Giant Jamaica cake unveiled ahead of independence
Published:Sunday | July 28, 2024 | 12:21 AMJanet Silvera - Sunday Gleaner Writer
In a spectacular celebration of Jamaica’s 62nd Independence anniversary, S Foods Supermarket unveiled what is believed to be the largest cake in the nation’s history during its grand opening on Worthington Avenue in Kingston yesterday.
The monumental cake, measuring an impressive 924 square feet (42’ x 22’), served as the event’s breathtaking centrepiece, adorned in the national colours of black, green, and gold.
Executive Chef Veyona Martin led the ambitious project, dedicating 160 hours alongside her dedicated team to prepare the masterpiece. “It is wonderful to do something like this. We have never done anything like this before,” Martin shared.
The preparation process was a feat in itself, utilising nine cases of eggs, eight cases of boxed milk, 450 pounds of margarine, and 450 pounds of sugar. To finish the cake, 2,400 pounds of icing was applied. The baking and assembly were equally monumental, with four individuals handling the baking and 14 focusing on decoration. The cake required 410 baking trays, each measuring 18 by 26 inches.
Largest cake
seen in Jamaica
Pastry Chef Marlon Munroe, who has 21 years of experience, confirmed that the cake is the largest he has seen in Jamaica. “No other cake has come close. The previous largest cake in Jamaica, created by Chef Jacqui Tyson, was eight feet by eight feet. This one takes the record,” Munroe said.
Chef Maurice Mullings expressed his excitement about participating in the creation of such an iconic masterpiece. “This is iconic and speaks to the saying, ‘Jamaica likkle, but we tallawah.’ The people who saw the cake were in awe and some in disbelief. It makes a great conversation piece,” Mullings added.
Christopher Issa, who commissioned the confection, emphasised the importance of celebrating national pride. “As we celebrate our 62nd anniversary of Independence, it is befitting for us to celebrate with a grand cake,” Issa remarked.
Previously, Issa commissioned the largest Clarks shoes in Jamaica, a 12-foot-high sculpture by renowned artist Scheed Cole.
Valued at approximately $2 million, the cake will be donated to several charities and homes for the indigent across Jamaica, Issa said.
While this cake is the largest ever made in Jamaica, the Guinness World Record for the largest cake belongs to a 5.3-kilometre-long vanilla cake covered in chocolate ganache. Created by around 1,500 chefs from the Bakers Association of Kerala in India in January 2020, that record-setting cake used over 12 tons of sugar and flour.