As with many traditional foodstuffs, the precise list of ingredients can vary between different cooks and recipes, with currants and cinnamon being common additions or substitutions.

This local trade, augmented by smuggling, meant that these products, considered exotic and scarce elsewhere in the UK, were relatively available and affordable in Cumberland.

As a consequence, much of Cumberland's traditional local fare that dates from this period includes sugar, rum, dried fruit, and spices as major ingredients.

[4][1] The modern Cumberland rum nicky is commonly presented as a large, open-topped tart, designed to be sliced into individual portions before serving.

[4][1] The tart filling can vary between different regions and different cooks, but usually includes a large quantity of dried fruit, bound together with a mixture of rum, brown sugar and butter.