Light Sorrel Cake Recipe

Sorrel isn’t only for drinking. This light sorrel cake takes the sorrel we know and love at Christmas and turns it into a soft cake flavored with sorrel juice and fresh citrus, then adds even more sorrel with a syrup and creamy glaze.

When most Caribbean people think of sorrel, the first thing that comes to mind is the traditional Christmas drink. But the dried sorrel, also known as roselle or hibiscus, can be used for much more. If you’ve ever wondered about the names, I break it all down in my sorrel vs hibiscus guide.

And when I say sorrel cake, I don’t mean the heavier sorrel fruit cake you may have seen around Christmas. This one is a lighter cake with a citrusy sorrel flavor, sorrel syrup soaked into the cake, and a sorrel cream cheese glaze on top.

Why you’ll love this cake

This isn’t the traditional heavy sorrel fruit cake. It’s a soft, lighter cake with sorrel and citrus flavors running through every layer.

The sorrel juice goes into the batter, then the warm cake gets soaked with a simple sorrel syrup. Once cooled, it’s finished with a cream cheese glaze made with even more sorrel juice.

You get the sorrel flavor throughout the cake without it becoming heavy, and the citrus zest helps brighten everything up.

How to make a light sorrel cake

Key ingredients

This cake starts with familiar cake ingredients, but the sorrel and citrus are what give it its distinctive flavor.

• Sorrel: Dried sorrel is steeped to make a concentrated sorrel juice. You’ll use it in the cake batter, the syrup, and the glaze.
• Orange and lemon zest: Fresh citrus zest brightens the sorrel flavor. I use more orange zest than lemon so the citrus doesn’t overpower the cake.
• Butter and sour cream: Butter gives the cake its flavor and richness, while sour cream helps keep the crumb soft and moist.
• Flour and cornstarch: All-purpose flour forms the base of the cake, with a little cornstarch added for a softer texture.
• Cream cheese: A small amount of cream cheese gives the sorrel glaze a creamy, slightly tangy finish.

Instructions

Making the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour your Bundt pan well.
2. Add the dried sorrel to the water and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat, cover, and let steep until completely cooled. Strain and set the sorrel juice aside.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch. Set aside.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the sugar, orange zest, and lemon zest, then beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla extract.

6. Reduce the mixer speed and add one-third of the flour mixture, followed by 1/4 cup of the sorrel juice. Add another third of the flour, followed by the remaining sorrel juice.
7. Add the remaining flour and gently fold it into the batter with a rubber spatula until just combined. Don’t overmix. If you want a brighter red cake, you can add a few drops of red food coloring.

8. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared Bundt pan and gently tap the pan on the counter to help release any large air pockets.

9. Bake for 30–35 minutes. The cake is done when the center springs back when lightly touched and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
10. Transfer the cake, still in the pan, to a wire rack while you prepare the sorrel syrup.

Making and adding the sorrel syrup

1. Add the sorrel juice and sugar to a small saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved, then remove from the heat.
2. While the cake is still warm and in the Bundt pan, poke holes into it with a skewer.
3. Pour the sorrel syrup evenly over the cake. You can use a pastry brush to help spread the syrup over the surface.

4. Let the cake sit in the pan for another 10 minutes, then invert it onto a wire rack or serving plate and allow it to cool completely.

Making the cream cheese glaze

1. Mix the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and free of lumps.
2. Add 2 tablespoons of sorrel juice and 1 tablespoon of heavy cream. Mix until you have a thick but pourable glaze. Add a little more heavy cream if needed to reach the consistency you want.
3. Once the cake is completely cool, drizzle the glaze over the top. You can also transfer the glaze to a piping bag and pipe it over the cake, which is what I did.
4. Let the glaze set before slicing and serving.

Tips for success

• Let the sorrel juice cool: Make the sorrel juice first and let it cool completely before adding it to the cake batter.
• Use room-temperature ingredients: Bring the butter, eggs, and sour cream to room temperature before mixing. This helps everything combine more evenly.
• Use fresh citrus zest: I use both orange and lemon zest in the cake. You can adjust the zest slightly to suit your taste, but I prefer fresh zest for the best flavor.
• Don’t overmix the batter: Once you start adding the flour, mix only until everything is combined. I like to fold in the final portion of flour by hand with a rubber spatula.
• Let the cake cool before glazing: The cake should be completely cool before you add the cream cheese glaze, or the glaze can melt and run off.
• Watch the pan: I used a Bundt pan for this recipe, but you can use another appropriately sized cake pan. Baking time may vary, so start checking the cake early and use the doneness cues rather than relying only on the time.

Storing and serving

Because of the cream cheese glaze, store leftover sorrel cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let a slice sit at room temperature for a little while before serving if you prefer a softer texture.

You can serve the cake as is or pair it with whipped cream or a scoop of my soursop ice cream.

Frequently asked questions

More sorrel recipes

Have some sorrel left? Use it to make my classic Caribbean sorrel drink, mix up a sorrel rum punch or sorrel martini, or try my sorrel glazed chicken for something savory.

Recipe