Chuckling over a bowl of creamy rum and raisin ice cream with a few grains of cashew nuts is Amanda’s pastime. A pleasant person, full of energy to bubble over, Amanda is a recent graduate of the University of the West Indies (UWI) and a holder of a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication Studies and English. During her tenure at UWI, she managed her academic studies with commitments to the formation of the Communication Studies Association (CSA), her part-time job at Student Advisory Services and secretarial duties of the Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship. Now, a budding marketing personnel, Amanda focuses on career development while making time to consider graduate study options, volunteer at her church and as a contributing writer to CSA’s newsletter, among other things. Always smiling, Amanda in her quiet moments takes delight in planning events, viewing a good movie and spending time with her family. For her, writing is a means of giving back, so join her as she writes from her experience and more so her soul.

Tis’ the season to be jolly… There are so many unique traditions at this time of year, it’s hard to memorize all of them. One thing that stands is that the individual who bites into my mother’s dense, flavor-filled chunk of fruitcake is unlikely to forget the sensation or the occasion that prompted it. As for the origin of the tradition of the fruit cake, that’s a little harder to recall as the fruit cake bears the brunt of Caribbean diversity in terms of texture and taste. Yet the fruit cake’s historical association with the Holy Land remains constant. In the retelling of the Roman origin of fruit cake, one remembers its preserved nature and richness, both hallmarks of the season recited through the Christmas story. Enjoy!

  Fruit Cake    

1lb Raisins

1lb Prunes

1lb Currents

1 Dozen Eggs

1lb Brown Sugar

2 tsp Baking Powder

¼ lb Cut Cherries

1 lb Butter

1 ¾ lbs Sifted Flour

1 Bottle Browning

1 Bottle Cherry Brandy

Some Local Rum

One Dash Vanilla Essence

  Grind fruits and soak in cherry brandy and local rum, this can be done week in advance or on the same day. In a larger silver bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.Mix browning into fruit mixture until colour is desired. Beat eggs in a separate bowl and add in part to the creamed butter and sugar. Beat mixture well. Add all fruit including cut cherries to the butter mix. Sift flour and baking powder twice and add to mixture along with essence. Stir well. Preheat over at 350 degrees depending on your oven. Grease two 9” cake pans and pour in fruit cake  mix. Bake until cake leaves the side of the pan.

  Serve cool with a glass of chilled punch-a-crème.