This pudding was born from a memorable visit to the Rum Museum in Whitehaven, where the history, aroma and romance of rum inspired a lighter, more playful take on the classic Christmas pudding. Instead of dense dried fruit alone, ripe bananas bring natural sweetness and softness, while rum-soaked sultanas, raisins and currants add familiar festive depth. The result is a pudding that feels luxurious yet surprisingly delicate—rich in flavour but not heavy, comforting without being cumbersome.
Featured in the Christmas Special of Cumbria Life Magazine (December 2023), it’s a dessert that bridges tradition and modernity, offering all the warmth and spice we crave at this time of year with a gentler, more fragrant profile. Crown it with caramelised bananas in their buttery rum sauce, and you have a showstopping finale for any festive table—one that invites everyone back for just one more spoonful.
Ingredients
- 100ml rum
- 100g sultanas
- 100g raisins
- 100g currants
- 2 small ripe bananas
- 2 tbsp marmalade
- 2 large eggs
- 100g soft dark brown sugar
- 100ml milk
- 50g plain flour
- 100g panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 tsp mixed spice
- A pinch of salt
- 100g cold unsalted butter
For the caramelised bananas
- 2 yellow, firm bananas
- 50g melted butter
- 50g soft brown sugar
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 50ml dark rum
- 100ml double cream
Method
Grease a 1-litre pudding basin and cover the bottom with a circle of baking parchment.
Warm the rum in a saucepan and stir in the raisins, sultanas currants and soda. Leave to steep for 15 minutes.
Peel the bananas and mash in a large bowl with a fork. Add the contents of the saucepan and the marmalade.
In another bowl whisk the eggs with the sugar and milk. Pour the egg into the bowl with the dried fruit. Add the flour, salt, breadcrumbs and mixed spice and stir to combine.
Holding the butter from its foil wrap, grate it into the bowl. Stir everything well and transfer to the pudding basin.
On a clean surface lay a large piece of silver foil. Add a layer of baking parchment on top. Turn over and make a pleat across the middle to allow expansion. Make a fold in the middle, turn over and use to cover the pudding basin with it. Cover the basin with a piece of baking parchment and cover that with a piece of foil to which you make a pleat to allow room to expand as the pudding steams. User a piece of string to secure the foil and use a bit of extra to make a handle and cut any excess foil.
Steam the pudding for 2 hrs. Test the pudding is cooked by inserting a skewer through the foil – if there is any wet mixture, steam for 15 mins more then check again. The pan should be simmering rather than boiling hard. Top up the water levels as it cooks, if you need to.
Let the pudding cool and leave in a cool dark place to mature. Don’t unwrap the foil.
To reheat, steam in a pan for 30 mins, or microwave on medium for 5 mins. Remove the foil to microwave, covering with clingfilm instead.
For the caramelized bananas, peel and slice into 1cm thick rounds. In a bowl, mix the sugar and allspice and drop the banana slices in to fully coat. Melt the butter in a large frying pan and fry the banana slices in a single layer until golden on one side. Turn over and fry on the other side. Use a spoon to remove the banana slices, add the rest of the sugar mix and rum and stir to melt. Cook until the sugar has melted. Add the double cream, cook until the sauce bubbles and add to the banana slices.
The caramelised bananas are also delicious over vanilla ice cream.
