Sopa Borracha (Panamanian Rum-Soaked Cake)
In short: Plain butter cake soaked in a spiced rum syrup with raisins and prunes, chilled until tender and served in squares with extra syrup. It takes about 1 h 25 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Resting
- 6 h
- Total
- 1 h 25 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 440 kcal
Sopa borracha means drunken soup, though it is a cake, not a soup. Panamanians soak squares of plain butter cake in a rum syrup scented with cinnamon and cloves, studded with raisins and prunes, and serve it chilled at celebrations such as birthdays and Christmas. The cake drinks up the syrup and turns almost pudding-soft. Make it a day ahead so the syrup reaches the center.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Grease a 20 cm (8 in) square pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Beat the butter and sugar for 4 minutes until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. Fold into the batter in two additions, alternating with the milk, just until no streaks remain.
- Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan, at least 2 hours.
- For the syrup, combine the sugar, water, cinnamon, cloves, raisins and prunes in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until slightly syrupy. Cool for 10 minutes and stir in the rum.
- Prick the cake all over with a skewer. Spoon the warm syrup and fruit slowly over it, letting each addition soak in. Keep it in the pan, or move it to a deep dish with edges.
- Cover and chill for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, spooning any pooled syrup over the cake once or twice.
- Cut into 12 squares and serve cold in shallow bowls with the fruit and some syrup.
Tips
- Short on time? Use a day-old store-bought pound cake of about 450 g (1 lb). Slightly stale cake soaks up syrup better than fresh.
- For a version without alcohol, replace the rum with 120 ml (1/2 cup) of white grape juice and 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and simmer the syrup 2 minutes longer.
Questions and answers
How long does sopa borracha keep?
Covered in the fridge it keeps for 4 to 5 days, and the flavor improves over the first 2 days. Take it out 15 minutes before serving.
Can I freeze sopa borracha?
Not once it is soaked, because the cake turns mushy after thawing. Freeze the plain cake for up to 3 months, then thaw it and soak it with fresh syrup.
Is sopa borracha very alcoholic?
The rum goes into cooled syrup and is not boiled, so much of the alcohol stays. Use the grape juice swap in the tips for children or guests who avoid alcohol.
How long does it take to make Sopa Borracha (Panamanian Rum-Soaked Cake)?
About 1 h 25 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 55 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Sopa Borracha (Panamanian Rum-Soaked Cake)?
About 440 kcal per serving, with 5 g of protein, 64 g of carbohydrates and 17 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 440 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 64 g |
| Fat | 17 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 45 g |
| Sodium | 200 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
