy something to take to the party.
I'll give these a go anyway, thanks for taking the time :o)

[pastafreak]

What a shame ,learntojive...better luck next time xx -:)

[nickmo]

Ooooops....hope your not put off the county though!

Found this for Grasmere Gingerbread - might be an option for the next time. (taken from the AboutFood.co.uk site)

175g/6oz plain flour
50g/2oz rolled (porridge) oats
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Half a teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
175g/6oz butter
175g/6oz Dark Muscovado sugar
50g/2oz candied peel, finely chopped

Stir together the flour, oats, ginger, cream of tartar and bicarbonate of soda in a large mixing bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar and candied peel. Press into a buttered tin, approximately 18 x 28 cm/7 x 11 in. and press down with the back of a fork.

Bake for 30 minutes Gas 3/170�C/325�F. Leave to stand for 5 minutes and mark into fingers. Leave in the tin until cold and remove carefully.

ta for now..

[learntojive]

thanks :o)

[b_aby]

This is a really good, dark ginger cake recipe, it's from the Bero cook book. My nan alway made it when i was little and i've made it loads of times since. Also very nice if you add a little rum or small bits of critalized stem ginger:

Gingerbread - serves 12
225g plain flour
pinch of salt
2tsp ground ginger
1tsp mixed spice
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
50g soft brown sugar
100g margarine
175g black treacle
50g golden syrup
150ml milk (whole is better)
2 medium eggs
50g sultanas (optional - i tend not to use them)

1. Heat oven to 150 degrees C, 300 F, Gas mark 2. Grease an 18cm (7 inch) square deep cake tin.

2. Seive together the flour, salt, ginger, bicarb and spice. Stir in the sugar.

3. Melt the margarine, treacle and syrup gently. Gradually add the milk and allow to cool.

4.Add beaten eggs and mix well. Stir treacle mixture into the flour and add the sultanas (this is where I add the stem ginger).

5. Pour the mixture into the tin and back for about 1 hour 15 min.


Hope it works.