Yorkshire Parkin with Lemon Neufchâtel Frosting

By ngaldi

(Parkin adapted from The Argenta Cookbook recipe; frosting, my own recipe)

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 teaspoons very fresh ground ginger
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats (also known as thin oats)
• 1 cup milk
• 4 tablespoons butter (or margarine)
• 1/2 cup golden syrup (or honey or corn syrup)
• 1/2 cup treacle (or molasses)
• (N.B. – There is no egg in this recipe.)
• 8 ounces American Neufchâtel or cream cheese
• 4 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1-2 cups confectioners sugar (according to your texture preference)
• 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract (or 2 tablespoons lemon juice with 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel)
• Candied lemon peel for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, soak oats in milk for one hour. In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder and ground ginger. In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add melted butter to oatmeal along with golden syrup and treacle. Mix well to combine, then add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients. Beat with a large spoon until very well blended. Pour batter into a greased 13-inch by 9-inch cake tin or glass baking dish. Position on middle rack of oven to bake for 30 minutes or until cake is lightly browned, and a knife inserted into its center comes out clean.

In medium bowl, beat cheese and butter together until light and fluffy. Incrementally add confectioners sugar, beating very well, until desired consistency is reached. Beat in lemon flavoring. Adjust consistency one last time, if necessary. Dollop or pipe frosting onto cut squares of fully cooled cake. Garnish with candied lemon peel. Well-wrapped, leftovers without frosting will keep beautifully for days. Leftover frosting must be refrigerated.