Christmas is a time to share, not just love and laughter but goodies too. As such, this holiday, our goal is to share goodies from various countries.

The region is beautifully diverse.  First, in terms of nationality as each country presents unique characteristics found only upon its landscape.  However, also within each nation, there is more variety.

From our assortment of peoples come an opportunity to appreciate variations in our language, art forms and yes, our food. So that’s what we want to talk about, our various types of delicacies. While there may be similar foods amongst the nations, each country puts their ‘spin’ on familiar recipes.

We want to look at recipes you know and love but taken from countries in our region. 

Let’s have our taste buds cross the distance as we borrow traditional Christmas recipes from places like Dominica,  Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Vincent and St. Lucia. 

We’ll begin with a holiday staple, the famous and well-loved black cake. We start our Christmas Recipes from around the Region series with a black cake recipe because if you’re going to try it, you will need some time to “soak your fruits”.   

A Guyanese black cake recipe

Ingredients:

1 lb raisins

1 lb preserved carambola (star fruit/five fingers) fruit

½ lb currants

½ lb prunes

1 cup brown rum

2 lbs brown sugar

1 lb butter

4 eggs, beaten

1 lb flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp mixed spices

¼ lb mixed peel

¼ lb chopped nuts

1 tsp vanilla flavouring

Preparation:

Early-up preparations

Wash and dry the fruits, then grind fruits and soak with ¾ cup of rum. Store the mixture in a covered glass jar for two weeks or longer.

For the caramel: Heat 1 lb of sugar in a heavy bottom frying pan until melted. Simmer until dark brown.

Cream butter and 1 lb sugar well, and then add beaten eggs a little at a time.  Next, add soaked fruits and rum. Pour in caramel, making mixture as dark as desired.

Add sifted flour, baking powder, mixed spice and vanilla flavouring. Fold in mixed peel and chopped nuts.

Pour mixture into baking dish. Bake in slow oven at 375F˚ for approximately 90 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted to test comes out clean;

Remove from oven, and lightly brush with rum.

—

We know there may be some variation in how you usually make it, but give this recipe a try. It’s a chance to do black cake the way the Guyanese do.

To pick up ingredients for this recipe, search your Findyello supermarket and grocers-retail listing to find a supermarket near you.

Next, we’ll trek up to Dominica to check out their version of a seasonal favourite—sorrel. Does your country have a recipe that you would like to share?  We want to hear it. Drop us a comment on Facebook or Instagram.  

From us to you, happy holidays!

Source: Guyana Inc.