Margie’s Kitchen in Boston: Rum – Part II

Gingerbread with Rum Butter
There are some interesting rum-based recipes in the Beatrix Potter’s Country Cooking (1995) by Sara Paston-Williams. A word of warning, the recipes are reflection of the Lake District area where Potter lived. Some people might be offended by the recipe for RABBIT CASSEROLE WITH CHEESE AND HERB DUMPLINGS!

Warm Sticky Gingerbread with Cumberland Rum Butter (page 111)
1 cup black treacle (molasses)
1 cup demerara sugar (raw cane sugar; I used brown sugar)
1 cup butter (I used 1 and ½ sticks)
2 large beaten eggs, beaten
2 ½ cups “strong plain flour”
Pinch salt
1 ½ tablespoons ground ginger
1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
Sprinkle nutmeg
1 ¼ cup warm milk
2 teaspoons baking soda

Rum Butter (1/2 recipe)

½ cup soft brown sugar
⅛ Whole nutmeg, freshly grated (1 ½ teaspoons)
2 Tablespoons dark rum (less for more solid butter mix)
¼ unsalted butter

Some of the terminology used in this cookbook may require a British reference source.

Pre-heat oven to 300° F.

“Put treacle, sugar and butter in saucepan and melt over a gentle heat, stirring all the time. Remove from heat and stir in the beaten eggs. Sieve the flour with the salt and spices into a large mixing bowl and stir in the melted treacle mixture. In a separate bowl, pour the warm milk over the bicarbonate of soda and stir well. Add the flour and treacle mixture and mix together well.”
“Pour into greased and line 20-cm (8-inch) square cake tin and bake in the centre of a cool oven for about 1 hour, or until firm to the touch.”
“Meanwhile, to make the rum butter, mix the sugar, nutmeg and rum in basin. Melt the butter and pour over the other ingredients. Mix well, then pour into a bowl and leave to set. The butter is ready to use, but can be kept in a cool place, well-covered, for several weeks. If you find it too sweet for you, reduce the quantity of sugar by half.”

Serve gingerbread warm with the rum butter. I also like serving it with lemon curd or hot lemon pudding.