Gluten-Free Parkin with Stem Ginger {vegan}

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This vegan and gluten-free Ginger Parkin studded with stem ginger is sticky, chewy and laced with spices. This modern take on this classic British bake is also taken a step further with a non-traditional but irresistible tangy lemon icing.

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Who can resist a glorious chunky piece of homemade parkin? This is a real homely bake which is incredibly moreish but also very easy to make.

Why is this version a little bit different?

If you are a traditional Yorkshire lad or lass then you’ll probably be shuddering in terror. Not only have we removed all the butter from your parkin but we have also studded it through with stem ginger and drizzled it in a tangy blanket of lemon icing.

I promise though, once you forgive my blatant flagrancy of the word ‘parkin’ you will learn to love these little changes. This iced parkin recipe is a lighter version and the zesty lemon gives a lovely textural and tasty balance. Don’t worry though, I haven’t messed around with the thick oozy golden syrup which is what gives ginger parkin its gorgeously treacle rich personality.

And I think we all agree that anything which includes little nuggets of stem ginger throughout is a little bit special.

READ MORE >>> Homemade Stem Ginger in Syrup

Is parkin the same as gingerbread

It's true they are very similar but there are key differences:

• Parkin is made with oats whereas gingerbread has no oats.
• They both are made with delicious treacle but parkin is made with the lighter golden syrup and gingerbread is usually made with black treacle which has a more darkly molasses type flavour.
• Despite my modern interference parkin is usually quite a plain bake, whereas gingerbread is infused with spices.

Why you'll love Ginger Parkin

• It’s difficult to find anyone who can resist the charms of parkin.
• It’s a bit like gingerbread but stuffed with a lot of oats so is a little chewier.
• The golden syrup used in the recipe makes the treat gloriously sticky.
• Chewy, sticky, packed with spice and definitely homely. 

Making it vegan

Traditional Ginger Parkin is made with butter and milk but switching up some of the ingredients to make a vegan parkin is no hardship.

• Instead of the butter we use melted coconut oil which gives a lovely lightness to the bake.
• Swap the milk for any non-dairy milk of your choice. I use almond milk but really the choice is yours.

READ MORE >>> Homemade Almond Milk

List of ingredients

• Gluten-free oats. Porridge oats give a better texture rather than jumbo rolled oats. You can pulse jumbo oats in a food processor to break down slightly if that's all you can find.
• Caster sugar. A fine white sugar that's great for baking.
• Gluten-free flours. Oat flour, tapioca flour and sweet rice flour (as explained above).
• Almond milk. You could also use cashew milk. Coconut milk is a little too flavourful for this recipe. You could also use whole milk if dairy-free isn't an issue for you.
• Coconut oil. Make sure it's unrefined as then the coconut flavour isn't as pronounced. You could also use a mild and light olive oil. Or even melted butter if dairy-free isn't an issue for you.
• Apple cider vinegar. It helps aid with a tender crumb.
• Stem ginger. Cut into tiny pieces and studded throughout. Try this Homemade Stem Ginger in Syrup recipe.
• Ground ginger. For a lovely fiery ginger flavour.
• Bicarbonate of soda. To help the parkin rise and give a tender crumb.
• Golden syrup. For a lovely treacle flavour.
• Icing sugar. You can omit the icing if you are a stickler for tradition but I love the tanginess it gives.
• Lemon. Use unwaxed as you'll be using the zest as well as the juice.

How to make Gluten-Free Parkin

1. Dry ingredients. Whisk sugar, flours, oats, ginger, bicarbonate of soda and salt together.
2. Wet ingredients. Melt together the golden syrup, almond milk, coconut oil and apple cider vinegar in a medium saucepan, whisking until smooth.
3. Mix. Pour the warm wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine well.
4. Bake. Pour into a square baking tin and bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove from the tin and cool.
5. Icing. Once the ginger parkin has cooled then beat the lemon juice, lemon zest and icing sugar together until smooth and pourable. Pour over the parkin and leave to set before cutting.

How long does it last?

Parkin just seems to last and last, as my Mum can attest to having forgotten about the parkin she had stashed in her handbag and re-discovering it 5 days later.

Ginger Parkin definitely improves after a couple of days of resting in the cake tin as it gets more sticky. If you don’t want to eat it straightaway then I would recommend leaving it whole and only cutting into pieces when you want some. Although you will find it difficult to restrain yourself.

I urge you to give this Gluten-Free Ginger Parkin a try. If you do then please leave a comment below and give the recipe a rating which helps others find the recipe on Google. If you then go on to use this recipe as a launch pad for your own culinary creation then I’d also love it if you’d share it and tag me on Instagram. It is so lovely for me to see your versions and variations of my recipes.

Gluten-Free Ginger Parkin with Stem Ginger {vegan}

Georgina Hartley

Ginger Parkin is the most moreish treat in your cake tin, sticky, chewy and laced with spices. This is a vegan and gluten-free take on a classic British bake with a tangy lemon icing.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course Cake

Cuisine British

Servings 12 squares

Calories 451 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Stem Ginger Parkin

• ▢ 300 g golden caster sugar
• ▢ 125 g sweet rice flour
• ▢ 100 g oat flour
• ▢ 35 g tapioca flour
• ▢ 185 g gluten-free oats
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 300 ml almond milk
• ▢ 3 tablespoons golden syrup
• ▢ 165 ml coconut oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 3 balls preserved stem ginger - finely chopped

Lemon Icing

• ▢ 225 g icing sugar
• ▢ zest and juice of 1 lemon

Instructions

 

• Pre-heat oven to 170°C / 150°C fan / gas mark 3 and line and grease a 20cm square baking tin.
• In a large mixing bowl whisk together the sugar, flours, oats, ginger, bicarbonate of soda and salt and set aside for a minute.
• Take a medium sized saucepan and pour in the almond milk, golden syrup, coconut oil and cider vinegar. Turn onto a gentle heat and stir the ingredients together until everything has melted together.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, along with the stem ginger and beat well with a wooden spoon.
• Pour the mixture into the baking tin and bake for 40-45 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, leave the parkin to settle for ten minutes then carefully turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Make the icing by beating together the lemon juice and zest with the icing sugar until the icing is pourable.
• Pour the icing over the cooled parkin, leave to set and then cut the parkin into 12 squares.

Notes

* A lot of gluten-free oats are of the rolled or jumbo variety but that doesn’t work as well for this recipe. Look for gluten-free porridge oats which are a finer oatmeal give the best texture as the oats are able to become a part of the cake without being too granular. I use Nairn's Gluten-Free Porridge Oats

Nutrition

Calories: 451kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 4gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 12gSodium: 269mgPotassium: 105mgFiber: 2gSugar: 47gVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 1.1mg

Have you tried this recipe?Head to the comment section and let me know what you think!