Derbyshire Thor cake is a delicious Bonfire Night cake to savour. Loaded with warming ginger and zesty citrus peel, this rich black treacle cake is easy to make and feeds a crowd.
Prefer cupcakes? Sticky toffee cupcakes are perfectly fitting for Bonfire Night.
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Thor cake is Derbyshire's answer to Yorkshire parkin. It's got a lot of similarities but enough variation to be a definitive alternative to the traditional bonfire night cake in its own right.
Expect the comforting hug of black treacle flavour, chunks of zesty and sweet candied peel and plenty of warming ginger spice. This black treacle cake has a deep flavour and a robust, soft, sticky and chewy texture.
This recipe for Derbyshire Thor cake is part of my collection of traditional recipes originating in the East and West Midlands. Don't miss the rest of the collection. Other treats from Derbyshire include Buxton pudding and Bakewell pudding.
Why you'll love this cake
Aside from all the cosy autumnal vibes this Bonfire Night cake sends out there are plenty of other reasons to love Thor cake:
- It's an ancient bake that embraces our historic past and is firmly rooted in our British Guy Fawkes festivities. The county of Derbyshire has done us proud with this one.
- It has a rich, robust and unmistakable treacle flavour, making it a truly sensational British bake. If you adore bonfire toffee, then you should fall head of heels for Thar cake.
- The recipe feeds a crowd - expect to serve at least 16 portions of this Bonfire Night cake, although you could easily stretch that to 20. So, it's perfect for feeding your firework-gazing throng.
- Containing equal measures of oatmeal and flour, although this bake is classed as a cake it, has similarities to flapjack too. Expect a slightly sticky and chewy texture.
- This cake is great for making in advance as it improves with time. Not only do the flavours develop further, but the texture also softens after 3 days (if you can wait that long before delving into it).
Incidentally, have you seen my Bonfire Night food guide? It's loaded with tips and menu suggestions. Alternatively, browse my entire collection of easy & warming Bonfire Night recipes.
What is Derbyshire Thor cake?
Let's be clear from the outset. Derbyshire Thor cake has nothing to do with the Marvel character. It's actually an old-fashioned recipe which has evolved over centuries and now features oatmeal, black treacle, ginger and candied citrus peel. The treacle flavour is pronounced, so I've come to think of it as a black treacle cake.
Thor cake can also go by the name thar cake or tharf cake. These 3 terms date back to Anglo-Saxon times and translate as meaning unleavened. In these times Thor cake would have featured as the celebration cake served at Pagan winter festivals, although it would have been a much humbler bake back then.
Modern versions typically do include leavening - either baking powder and/ or an egg.
Technically, Thar cake could be classified as parkin, although it should not be confused with either Yorkshire parkin or Lancashire parkin:
- Yorkshire parkin is made using black treacle, but a significant quantity of milk is added to the batter.
- Lancashire parkin is made using golden syrup. It too includes plenty of milk in the batter.
These two parkin cakes are quite different from each other, but it's not uncommon for bakers to use a blend of black treacle and golden syrup in their parkin recipe, depending on their own flavour preferences.
Interestingly, neither version of parkin typically includes citrus peel, which is an essential ingredient in Derbyshire Thor cake. And Thor cake also does not include milk, resulting in a thicker batter and denser cake (but, trust me, the denser nature of this bake is not a bad thing at all).
Ingredients notes
This Bonfire Night cake from Derbyshire, in the East Midlands, has some exciting ingredients.
Oatmeal: use medium ground oatmeal. Please note that oatmeal is not the same as porridge oats. Oatmeal is oats that have been ground, or processed, to produce a finer texture. If you struggle to pick up oatmeal, then blitz your oats in a food processor until they resemble medium oatmeal.
Black treacle: this is a very British product that is synonymous with Guy Fawkes night because it is the main ingredient in bonfire toffee (treacle toffee). Outside of the UK do try to hunt a tin of black treacle down but if it's just not available (or ridiculously expensive) try this Thor cake recipe with dark molasses instead.
Candied peel: another essential ingredient. It's not Thar cake without the candied peel. Opt for a mix of orange and lemon and, if possible, purchase the version that comes in chunks ready to be sliced and diced at home rather than the cheap (and woefully inferior) product typically sold in supermarkets.
