Keisha Shakespeare-Blackmore, Staff Reporter

The winning cake, courtesy of Claudette Franscique had judges going for seconds and thirds.

"Wow!", "mmm", "Yummy," echoed the judges as they bit into piece after piece of Claudette Franscique's cake during the judging of the J. Wray & Nephew Red Label Wine Christmas Cake Contest on Monday, December 17, held at The Gleaner's North Street office.

As they savoured seconds, thirds and even a fourth piece, one said this cake definitely has the want-more factor. Another remarked, "There goes the diet." The third said passionately, "This cake has everything; it is rounded, harmonious and nothing jumps out at you." The fourth judge could hardly contain herself and as she ate the fourth piece, all she managed to breathe out was a long "mmmm", licking the crumbs from her fingers.

This year, contestants travelled from all across the island from as far as Portland and St. James to participate in the contest. Food even received an entry from someone in England who wanted to be a part of our annual contest. Also, entrants were not taking any chances, they took things up a notch and pulled out all the stops to win the competition. Their recipes and presentations were very creative and absolutely outstanding.

Themes

Janice Edwards uses her Christmas cake to make a garden setting, very creative. - Photos by Andrew Smith/Photography Editor

The winner, Ms. Franscique, chose a tropical theme. It featured fresh hibiscus petals on and around the cake, also poinsettias and coloured Christmas lights.

While in second place, Natalee Ffrench's presentation depicted the Christmas-gift theme. She even topped it off with Christmas carol on a CD player. Little gifts bags, lights, tokens and the cake itself, which was made as a nicely wrapped gift that read, "just for you", were place nicely under her miniature Christmas tree.

Third-place winner, Verna Gordon-Binns, went with a Christmas cake and sorrel theme with an emphasis on Jamaican fruits. She used caramelised sorrel, garden cherries, and fresh sorrel petals scattered around the cake, it was unique and creative.

Other contestants such as Jassette Jackson created a bundt style Christmas cake with mini cakes on top and pineapple chunks around the perimeter.

Janice Edwards created a garden setting, using a small cake to make a flower pot with poinsettias growing from it. She used crumbled cake to represent the soil and a cake knife stuck in it giving the impression of a shovel stuck in the dirt. And of course, there was the watering can which brought it all together.

Yvonne Coleman took us to fantasy land with her cake smothered in whipped cream with fruits sprinkled all over the top. It was very colourful and the judges agreed that it would entice children who do not normally like fruit cake.

Leslie Bernard spread the season's cheer with her cake that declared, "Merry Christmas" in royal icing.

Carmen Clarke placed an angel on the top of her cake that portrayed the spirit of the season.

The recipes, too, were quite interesting; some added ingredients that you would never imagine putting into a Christmas cake. Some added Jamaican fruits such as mango, pineapple, lychee, coconut and sorrel. If you love a little crunch in your cake, one featured coconut bits! Others used jams, stout, molasses, coconut milk and oil, even peanut porridge mix - talk about being creative.

However, despite all the creativity, Claudette Franscique emerged the winner. When her name was announced, she jumped and screamed. By the time she was presented with her gifts, she was in tears. She told Food that her daughter Michelle was her inspiration and she could not decorate her cake the night before because she was overwhelmed. But, her daughter inspired her and she did it the morning of the competition.

Second place went to last year's winner, Natalee Ffrench, who the judges said has improved a lot in her presentation and she should keep up the good work (she will be a judge next year). Third place went to Mrs. Gordon-Binns.

A gift just for you, courtesy of Natalee Ffrench, second-place winner of the Red Label Wine Christmas Cake Contest.