How To make Hot Buttered Rum Muffins

1/2 cup butter or margarine

softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup milk
5 tablespoons rum :

divided
3 tablespoons sugar
* Beat butter at medium speed with electric mixer until creamy. Add 1/2 cup s ugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
* Combine flour and next 4 ingredients. Combine milk and 3 tablespoons rum. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning an d ending with flour mixture. Beat mixture at low speed until blended after eac h addition.
* Spoon into greased muffin pans, filling three-fourths full.
* Bake at 375F for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. Remove from pans immedia tely; place on a wire rack.
* Combine remaining 2 tablespoons rum and 3 tablespoons sugar in a small sauce pan; cook over low heat, stirring constantly; until sugar dissolves. Brush ove r warm muffins.