Ginger: this is an integral ingredient in Derbyshire Thor cake. Some recipes use more/ less than I have specified. You can, of course, adjust the quantity used to suit your own tastes, but do include at least 1 ½ teaspoons for a cosy hit of warmth.
Egg: the egg makes a huge difference to the overall texture of Thar cake. Without it, although the cake is still delicious, the texture is much more closed and is comparable to flapjack. You'll most likely find that it sinks in the middle as it cools.
After testing this recipe extensively, I can confirm that the version with egg is the tastiest, but if you are not able to tolerate eggs then leaving it out will still result in a perfectly edible cake (it just won't look as impressive).
Step by step instructions
- Weigh the dry ingredients (flour, oatmeal, spices, salt, baking powder and sugar) into a large bowl.
- Mix well.
- Melt the butter in a pan then beat in the treacle using a small handheld whisk.
- Whisk in the egg.
- Stir the finely diced candied peel in.
- Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix together well.
- Spoon into 20cm x 20cm baking tin that has been greased and double-lined with baking parchment. Level the surface and bake for approximately 45 minutes (cover the top loosely with parchment after 30 minutes to stop the top from burning.
- Test with a clean cocktail stick (poke it into the centre - it should come out clean if the cake is sufficiently cooked.
- Let cool in the tin, then unmold, wrap in foil and store in an airtight tin for 3 days before cutting into portions.
Expert tips
Top tip: Never refrigerate Thor cake. There is absolutely no need and the flavour and texture will be adversely affected.
- Use the correct size tin. For this recipe that is 20cm x 20cm (or 8 inches x 8 inches).
- Grease the tin and line it with baking parchment. I find a double layer of parchment really helps to protect the sides of this black treacle cake from drying out or catching during the 45-minute bake.
- Use digital kitchen scales and grams to achieve the most accurate measurement of ingredients. You'll get a superior bake as a result. Cups are not accurate enough for baking.
- Don't forget to cover the top of the cake after 30 minutes to prevent the top from burning.
- And try to leave this Bonfire Night cake for 3 days before slicing into it to allow the flavours and texture to develop fully.
Frequently asked questions
Thor, tharf or even thar cakes have existed for centuries. They pre-date Guy Fawkes significantly, most likely dating back to pagan festivals to mark the first day of winter. Back then, they would have been much simpler affairs lacking in butter, eggs and black treacle.
The vital link between the pagan winter festivals and Guy Fawkes night celebrations is the bonfire. It seems that Guy Fawkes celebrations simply adopted the pagan winter ritual of eating celebratory Thor cake around the bonfire.
Over time the ancient tharf cake recipes evolved to become the sweet and moreish delicacies we enjoy today. Thor cake is Derbyshire's localised version of parkin cake which is traditionally eaten on Guy Fawkes Night in Yorkshire and Lancashire.
Once baked and cooled it is best to store this cake for 3 days before consuming it. Just wrap it in foil and store in an airtight tin at room temperature.
After three days cut the cake up and serve or continue to store the cake in the same way for a further week. It will take a while to dry out or turn stale.
This Bonfire Night cake can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Wrap it well and label before freezing, then defrost at room temperature before consuming.
Yes, you can. Simply swap the butter for a vegan block butter and add in an extra pinch of salt. When it comes to the egg, this can be left out altogether. Leaving it out results in a flatter cake much more reminiscent of flapjack. It will sink a little in the middle as it cools down, this is normal. It is, however, very delicious - I know because my first few tests of this recipe did not include the egg.
This cake is delicious eaten just as it is. However, it can also be served spread with butter for a truly indulgent twist.
Although far from traditional, this black treacle cake is also delicious when served as a dessert with a good glug of custard. Some stewed apple alongside this pairing is also lovely.
Ways to use up leftover treacle
I say use up rather tongue in cheek here, as once opened, a jar of black treacle keeps well for a very long time. However, all of the following recipes embrace this wonderfully British ingredient in varying quantities.
Have you made this recipe for Derbyshire Thor cake? I hope you enjoyed it. Please leave a comment and/ or rating below to let me know what you thought of it.
