Air Fryer Vegan Parkin (Sticky Ginger Cake)

 Vegan Parkin is a traditional Yorkshire sticky gingerbread cake, an easy recipe that can be baked in the air fryer or oven.

All the recipes on this website have been created by me and tested by my family and friends since 2007. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure & privacy policy.

Air Fryer Vegan Parkin (Sticky Ginger Cake)

My latest and greatest recipe is this deliciously sticky vegan Parkin.

It's soft, sticky and full of delicious spices.

Bake it in your air fryer or in the oven and enjoy a slice of the cake with a cuppa or serve it warm with custard.

What is Parkin?

Parkin is an old-fashioned ginger cake from Yorkshire that is traditionally served on Guy Fawkes Night (bonfire night).

It's a cake that's stored for a few days before serving (if you can be that restrained) to let the flavours of the spices develop and until it becomes sticky.

That's quite difficult in my house, as everyone wants a slice of this sticky ginger cake as soon as it's baked.

Why is ginger Parkin sticky?

It's the treacle and golden syrup that makes this Yorkshire Parkin sticky.

Stored for a few days, the syrups sink through the cake and help it to develop that sticky finish.

Eat it right away and it is more of a ginger cake, but just wait and see how much the flavours and texture develop.

If you live in USA, you can use molasses instead of treacle.

Yorkshire Parkin spices

Ginger is the predominant spice in Yorkshire Parkin cake.

However, adding a couple of other spices help to add more warmth and a depth of flavour.

I like to add cinnamon and mixed spice, but some people add nutmeg.

If you are in the US, you may be wondering what you can use instead of mixed spice.

Pumpkin spice is very similar and is a good substitution.

What is the difference between Yorkshire Parkin and Lancashire Parkin?

Parkin is made in both Yorkshire and Lancashire, but they are slightly different.

Yorkshire Parkin is made with treacle and golden syrup and can be recognised by its rich, deep brown colour.

Lancashire Parkin is made with just golden syrup and because of that, it's a more golden-coloured cake.

What you need to make Parkin ginger cake

Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this delicious sticky ginger cake.

1. Plain flour - also known as all-purpose flour
2. Oats - porridge oats, oatmeal or rolled oats (I will talk about the oats next)
3. Baking powder
4. Ground ginger
5. Ground cinnamon
6. Mixed spice - or pumpkin pie spice
7. Salt - just a pinch
8. Milk - I use oat milk, but you can use your regular milk
9. Butter - I use vegan butter or spread, but use your regular butter or spread
10. Brown sugar 
11. Treacle - or molasses
12. Golden Syrup

Which type of oats?

You can use any type of oats when making this easy parkin recipe.

If you use oatmeal (or oat bran) which is ground and finer, you can add it straight into the mixing bowl as it is.

Using porridge oats or rolled oats?  Then I recommend whizzing it in a blender until it is finer in texture.

You don't have to blend it into flour, but if you do, then that's ok to use too.

Is Parkin a cake or a pudding?

Traditionally parkin is cake. A sheet cake, that is cut into squares, rather than a deep cake cut into wedges.

However, it is also super delicious when served as a pudding.

And you can see from my photos how we prefer to serve it. 

Although to be fair we also eat it as a slice of cake too.

But who can resist pudding with custard?

If you like a traditional loaf cake, try this Australian Fruit Cake.

Bake cake in an air fryer

Did you know you can bake cake in an air fryer?

Have you seen my vegan air fryer raspberry muffins  or vegan fruit scones?

The secret is to find the right oven dish.

It's really important to measure up your air fryer first.

I like to use either a glass casserole dish or a brownie tin when I bake in the air fryer.

First I butter them and then I line them with non-stick baking paper.

Just remember when you are baking in the air fryer, it will bake quicker than the oven but can brown. so bake further down the oven and not on the top shelf (if you have an air fryer with shelves).

You may need to cover the top with foil towards the end of bake time if it is starting to brown too much.

For more air fryer recipes, check out my air fryer recipe page over on my lunch blog The Vegan Lunchbox.

I use a Tower 5-in-1 Air Fryer with shelves.

Two batches

My casserole dish is a 1-litre dish, which is 21cm x 15cm and 7 cm deep or 8 inches x 6 inches and 2 inches deep.

So I bake this gingerbread in two batches.

If you have a dish of the same length and a bit deeper, you could bake it in one batch, but it would take longer as it would be a deeper cake.

Don't worry if your dish is a bit bigger or smaller, you can just keep an eye on the cake near the end of bake time to see if it is ready quicker or needs a bit longer by doing the prick test with a skewer or toothpick (which should come out clean).

Oven baked parkin

You can also bake this ginger cake in the oven.

It will take longer to bake than in the air fryer, but you can bake it in one cake tin, instead of two batches.

Use the prick test again to see if it is ready. 

I would aim for about 10 minutes longer for the bake, but do check it as it will depend on the size of your dish and how hot your oven runs.

A fairly deep 22cm or 8 1/2 inch square cake tin or casserole dish or similar size would work well.

Can you eat it right away?

Of course, you can eat Parkin as soon as it is cool enough to eat, but try to be patient.

If you wrap it and leave it in an airtight container on the countertop or in the fridge for a few days, you will get the truly rich and sticky delight that is Yorkshire Parkin.

However, if you bake it in two batches as I do, you could eat one the same day and leave the other one to mature.

The best of both worlds.

How to serve Yorkshire Parkin

Here are a few tasty serving suggestions for your homemade Parkin.

• Naked - serve a slice with coffee.
• Cream - pour cream over a slice of parkin 
• Ice cream - serve warm with ice cream
• Custard - serve warm with custard
• Icing - drizzle with icing for a sweet finish

More vegan bakes

Here are a few more vegan cakes and bakes for you to try.

