Yuletide in Jamaica is incomplete without the ubiquitous, dark, fruitcake, the cornerstone of holiday treats with time-honoured recipes baked with love, and shared with family and friends, creating memories to last a lifetime.

This tradition was put to the ultimate test on Thursday, December 12 as six bakers from across the island converged on the Valencia A meeting room of the S Hotel in New Kingston for the 2024 Jamaica Observer Christmas Bake-Off Challenge. From a pool of 50 hopefuls who submitted video entries, the final six were given the opportunity to impress Jamaica Observer Senior Associate Editor, Lifestyle and Social Content Novia McDonald-Whyte, Jamaica Observer Food Awards judges Matthew Hogarth and Patricia Henry, Supreme Ventures Limited Corporate Communications Manager Chloleen Daley-Muschett, Tooksies Jamaica Principal Alexa Von Strolley, and ATL Jamaica Marketing Manager Andre Mangue with their baking skills.

For this year’s competition, The Jamaica Observer partnered with Supreme Ventures Limited, Gas Pro, ATL Jamaica, Caribbean Producers Jamaica (CPJ) Foods, Kerrygold, Perry’s Manufacturing Co Ltd and Gold Seal Flour.

At stake was an array of prizes including cash prizes, a brand-new stove as well as a free supply of gas. After McDonald-Whyte introduced the judges as well as the finalists, it was time for the final round. Whose Christmas cake would get the winning nod?

The cakes were evaluated based on visual appeal, taste, texture, consistency and balance of ingredients. One by one, the finalists, Camona Burton, King Tucker, Michelle Smith, Samantha Knight, Shanika Nelson and Tashna Morris, proceeded to present their creations, each highlighting the stories behind each to the panel of judges.

Which each bite, the judges were either assessing the taste from the traditional soaking and stewing of the fruits for Burton’s cake and the eggnog that was paired with it, the texture of the pudding fusions for the entries by Smith and Knight, the fruit jam for Tucker’s effort, the presentation of Nelson’s cake with icing sugar and a cherry on top for a signature look, or the combination of Morris’s cake with blue frosting.

Presentations over, the judges knocked heads to make the difficult decision of determining this year’s top three.

When the last crumb was eaten, it was Burton, a finalist from last year, who claimed victory. Thanks to her take on her mother’s recipe, she was rewarded with a $200,000-cash prize courtesy of Supreme Ventures Limited, gift baskets from CPJ and Gold Seal Flour, a $30,000-gift voucher from Perry’s Manufacturing Co Ltd, six-month free gas refill from Gas Pro and a stainless steel Whirlpool 30-inch gas range from ATL Jamaica.

Burton revelled in the achievement, crediting her mother’s belief in her abilities after she had doubts about trying again this year.

“She has been a constant source of encouragement and tough love. I did not want to enter again. I was really worried about not even getting selected. But she said, if I don’t believe in myself, she will believe in me for the both of us. She has definitely been the reason for all of this,” Burton said.

Burton’s 2023 experience, when she placed third, was a blessing in disguise as she took feedback from the judges to perfect her craft.

“I listened to the judges’ feedback. One of the things I remembered the most was that my serving was too large last year. Part of the reason I served such a large piece last year was because when you are giving people cake, you must give people cake! You have to give them a whole cake not sliced. But I did a play on that this year and I did it round so it’s like they got their own mini-cake,” Burton said. “Also, the texture. I realised they preferred more of a ‘cakey’ texture so I worked on that and so it worked in my favour.”

Nelson finished second, winning $100,000 from Supreme Ventures, gift baskets from CPJ and Gold Seal Flour, a three-month free gas refill from Gas Pro and a $20,000 gift voucher from Perry’s. Smith captured third place, walking away with $50,000 from Supreme Ventures, gift baskets from CPJ and Gold Seal Flour, a three-month free gas refill from Gas Pro and a $10,000-gift voucher from Perry’s.

In recognising the finalists for their sterling efforts, McDonald-Whyte heralded the group for securing the enduring popularity of the Jamaican Christmas cake.

“It’s important that the tradition continues and it is nice to see the next generation continuing the tradition of the Christmas cake,” McDonald-Whyte said.

It was a message that hit home for Smith, who did not have such a traditional childhood and is eager to establish those customs now in her own family.

“A lot of people do not consider the Christmas cake to be that much of a big deal! I mean, you can just buy it in the store. But we don’t want that. We want to continue the tradition of the family coming together to bake at Christmas. This means a lot to me and I am determined to continue this worthy tradition” Smith said.