Sorrel Fruit Cake

Sorrel (hibiscus, zobo, sobolo, bissap) cake is another popular Caribbean fruit cake. It is also popular during the festive season, especially during Christmas season. It is sweet, tangy and moist. This is a sorrel lover delight

Directions

Soak the dry mixed fruits a few weeks to a year ahead. Wash the dried fruits, cut the lager once to the same size as the other fruits. Transfer the fruits to a container and pour in wine and or rum the cover the fruits. Soak the fruit for a few weeks to a year.
Wash 4 oz hibiscus petals, cook in water with cinnamon stick, cloves, nutmeg, orange peel. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and leave to steep and cool.
Blend the petal with a little of the sorrel extract until smooth and set aside.
The extract can be cooked down to create a concentrate and also added wine to make sorrel wine.
Soak a cup of dried cranberries and a cup of marachino cherries in the syrup. Soak till hydrated and blend . This is optional but helps with enhancing the color. You can use red color instead.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C)
Fill up a pan with water and put at the bottom rack of the oven. This is known as water bath. It prevents the cake from drying and burning because it bakes longer.
Grease and line the 10 inch pan with butter and parchment paper.
Sift the flour. To the flour, add cinnamon, salt, baking powder, allspice, ground nutmeg and whisk together.
In another bowl, crack in the eggs, add the zest of one lime and lime juice. Blend the soaked mixed fruits to your desired texture or consistency. Mixed fruits can be soaked for a few weeks s to a year in wine and rum. The mixed fruits can also be stewed in case of an urgent need.
In a mixing bowl, beat the butter for a few minutes with an electric mixer, add in the sugar gradually and beat until light and fluffy. Always scrape the side of the bowl frequently to ensure that everything is properly mixed.
Add the eggs one at a time and continue to beat until well mixed. Add in the mixed fruits, the blended cranberries and cherries (red mixed fruits puree), sorrel puree, vanilla extract, rose water and mix.
With a spatula, fold in the dry ingredients gradually. Add the flour a third at a time.
Add a tablespoon of sorrel concentrate if not satisfied with color
Add sorrel wine to lighten and flavor the batter. It will also bring back some color. Sorrel batter tends to lose it color when mixed with flour
Pour the mixed batter into a greased 10 inch pan, smooth the top and tap lightly to remove any air bubbles
Place directly above the water bath and bake for 2 1/2 - 3 hrs or until the toothpick or skewer comes out clean.
Cool on a rack until completely cooled. Pour or spray some sorrel wine over the the cake while the cake is still hot. The cake will soak up the alcohol and this help to moisten and flavor the cake.

Ingredients:

3 cups All Purpose flour

2 cups unsalted Butter (same as 1 pound or 4 sticks)

2 cups Brown sugar

6 Eggs

1 cup of soaked fruit mix

1/2 cup red mixed fruit puree

3 cups Hibiscus flower puree

1 tsp of Lime or Lemon juice

1 tsp Lime or Lemon zest

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 tsp Rose water

1 tsp Allspice

1 tsp Nutmeg

1 tsp Salt

2 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 cup Sorrel wine

Pan size: 10 inches Bake at 300 degrees F for 2 1/2 - 3 hours