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📖 Recipe
Derbyshire Thor Cake (Black Treacle Cake for Bonfire Night)
Equipment
- 1 20cm x 20cm cake tin (8inch x 8inch)
Ingredients
- 225 g Oatmeal medium ground
- 225 g Plain flour all-purpose
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 175 g Demerara sugar
- 3 teaspoons Ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon Allspice
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 225 g Butter
- 175 g Black treacle
- 1 Egg large, free-range
- 75 g Candied peel orange and lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F/ GM 4
- Grease and line the baking tin with two layers of baking parchment (dab between the layers of parchment with a little butter to help it stick together if necessary to ensure a neat fit. The double layer of parchment helps protct the edges of the cake from burning during the long bake.
- Weigh the dry ingredients (flour, oatmeal, spices, salt, baking powder and sugar) into a large bowl. Mix well.
- Melt the butter in a pan then beat in the treacle using a small handheld whisk.
- Whisk in the egg.
- Finely dice the candied peel and stir it into the syrupy mixture.
- Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix together well with a large metal spoon.
- Spoon into the prepared baking tin, level the surface and bake for 30 minutes, then cover the top loosely with parchment and continue to bake for another 15 minutes.
- Test with a clean cocktail stick (poke it into the centre - it should come out clean if the cake is sufficiently cooked.
- Let cool in the tin, then unmold, wrap in foil and store in an airtight tin for 3 days before cutting into portions.
Notes
- Use the correct size tin. For this recipe that is 20cm x 20cm (or 8 inches x 8 inches).
- Grease the tin and line it with baking parchment. I find a double layer of parchment really helps to protect the sides of this black treacle cake from drying out or catching during the 45-minute bake.
- Use digital kitchen scales and grams to achieve the most accurate measurement of ingredients. You'll get a superior bake as a result. Cups are not accurate enough for baking.
- Don't forget to cover the top of the cake after 30 minutes to prevent the top from burning.
- And try to leave this Bonfire Night cake for 3 days before slicing into it to allow the flavours and texture to develop fully.
- Never refrigerate Thor cake. There is absolutely no need and the flavour and texture will be adversely affected.
- Thor cake is delicious eaten just as it is. However, it can also be served spread with butter for a truly indulgent twist.
- Although far from traditional, this black treacle cake is also delicious when served as a dessert with a good glug of custard. Some stewed apple alongside this pairing is also lovely.
Jessica Coyle says
this is absolutely divine. I didn't realise you had to store if for three days before serving and you better believe it - it was still gorgeous!! Thanks so much for your scrumpy recipes!
Jane Coupland says
Hi Jessica - ah thankyou! You will have to make it again and store for 3 days just so you can experience the full joy 🙂 It's a perfect bake for winter but often overlooked beyond November 5th! I'h hoping to add at least another couple of recipes to my Midlands collection this year, so stay tuned 🙂
Daniel says
I've just popped this in the oven and am looking forward to trying it - do you have to wait three days? Not sure I have the willpower to do that!
Jane Coupland says
Hey there Daniel, if you can leave it for three days the taste and texture gets even better but if you don't have the willpower it will still be fine to eat straight away.
Anne says
After discovering the Soul Cake recipe, I found this and wanted to try it as my paternal grandma was born and bred in Derbyshire. This came out brilliantly, glad I followed the advice to double line the tin - despite the phaff! I shared a slice with my mother and she reminisces that her MiL, my grandma, would mention this cake. She then dug out similar recipes from an old Derbyshire book/pamphlet that my grandma gave her - which left me grateful for this recipe as the quantities and oven temperatures of the old recipe were "interesting". Delicious results - many thanks!
Jess says
This is what we called parkin - traditionally eaten on and around Bonfire Night..
Jane Coupland says
Hi Jess, it's similar to parkin - have a read, the blog post tells you the differences between parkin and Derbyshire thor cake.
Jude says
This is what we called parkin - traditionally eaten on and around Bonfire Night. I haven't made this recipe, but I have one handed down through the generations.
Jane Coupland says
Hi Jude, it's similar to parkin - have a read, the blog post tells you the differences between parkin and Derbyshire thor cake.
Debbiebray says
Black treacle cake taste nice but I don't like it,but my siblings love it so so much.
Jane Coupland says
Black treacle is an acquired taste. Like your siblings, I a lover of it!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Hiya Jane! Had to come on over and grab this delicious thor cake recipe with black treacle. Love these warming flavors in a chewy snack cake.
Jane Saunders says
Ah thanks so much - it's utterly lovely - can't quite believe I got to be nearly 50 before tasting this recipe 🙂 I have been missing out! Hope you enjoy it too!