Sorghum cake is definitely one of those Southern comfort desserts! Made with sorghum syrup, or sorghum molasses, it tastes very similar to a spice cake.
Since sorghum is the main sweetener in this recipe, there is no need for a super sweet frosting. This sorghum cake recipe turns out sweet and moist.
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What you will love about this sorghum cake recipe
When it comes to Southern food, there is no lack of flavor! This delicious sorghum cake recipe takes advantage of the locally grown sweetener and if you have never had it, you need to try it!
This recipe will take you on a journey down south, and let me tell you right now, they know how to be foodies down there!
Tips
One of the main steps of this recipe is taking care that the sorghum molasses dissolves completely.
The way to make sure that this happens is by taking hot or boiling water and pouring it over the sorghum to help it dissolve.
Ingredients
Obviously, the main ingredient in this recipe is the sorghum syrup or sorghum molasses. Sorghum is a plant that actually originated in Egypt but grows very well in the warmer southern region in the United States.
If you go down south around late July you will see fields full of sorghum plants.
Sorghum is not only used as a sweetener. Sorghum can actually yield “sorghum flour” which is a protein dense flour that can also be used in cooking and baking.
We are not using sorghum flour in this recipe, but we are going to be using sorghum molasses.
Sorghum syrup, also called sorghum molasses, is very sweet. It is NOT the same thing as regular molasses. Standard molasses comes from the sugar cane plant and has more earthy undertones.
Sorghum molasses comes from the sorghum plant and has a deep sweet flavor, without the earthy tones.
Depending on where you live, you may have a hard time finding sorghum molasses to buy. I recommend visiting a farmers market, or ordering some online. But don’t use regular molasses in this recipe.
It is an extremely dark syrup and it will make your cake look dark also.
Ingredients for Sorghum Cakes:
- Sorghum molasses
- Sugar
- Butter
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Ginger
- Hot water
How to make Sorghum cake
Preheat the oven to 350°F
Heat up the water to hot or almost boiling.
Put the molasses in a small mixing bowl and pour the hot water over it, whisking it so that it dissolves, or mostly dissolves.
Let it cool for about 5-10 minutes before adding it into the cake batter.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the room temperature butter and sugar until fluffy.
Add vanilla and the egg.
Add the sorghum and water.
Sift together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, and spice) and while the mixer is on low, slowly add the dry ingredients and incorporate it all together.
Once the batter is smooth, prepare a 9.5-10” bundt pan by generously buttering the bottom and sides. Pour the batter into the cake pan and place it in the oven.
Bake for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for about 15 minutes before removing it from the pan. Let the cake cool completely before serving.
Serve individual cake slices with whipped cream.
Variations
While this cake is sweet enough that it doesn’t really need a heavy or overly sweet frosting, you can choose to apply frosting if you want to.
I recommend just serving it with homemade whipped cream, but you could also serve it with cream cheese frosting.
Since this cake is very similar to a spice cake, cream cheese frosting seems fitting to pair with it.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this cake at room temperature topped with whipped cream and with some coffee to wash it down. Store it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Equipment
- Kitchen stand mixer with paddle attachment
- 9.5-10” bundt cake pan
FAQ’s
Is sorghum interchangeable with molasses?
In general, you can substitute molasses with sorghum but you will need to add more sugar if using molasses, since sorghum is sweeter that molasses.
However, I don’t recommend substituting molasses into this recipe. You may end up with a more earthy flavor from the molasses.
What’s the difference between sorghum and molasses?
Both of these sweeteners are made from different plants. Sorghum syrup comes from the sorghum plant but molasses comes from sugar cane.
Pure sorghum is sweeter than molasses, and molasses tends to have a more earthy flavor.
What do you use sorghum molasses for?
Sorghum molasses is a sweetener syrup that can be used in molasses cookies, cakes and is a great substitute for corn syrup.
Sorghum molasses is great in pecan pie and other recipes calling for corn syrup with a substitution ratio of 1:1.
📖 Recipe
Sorghum Cake
Equipment
- Kitchen stand mixer with paddle attachment
- 9.5-10” bundt cake pan
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sorghum molasses
- 1 cup boiling water
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ cup salted butter 1 stick, room temperature
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoons ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Measure the sorghum syrup into a medium size mixing bowl and bring the water to a boil.
- Pour the boiling water over the sorghum molasses and whisk it together until it begins to break up and dissolve. Set aside and let cool slightly.
- In the mixing bowl of a kitchen stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the room temperature butter and sugar together for 1-2 minutes until fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix together.
- Make sure the sorghum and water has cooled significantly before adding it to the batter. Mix it in until incorporated.
- Sift the flour, salt baking soda, cinnamon cloves and ginger together.
- Slowly beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until it is all incorporated and smooth.
- Generously butter a 9.5-10 inch bundt cake pan and pour the prepared batter into it.
- Place it in the center of the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes before removing it from the pan.
- Serve when cooled with whipped cream. Enjoy!
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