Ingredients

• 150g/5½oz soft light brown sugar
• 150g/5½oz softened butter
• plus extra for greasing
• 250g/9oz golden syrup
• 75g/2½oz black treacle
• 125g/4½oz oat flakes
• 175g/6oz self-raising flour
• 3 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• pinch of salt
• 2 free-range eggs
• beaten
• 25ml/1fl oz milk
• vanilla ice cream
• to serve
• 50g/1¾oz butter
• 75g/2½oz caster sugar
• 1 orange
• zest only
• 4 sticks rhubarb
• cut into 5cm/2in lengths
• 200g/7oz golden syrup
• 100ml/3½fl oz dry cider
• ½ tsp ground mixed spice
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 140C/275F/Gas 1 and butter a 30cm/12in x 20cm/8in cake tin.
• For the parkin
• put the soft brown sugar
• butter
• syrup and treacle into a small saucepan and melt over a gentle heat.
• Put the oats
• flour
• ginger
• nutmeg
• mixed spice and a pinch of salt into a large bowl
• then add the eggs and milk. Pour the melted butter and sugar mixture into the bowl and mix together with a whisk until combined.
• Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 1¼ hours
• or until firm in the centre.
• Remove from the oven and leave in the tin to cool before turning out and cutting into squares. This is best kept kept in a tin for 2-3 days as it will become really sticky all the way through.
• For the rhubarb
• put the butter
• sugar and five tablespoons of water in a large frying pan with the orange zest and rhubarb. Place over a gentle heat to poach for 4-5 minutes
• or until just tender
• then remove from the heat.
• For the syrup
• combine the golden syrup
• cider and spices in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and cook for 3-4 minutes
• or until just thickened.
• Serve the parkin in squares with a spoonful of rhubarb to one side and the syrup over the top. Finish with a scoop of ice cream.