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Sopa Borracha Panameña

Name: Sopa Borracha Panameña
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 sponge cake (about 12 oz / 340 g), preferably a day old, cut into 2-inch cubes; 1 cup raisins; 1 cup pitted prunes, halved; 1 cup dark rum; 1 cup sweet sherry; ½ cup red wine; 2 cups water; 1½ cups sugar; 2 cinnamon sticks; 6 whole cloves; 2 strips orange or lemon zest

A traditional Panamanian dessert — Sopa Borracha, or ‘drunken soup,’ is a festive sponge cake soaked in a spiced syrup of rum, wine and sherry.

⏱ 30 minPrep time

🔥 40 minCook time

🍽 8Servings

🏷 Panamanian KitchenCategory

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A traditional Panamanian dessert — Sopa Borracha, or ‘drunken soup,’ is a festive sponge cake soaked in a spiced syrup of rum, wine and sherry. Despite the name it is not a soup at all, but the dessert every Panamanian wedding, quinceañera and Christmas party is organized around. Plumped raisins and prunes soaked in the same spirits crown the boozy, spoon-soft cake.

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Step by stepInstructions

Soak the raisins and prunes in the rum, sherry and wine for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Simmer the water, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and citrus zest for 15 minutes until lightly syrupy; strain and let cool.
Combine the cooled syrup with the soaked fruits and their liquor.
Arrange the cake cubes in a deep serving dish and pour the syrup over them, turning gently so every piece soaks evenly.
Let the cake rest 15 minutes so it absorbs the syrup, then garnish with the raisins and prunes.
Chill briefly and serve cold with a spoon; it should be soft, moist and a little tipsy.

💡 Chef tips & storage

A slightly stale sponge cake soaks up the syrup even better than a fresh one. This dessert is boldly sweet and alcoholic — let the cake rest so it drinks in the syrup, and keep portions modest.

Recipe details

Prep30 min

Cook40 min

Servings8

CategoryPanamanian Kitchen

PublishedAugust 17, 2026

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

Sopa Borracha Panameña

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Sopa Borracha Panameña

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Recipe details

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