Traditional English Cumberland Rum Butter
"A lightly spiced butter, laced with dark rum - this traditional old recipe originates from the county of Cumberland in the Lake District of Northern England. In Cumberland, rum butter served with oatcakes or buttermilk scones were given to friends who called at the house to see a new baby. In turn they would leave a silver coin, and on the day of the christening, when the butter bowl was empty, the coins were placed in it. A sticky bowl, with plenty of coins sticking to it, meant that the child would never be wanting. The saying goes...... “Butter symbolizes the richness of life, sugar the sweetness of life and rum, the spirit of life.” Cumberland rum butter is traditionally served with Christmas pudding and mince pies; it also makes a wonderful gift for any new parents or to give throughout the festive season."
photo by French Tart
- Ready In:
- 10mins
- Ingredients:
- 4
- Serves:
-
6-8
ingredients
- 8 ounces unsalted butter
- 6 ounces soft dark brown sugar
- 8 -10 tablespoons dark rum
- grated nutmeg or mixed spice
directions
- Put the butter in a warmed bowl and cream it, either with a wooden spoon or an electric beater or handheld mixer.
- Tip in the sugar and rum and mix everything together.
- Grate in nutmeg to taste, (or mixed spice) and mix again.
- Place in a bowl, an earthenware bowl is traditional, then chill until required.
- Serve with mince pies, Christmas pudding, sweet tarts and pies, sweet biscuits, oatcakes, scones, crumpets, muffins or on toast.
Questions & Replies
-
Hi, I have one more question for everyone. Since I am not a rum buyer wanting to know what dark rum should I use in this. Thanks everyone. -
Hi, mixed spice is not a generally available spice here in Missouri. So was going to use nutmeg but wanted best suggestions on how much to use per 8 oz? Husbands grandmother is from Maryport Eng. and years ago at Christmas she would make this but never got to find out what spice she used since she would not have had very much access to it either at the time. Thank
Reviews
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This delicious spread is part of my Cumbrian heritage. Traditionally served at christenings and other happy occasions, Tradition is the first female to dip into it gets pregnant. This was served while visiting a great aunt in Haverigg, Cumbria. After a stern warning from Aunt Sarah, my wife laughed at the superstition and tasted it. Shortly thereafter, she became pregnant with my lovely daughter, also named Sarah. It's delicious. I feel it's part of my DNA. Being Canadian, this was the first time I had tasted it and I felt like I had eaten it all my life -
I made this and spooned into pretty pots and gave to my neighbours along with mince tarts for Christmas. All have asked for the recipe. I served with hot Welsh cakes - very yummy! -
I've made this several times since my sister in law made it for me one Christmas. It's very yummy. I hope you try it.
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I made this today for afternoon tea. Friends came over and we had it on teabread - mmmmm yummy. When I made it I put a portion into a cute jar so that my friends could take some home with them as they had never had it before. When I was a child my Nanna made this every Christmas and would let my sister and I have some on a Carrs Table Water Biscuit as a treat when Mum wasn't looking. I also remember the Christenings of my little sister and the children of my Mums cousins all having Rum Butter as part of the celebrations, this being a West Cumberland tradition.<br/>Must get myself a proper Rum Butter Bowl!<br/>Thanks for the recipie:-)
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
<p><strong><span>The sunflowers in the field behind my house in SW France:</span></strong></p>
<p><img title=Sunflowers src=http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r271/copperhorse58/DSCN8221.jpg alt=Sunflowers width=640 height=480 /><br /><strong><span><br /><br />I am British (English-Scottish), but I was born in South Africa and have lived all over the world, including Hong Kong, Germany, Cyprus, USA & Singapore. I have also been very fortunate to have travelled extensively over the years.........I still have wanderlust! <br /><br />I used to be an English Literature & Art History teacher & lecturer; before that, I trained and worked as a Graphic Designer for many years. I now live in France with my husband & my daughter who has just started university in September 2006. We also have one very chatty Burmese cat Willow, who allows us to live with her here! (I used to have three cats, I recently lost Monty, a beautiful seal point Siamese and before that, Rama, who was a debonair blue point Siamese cat - I would love to have another Siamese cat or cats in the future!)</span></strong></p>
<p><em><strong><span>This is my Burmese Cat, Willow, sunning herself on the log pile in the kitchen garden:</span></strong></em></p>
<p><strong><img title=My src=http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r271/copperhorse58/ABaconButtyandSundryFoodPhotos34.jpg alt=My width=640 height=480 /></strong></p>
<p><strong><span>Here is my lovely Monty, a seal point Siamese, and Willow, sitting in the kitchen garden last year, and a few months before Monty died; he was 18yrs old:</span></strong></p>
<p><img title=Monty src=http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r271/copperhorse58/AbsolutelySinfulStickyToffeePudding.jpg alt=Monty width=640 height=480 />My</p>
<p><strong><span>This is my wonderful old boy, Rama, a blue-point Siamese, who died when he was 20yrs old - excuse the old and much sellotaped photo:</span></strong></p>
<p><img title=Rama src=http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r271/copperhorse58/Rama1stOctober2004164.jpg alt=Rama width=517 height=639 /></p>
<p><strong><span>My favourite pastimes are: reading, writing, painting & drawing, photography, gardening, anything creative, walking, travelling, dining out and of course COOKING! I love all types of cuisine, but especially Traditional British - and NO it is NOT all bad!! I particularly love food associated with the changing seasons plus traditional feasts & festivals, as well as Slow Cooking. I also enjoy French & North African cuisine, come to think of it, there isn't much I don't like! <br /><br />My husband & I run a Chambres D'Hotes, (Bed and Breakfast) called Auberge de la Fontaine here in beautiful South West France; we specialise in Gourmet Food & Wine Breaks, French Antiques & Restoration courses, French Language courses and French Cookery classes. Our home is completely furnished with Antique French furniture that we have rescued & restored ourselves. Our charming village has one of the oldest Churches in the region & it is famous for its connection with the St.Jacques de Compostella Pilgrimage route, as well as being within the Cognac & Bordeaux wine growing area. <br /><br />We have a wonderful garden where we grow ALL of our own herbs and most of our fruit and vegetables. I specialise in rare, unusual and old-fashioned herbs, which I grow in our walled garden. As well as growing herbs, I also grow many different varieties of lavender, old-fashioned shrub roses and heirloom fruit and vegetables. <br /><br />We have lived overseas for many, many years now - but we both still love going home to Northern England, near Scarborough & York, to visit our family & friends. We also love indulging in dining out when we are there, in a wide variety of EXCELLENT Gastro-Pubs that we have in North Yorkshire; and popping in to have a Pint of REAL ENGLISH ALE in our local pub is a always a must!! <br /></span></strong></p>
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