SIR - In reply to Pam Turner (T&A, November 21) I do know the name, but not how it started.

It was, I suppose, a kind of ginger cake, but we never called it, nor thought of it as "cake". To us it was "moggy".

In my mother's hand-written recipe book, now treasured and in safe keeping with my niece Linda, which is full of tried-and-tested recipes from family and friends, it bore the title Annie Moggy'.

To us it meant, and we understood perfectly, that it was a recipe for moggy given to mum by her sister, my aunt Annie.

I remember that the title brought my sister's young friend to collapse in paroxysms of uncontrollable mirth .What on earth was this thing called Annie Moggy?

Another thing I remember vividly is the oft repeated declarations of Annie's husband that he didn't like moggy "sad" (ie sunk in the middle and rather heavy) but wanted it, in his word "heartbroke".

This tendency for moggy to turn out "sad" was attributed to the amount of syrup used.

Mum could make perfect moggy - definitely not sad, in a large oblong roasting tin. The moggy was then cut up into squares for storing. Somehow it never lived long enough to test its keeping quality - or reach its "sell-by" date!

Vera Ward, Ashbourne Oval, Bradford

  • SIR - The letter from Pam Turner (T&A, November 21) brought back delightful childhood memories of the special treats we had on Sundays - my mother's home-made "moggie".

She was the only person I ever knew who called this parkin "moggie".

It was baked in a large square roasting tin in our fireside oven and the top surface was particularly soft and delicious.

On alternative weeks ends she would bake us a "Jordan Cake" in the same manner as the "moggie", but this was a light creamy cake but with a soft caramel top surface.

Oh happy days!

Jack Walker, Briarfield Avenue, Bradford

  • SIR - In reply to Pam Turner (T&A, November 21) we have always known this cake as plain"Moggie".

I am approaching my 80th birthday and it was always regularly made on baking day, Wednesday, and there wasn't much left by Thursday teatime, at least when there were six or seven of us in the house.

The traditional oblong deep Yorkshire pudding tin 12in x 8in approximately, which I still use, contained it comfortably.

I think the recipe's written on my heart, plus the one for Jordan Cake which sometimes alternated with Moggie.

Mrs S Taylor, Hutton Terrace, Bradford