By Stephen Weir

What says holidays more than a slice of rum soaked Black Cake? Or maybe  a boozy Fruit Cake? Or better yet a to-die-for Christmas Cake? For the fifty or so people who stopped by A Different Booklist Cultural Centre last Friday the best way to figure it out was try a slice of all three.

For the third year in a row, the Cultural Centre on Bathurst Street held a Black Cake competition to see who could make the best seasonal cake.  With entries coming from as far away as New York State, there were a lot of different tastes to choose from.

Judges John Brunton, Pearlyn Baptiste, Michael Lashley, Rocky Jacobs, Sharifa Jordan, Johannes Campbell and Sharita Girvan-Campbell weren’t allowed seconds, so every bite counted. After much lip smacking they choose a cake made by Andria Henry as this year’s Black Cake contest winner.  People dropping into the Cultural Centre to take in the event thought differently. They voted Debbie Ramdeth as the People’s Choice winner.

“You know, a lot of people missed out on the Black Cake contest this year because they forgot the date,” said co-chair of the event Alicia Sealey. “So fair warning, mark your calendars as this event will be held every year on the first Saturday in December from 2 – 5pm”

Itah Sadu, the owner of the Different Booklist, says that despite the work it took to put on the event, it was well worth the effort. “You all helped make this year’s Black Cake Competition a success. It was a well-attended evening of fun, food, storytelling, and sharing cherished memories. Most importantly it fostered an awareness and support of the entrepreneurs who work so hard in the community.”