1. Air Fryer Biscoff Cookies
2. Blueberry Lemon Cake
3. Chocolate Cake with Pear
4. Coconut Cake
5. Lemon Drizzle Cake
6. Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Want recipes delivered to your inbox? 

Sign up for my Tinned Tomatoes newsletter for a selection of recipes delivered to your inbox each week or sign up for my email updates and don't miss out on the latest recipe. Check your spam folder they don't arrive.

Sign up for my Vegan Lunch Box newsletter for lunch ideas and recipes straight to your inbox when they are published.

pin it for later

Also, join my Facebook group Living on the Veg. It's a very friendly community with lots of recipes and chat. I'm in there every day chatting to group members.

Remember and say hi. I'm always happy to chat and answer questions.

How to make Vegan Parkin

Scroll down for step-by-step photos followed by a full printable recipe. 

If you don't have a printer, hit print then save as a PDF.

Preparation

• First of all prep your casserole dish or cake tin.
• Grease it (with butter or spread).
• Cut a long piece of non-stick baking paper and lay it across the length of the dish/tin, making sure it is long enough to have a little excess above the dish.

Step 1

• If you are using fine oatmeal, oat bran or oat flour you can skip this step.
• Using porridge oats or rolled oats? Whizz them in a blender, food processor or with a stick blender until they are a finer texture.
• If you over-blend and end up with flour, that's ok too.

Step 2

• In a large mixing bowl add the flour and oats.
• Now add the baking powder, salt and spices.
• Mix well to combine.

Step 3

• The wet ingredients are melted either in a pot or in a bowl in the microwave. I use the microwave.
• Add the brown sugar, butter, treacle, golden syrup and milk to the bowl or pot and heat until melted.

Step 4

• Once the wet ingredients are melted, stir well to combine.
• Then, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold in until well combined, but try not to over mix it.
• Fold in until just combined.

Step 5

• Pour into the prepared dish (I did mine in two batches) and bake in the air fryer or oven until a toothpick or skewer comes out clean.
• Leave to cool in the dish, then remove and cut into squares.
• I like to serve one warmed with custard as pudding (two batches) and leave the other one to develop for a few days, if I can persuade my husband to leave it alone (no easy task).

Parkin, vegan parkin, gingerbread, vegan ginger cake, vegan gingerbread, Yorkshire Parkin

dessert

British, vegan

Yield: 12 slices

Author: Jacqueline Meldrum

Air Fryer Vegan Parkin (Sticky Ginger Cake)

Vegan Parkin is a traditional Yorkshire sticky gingerbread cake, an easy recipe that can be baked in the air fryer or oven.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min

Ingredients

• 250g (2 cups) plain flour
• 200g (2 1/2 cups) oats
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1 pinch salt
• 150ml (5 fl oz) oat milk (or your regular milk)
• 150g (11 tablespoons) vegan butter or spread
• 150g (3/4 cup) brown sugar
• 100g (5 tablespoons) treacle (or molasses)
• 200g (10 tablespoons) golden syrup

Instructions

1. Grease and line a casserole dish or cake tin that fits your air fryer or a larger one if you are baking in the oven, see notes below.
2. If you are using the oven preheat it to 180c/160c fan/350f/gas mark 4. If using the air fryer, preheat for 2 minutes before you use it at the same temperature.
3. If you are using fine oatmeal or oat bran, you can use it as it is. If you are using porridge oats or rolled oats, whizz them in a blender, food processor or with a stick blender until they are a finer texture. If you over-whizz and end up with flour, that is ok too.
4. In a large mixing bowl add the flour, oats, baking powder, spices and salt and mix well.
5. The wet ingredients are heated to melt. Either melt them in a bowl in the microwave or in a pot on the cooker. Add the brown sugar, butter, golden syrup, treacle and milk.
6. Once melted, give the wet ingredients a good mix.
7. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold in until just combined.
8. If you are doing it in two batches, pour half the mix into your prepared dish and pop in the air fryer for 25 minutes (or oven for about 35 minutes) until a skewer or toothpick inserted comes out clean.
9. If the mixture starts to brown too much, you can cover with foil for the rest of the bake.
10. Leave to cool in the dish, then carefully remove and cut into squares. Then bake the next batch.
11. If baking in one larger batch, it could take longer.
12. Once cool, wrap in non-stick baking paper and keep in an airtight tub for a few days until the flavours have developed and it's sticky.
13. Enjoy!

Notes

Dish Size

My casserole dish is a 1-litre dish, which is 21cm x 15cm and 7 cm deep or 8 inches x 6 inches and 2 inches deep, So I bake this gingerbread in two batches.

If you have a dish of the same length and a bit deeper, you could bake it in one batch, but it would take longer as it would be a deeper cake.

Don't worry if your dish is a bit bigger or smaller, you can just keep an eye on the cake near the end of bake time to see if it is ready quicker or needs a bit longer by doing the prick test with a skewer or toothpick (which should come out clean).

Two batches

If you are baking the Parkin in two batches like I do, why not leave one batch to mature and enjoy the other one warmed with custard or ice cream for pudding.

Maturing

You can leave the Parkin (in an airtight container) on the countertop or in the fridge for a few days to mature.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

363.41

Fat (grams)

11.61

Sat. Fat (grams)

6.67

Carbs (grams)

60.92

Fiber (grams)

2.52

Net carbs

58.4

Sugar (grams)

32.81

Protein (grams)

4.75

Sodium (milligrams)

168.52

Cholesterol (grams)

26.88

This information is approximated using a nutrition and calorie calculator.

All Rights Reserved tinnedtomatoes.com