Panamanian drunken soup – Sopa Borracha Panameña

The translation of today’s recipe is drunken soup. But no, it isn’t a soup at all. It is a delicious dessert from Panama, very popular in weddings and quinceaños.

This is the first time that I attempt to make this dessert, the occasion? Fernando’s 3th birthday. It wasn’t a big party, but I take every opportunity I have to cook typical Panamanian food and get some extra feedback. And I have to say that the feedback was very good, so here it is.

Sopa Borracha

However, this cake wasn’t the chosen one for blowing the candles, but this one. Inspired by this blog.

Under all those m&m’s and kit kats was an incredible, fast and furious chocolate cake from Joy of baking my “to go” web for delicious recipes.

Here’s the recipe for Sopa Borracha panameña:

Ingredients

Sponge cake

• 3 cups flour
• 12 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¹/₄ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest or vanilla

Syrup

• 2 cups of raisins
• 2 cups of prunes
• 2 cups of rum
• 2 cups of Muscat wine
• 2 cups dry sherry or brandy or port wine
• 1 ¹/₂ cup sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 12 cloves
• 2 lemon slices
• 2 cups of water

Directions

Sponge cake

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add the egg yolks and sugar gradually.

Gently fold the sifted flour with salt and baking powder into the egg mixture.

Finally add the lemon zest or vanilla.

Pour the mixture into a cake pan, lined with wax paper. Bake for 45 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool and reserve.

Syrup

Marinate prunes and raisins in a bowl with rum, sherry and muscatel. It’s preferable to let them soak overnight.

In a small saucepan, pour water, sugar, lemon slices, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a boil and let it simmer until it becomes a syrup, no too thick.  Strain and let cool.

Once the syrup is cooled, stir in the mixture of raisins and prunes with liquor.

Cut the cake into small squares or rhombuses and place them in a deep serving dish and bathe with the syrup and let them soak well (“to get drunk”). Garnish with prunes and raisins. Traditionally in Panama we use silver dragees as decoration too.

You can serve this dessert directly in the serving dish or in individual portions like I did.

Enjoy!

Adapted from La cocina clásica de Panamá II by Rosita Córdoba