Basbousa Recipe | Semolina Cake

5 from 7 votes

Basbousa Recipe | Semolina Cake

Basbousa, known as semolina cake, is a moist, fragrant, popular Middle Eastern dessert recipe. The semolina (suji rava) in the cake batter adds a unique texture, making this cake worth trying.

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Course: Desserts, sweets

Cuisine: Egyptian, middle eastern, Turkish

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: squares

Calories: 322kcal

Author: Kushi

Equipment

Baking pan
Parchment paper

Ingredients

For the syrup

1 cup Sugar
1 cup Water
1 tablespoon Lemon juice
½ teaspoon Rose water or orange blossom optional

2 Eggs
⅔ cup Sugar
1 ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
½ cup Melted butter Ghee
½ cup Oil
½ cup + 2 tbsp Yogurt
2 cups Semolina farina or sooji
½ cup Flour
½ to ¾ cup Coconut desiccated optional
2 teaspoon Baking powder
¼ teaspoon Salt
Almonds soaked, peeled and cut into halves

Instructions

Make the simple syrup

In a pot, add water and sugar and simmer until sugar dissolves.
1 cup Sugar, 1 cup Water
Add lemon juice and mix. Switch off the flame. Let this cool completely. Add rose water and mix.
1 tablespoon Lemon juice, ½ teaspoon Rose water or orange blossom

Making of the semolina yogurt coconut cake batter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a bowl, add egg and sugar and whisk well.
2 Eggs, ⅔ cup Sugar
To this, add vanilla extract, butter, oil, and yogurt and whisk until combined.
1 ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract, ½ cup Melted butter, ½ cup Oil, ½ cup + 2 tablespoon Yogurt
Now add semolina, flour, coconut, baking powder, and salt and mix well to form the thick cake batter. (If the batter looks too dry, then add 1 or 2 tablespoon milk and mix if needed)
2 cups Semolina, ½ cup Flour, ½ to ¾ cup Coconut, 2 teaspoon Baking powder, ¼ teaspoon Salt
Transfer this to an 8* 8 or 9 * 9-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper and spread using a spatula.
Make cuts for 16 squares using a knife. Place almonds on each square.
Almonds
Bake for 35 minutes or until the top becomes golden brown. (Personally, I love to broil for a crispy golden crust at the end. This is optional)
Run the knife again on these baked squares.
Add the syrup prepared above while the basbousa is still hot. Cover it with foil.
Let this rest for atleast 1 hour before serving.

Video

Notes

If the batter becomes very dry, add a splash of milk and adjust the consistency.
Depending on the weather conditions, brand of flour, and texture of semolina (farina), you may have to adjust the liquid.
Ghee can be used instead of butter or vice versa.
Substitute rose water with vanilla extract or orange blossom.
Substitute almonds with pistachios, or you can use both.
Using coconut and nuts is optional but adds a nice flavor to the cake.
Cake may look dry once it's baked, but after adding sugar syrup, it will turn soft and moist. But make sure you don't drench it either.
Sometimes, the cake may not turn golden brown after 30 to 35 minutes but don't cook it longer than needed. The cake may become hard.
Basbousa is an Arabic word in which bas means blend. It is called rava cake, revani, harissa, shamai, namoura, etc.

Nutrition