Ahead of Bonfire Night 2025 and as part of our monthly series ‘Tried and Tested: Recipes You’ll Love’ we are excited to share with you our surprise recipe of the month – Yorkshire Parkin, one that Jo Milner, our Managing Director at Buchler Phillips, has a special fondness for and returns to every autumn.
Bonfire Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Night, is a British tradition celebrated on November 5th each year. It commemorates the failure of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Guy Fawkes and a group of conspirators attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London. The plot was foiled, and Fawkes was captured and executed. To mark the event, people across the UK light bonfires, set off fireworks, and often burn effigies of Guy Fawkes, celebrating the survival of King James I and the nation’s government.
Yorkshire Parkin is a traditional Yorkshire Bonfire Night treat; it is enjoyed during the Bonfire Night season, particularly in the North of England, and is said to improve with age. It is a true favourite, guaranteed to bring warmth and cheer to your table! Rich with the golden glow of treacle and the comforting kick of ginger, this classic treat brings a taste of northern England’s baking heritage to you and your family. As you cut into this rustic, golden-brown cake, you’ll notice its slightly sticky texture – a signature quality that comes from the magic of time, as Parkin matures and develops even more character in the days following baking.
As Jo enters our office with a delightful tin of mouthwatering Yorkshire Parkin slices, she shares with us the following:
“One of the joys of a Yorkshire childhood is the food. Haddock and Chips and fantastic Yorkshire puddings for a start. At this time of year as the nights get darker and – sometimes – colder, memories of eating a wonderful moist Yorkshire parkin while watching the bonfire burn and the Catherine Wheels whirl, come back to me. I grew up with parkin as a favourite baked treat and there are few recipes that evoke childhood memories like Nancy Birtwhistle’s. Enjoy – but please leave wrapped in a tin for a good week before eating to maximise the wonderful stickiness!”
We invite you to indulge in this wonderful recipe by Nancy Birtwhistle, perfect for sharing – or savouring all on your own.
Nancy Birtwhistle’s Yorkshire Parkin Recipe
Makes 16 slices
Use a 20cm square tin (not loose bottomed as the batter is quite thin), lined with baking paper
150g golden syrup
100g black treacle
120g butter
100g dark brown soft sugar
1 lemon, zest and juice
220g fine oatmeal, oat bran or blitz porridge oats, to a very fine crumb
100g self raising flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp mixed spice
1.5 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground mace, or 1 tsp ground nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten together in a jug
3 tbsp brandy, or 50ml milk
- Preheat the oven to 130 degrees c fan assisted or 140 degrees conventional (284 Fahrenheit)
- Start by blitzing the oatmeal in a food processor to make it as fine as possible. I could only source medium oatmeal so if you can buy fine oatmeal obviously skip this stage. If using porridge oats blitz to a fine crumb.
- In a medium saucepan place the golden syrup, black treacle, lemon zest, butter and sugar. Heat gently until the butter and sugar dissolve but don’t allow the mixture to boil. Take off the heat and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, place the oatmeal then sift together the flour, salt and spices and mix with the oatmeal. Make a well in the centre and pour in the syrup mixture and mix well. Add the eggs, lemon juice and brandy (or milk). Give a really good stir then pour into the prepared tin.
- Pop into the oven and bake for 60 to 70 minutes until the parkin is slightly risen and firm when touched in the centre.
- Leave to cool in the tin then turn out.
TIP: Parkin will improve with keeping, so once it has cooled, remove from the baking tin, cut into slices and transfer to a tin with a lid. I tend to wrap mine in the baking paper or a fresh piece of greaseproof paper. Keep in a cool place for three days. After this time the parkin will be matured, sticky and delicious and then can be enjoyed at its very best.
Buchler Phillips is a UK based independent boutique firm with an impeccable Mayfair heritage, specialising in corporate recovery, turnaround, restructuring and insolvency.