Basbousa - Eggless Egyptian Semolina Yogurt Cake
This semolina cake recipe is inspired by basbousa from the Middle East. Coarse semolina flour and rose water syrup create a moist texture in this simple and easy cake!
Ingredients
Semolina Cake
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 cups coarse semolina flour
- 1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter, melted (plus more for greasing the baking dish)
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup whole almonds
Simple Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon rose water
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 1 cup granulated sugar, semolina flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
- To the dry ingredients, add the melted butter, milk and yogurt. Mix well with a spoon or spatula. The cake batter will be pretty runny at this stage.
- Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour so the semolina flour can absorb the moisture in the batter and thicken. The batter will be thick and less runny after resting.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x9 inch or 8x8 inch baking dish with butter.
- Spread the cake batter into the greased baking dish and smooth it out with the back of a spoon.
- Use a kitchen knife to cut 1-inch squares into the cake batter. The batter will be thick enough that the cuts will remain after baking. Place one almond in the center of each square.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the cake is golden.
- While the cake bakes in the oven, prepare the simple syrup. In a medium saucepan, add the water and 1 cup of granulated sugar. Heat on medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, after about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the rose water. Set aside to cool.
- Immediately pour the simple syrup over the cake. You may need to pour half of the syrup, let it soak in for a couple minutes, then pour more syrup on the cake.
- Let the cake cool and continue soaking in the syrup for at least 30 minutes before serving. Re-cut along the lines and enjoy!!
Notes
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- Don't skip allowing your cake batter to rest. This gives the semolina flour time to absorb moisture and form its signature texture.
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- Cutting the batter into pieces before baking makes it easier to place a single almond on each slice, and it makes it easier to re-slice after baking.
- Store leftover slices in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Use coarse semolina flour, not fine semolina flour or farina.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slicecCalories: 135kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 2gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 70mgPotassium: 65mgFiber: 1gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 25IUCalcium: 53mgIron: 0.2mg
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