By Rupa Seenaraine
Holiday baking is an abiding tradition in every Guyanese household during the Christmas season and as the day draws nearer, these wafting aromas become part of the local experience.
The highly-anticipated cakes, be it fruit or sponge, are usually the main dessert options this time around, but with the advent of modernisation, some persons have abandoned these flavours to settle for newer favourites.
However, for one baker, nothing speaks of a true Christmas spread like the smell and sight of traditional Guyanese cakes.
In an interview with Guyana Times, 25-year-old Rohini Rambaghan shared that the fruit cake should be a part of every menu, given its versatility and incomparable taste. It is generally made with a concoction of macerated tropical fruits and spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg among other ingredients.
On the other hand, the sponge cake is known for its airy texture and golden colour, with a hint of vanilla. Then, there is the classic Guyanese black cake, whose importance Rambaghan stressed. It is usually soaked in alcohol. This can be made well in advance to allow the flavours to develop and as it is, many Guyanese start their Christmas preparations in advance.
With these classic flavours in mind, the baker said there was no reason why these should not be part of the picture during the holidays.
“Holiday traditions as it relates to baking is going full Guyanese style with the traditional cakes. I find that sponge cakes are a lot of persons’ favourite, so that should be a must. However, I think that Guyanese should also give the black cake a try. I definitely think traditional fruit cake should be a part of everyone’s menu,” she shared.
Rambaghan, who has a full-time job, recently launched her business “Bake You Happy by Rohini”. Hailing from Herstelling on the East Bank of Demerara, she said that baking has been a passion of hers for some time and during the COVID-19 pandemic, she was able to realise one of her dreams.
“To be honest, I’ve always loved baking so much more than cooking. My friend at work tagged me in a Facebook recipe post, I gave that recipe a try and it was a favourite. Even those who never liked cake, they kept asking for more. The pandemic did me great, it made me realise one of my dreams.”
For those who are busy or scared of attempting to give it a try, she is taking orders for the traditional fruit, sponge and black cakes. There is also a choice of decorative chocolate, vanilla, or red velvet cakes.
For people who would like to bake for the experience, Rambaghan noted that there were many different ways of attempting it. Her first piece of advice is to make use of social media platforms, such as YouTube, which has tons of content and steps to guide the process.
“There are so many different ways to make one cake, if you fail once, twice or even thrice, then keep trying, because you will get it right. Also, you should note that the most difficult challenges will definitely make every difficulty a cakewalk once it’s mastered.”
On the side of new trends, there are also a few items which millennials might find interesting.
Rambaghan has perfected her collection of freshly baked cheesecakes and scrumptious cupcakes which can also be part of one’s newfound Christmas traditions, or just something different. Decorating cookies with holiday patterns can also make the list.
