Cumberland Rum Butter
Rich, spiced sweet spread made by beating creamy butter with dark muscovado sugar, warming spices, and a generous splash of dark rum.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 15 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 215 kcal
Equipment
- •Mixing bowl
- •Electric hand whisk or wooden spoon
- •Fine sieve
- •Ceramic ramekins or preserve jars
- •Silicone spatula
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 215 kcal
- fat
- 17 g
- carbs
- 25 g
- fibre
- 0.1 g
- protein
- 0.3 g
- calories
- 215 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the softened butter into a large mixing bowl.
- 2
Beat the butter with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until pale and creamy.
- 3
Sift both the dark muscovado and light muscovado sugars into a separate bowl.
- 4
Add the sugars to the butter in three batches, beating thoroughly after each addition.
- 5
Dissolve the pinch of salt in the tablespoon of boiling water.
- 6
Drizzle the salted water into the bowl and beat vigorously to soften the sugar grains.
- 7
Add the ground nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, and ginger to the mixture.
- 8
Pour in the dark rum a tablespoon at a time, beating constantly to prevent curdling.
- 9
Continue beating for two minutes until the spread is smooth, glossy, and evenly spiced.
- 10
Spoon the rum butter into clean, sterilised ceramic pots or glass jars.
- 11
Smooth the surface with a warm spatula and grate a little fresh nutmeg over the top.
- 12
Cover tightly and chill in the fridge for at least two hours before serving.
Chef's tips
Ensure the butter is properly softened at room temperature before starting, as cold butter will cause the rum to separate. Add the alcohol in very small increments while beating vigorously to maintain a glossy, stable emulsion.
Ingredient substitutions
- dark muscovado sugar → dark brown soft sugar
- light muscovado sugar → golden caster sugar
- dark rum → brandy
Storage
Store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to three months.
Reheating
Do not reheat; serve chilled or allow to sit at room temperature for ten minutes before spreading.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding the rum too rapidly, which causes the fat and liquid to split.
- •Using cold butter directly from the fridge, leading to a greasy, lumpy texture.
- •Skipping the sifting step, leaving unpleasantly hard sugar lumps in the spread.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Cumberland Rum Butter?
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