The Mediterranean Dish

Mediterranean Recipes & Lifestyle

Basbousa: Almond Coconut Semolina Cake Recipe

122 Comments

It has been a while since I shared a dessert recipe here on the blog, so much for challenging myself to more baking! So, how about a little basbousa? Basbousa is an Egyptian semolina cake drenched in syrup. Today, I’m sharing my aunt Maha’s special recipe!

Basbousa recipe semolina cake from The Mediterranean Dish

It’s Easter weekend. Definitely the time when our minds are busy with egg-cellent recipes and ham or lamb dinners, am I right? In case you missed them, two of my favorite egg recipes are: shakshuka and this easy Mediterranean egg casserole. As far as lamb goes, I admit, I can’t quite decide on one; braised lamb chops, lamb rack, or lamb loin fillets? What have you decided on for your Easter dinner?

And for dessert?

Semolina treats are popular throughout the Middle East and parts of Europe. There are, quite frankly, too many semolina cake variations out there. Some recipes call for eggs, others call for yogurt. Some use a honey-based syrup, others use a sugar-based syrup. Some syrups are flavored with citrus like orange or tangerine peels, and others use spices like cinnamon or cloves. All semolina treats I have tried are pretty good, but my aunt Maha’s basbousa is my absolute favorite!

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Basbousa recipe semolina cake from The Mediterranean Dish

The date was July 18, 2014 when aunt Maha graciously e-mailed me her recipe for basbousa (semolina cake drenched in syrup). This is among her specialty dishes that I have counted on enjoying every time we visit her home in Toronto. And because we were not going back for a while, I asked for the recipe so that I can make it for my family and friends in Iowa. Ask and you shall receive!

Basbousa recipe semolina cake from The Mediterranean Dish

I don’t know why it took me this long to share this basbousa recipe on the blog. There are two theories behind my reluctance: my selfish desire to keep the recipe all to myself; or, that I am, subconsciously of course, extremely fearful that aunt Maha would not approve of me circulating her recipe. After all, this is a family recipe that she has kept close for years. And here I am, in just a few strokes of the keyboard, making it available to all! Then again, aunt Maha is one of the kindest most generous people I know. She would understand that this is for a greater good.

I have tweaked things slightly,  but this remains aunt Maha’s authentic Egyptian basbousa recipe. This is my kind of fuss-free dessert that yields impressive results. I hope you try it soon!

Remember to pin this recipe and share it with loved ones.

Here is the step-by-step for this basbousa (semolina cake):

(print-friendly recipe to follow)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the butter in a small bowl and melt in the microwave. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine together the sugar and yogurt. Now add in the semolina, baking powder and milk. Finally stir in the melted butter, and let the mixture sit briefly so that the butter is absorbed.

Basbousa recipe semolina cake from The Mediterranean Dish
Transfer the semolina mixture into a lightly greased 9″-round cake pan or baking dish.

Basbousa recipe semolina cake from The Mediterranean Dish

Bake in the 350 degrees F heated-oven for about 40-45 minutes. If necessary, broil ever so briefly so that the top of the basbousa gains color. Watch carefully. When ready, remove from oven.

While the basbousa is baking, prepare the cinnamon simple syrup. In a small sauce pan or pot, combine the sugar, water and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil on high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Turn heat to low and let cook for a few minutes until the syrup thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Let cool completely, then remove the cinnamon stick.

Basbousa recipe semolina cake from The Mediterranean Dish
As soon as the basbousa is removed from the oven, pour the cool syrup on the hot basbousa. Let cool completely; syrup must be absorbed into the cake. For best result, let it sit for 1 hour before serving.

When ready to server, top the cake with the coconut chips and the coconut and shaved almonds. Slice and enjoy!

Basbousa recipe semolina cake from The Mediterranean Dish Basbousa recipe semolina cake from The Mediterranean Dish

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Basbousa: Almond Coconut Semolina Cake Recipe

★★★★★

4.8 from 18 reviews

  • Author: The Mediterranean Dish
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 8
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 cup fine semolina PLUS 1 cup coarse semolina (or 2 cups coarse semolina or 2 cups original Cream of Wheat enriched farina)
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut or coconut chips
  • 1/4 cup shaved almonds

Cinnamon Simple Syrup:

  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 3/4 cup water
  • 1 short cinnamon stick
  • 1/4 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Place the butter in a small bowl and melt in the microwave. Set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine together the sugar and yogurt. Now add in the semolina, baking powder and milk. Finally stir in the melted butter, and let the mixture sit briefly so that the butter is absorbed.
  4. Transfer the semolina mixture into a lightly greased 9″-round cake pan or baking dish. Bake in the 350 degrees F-heated oven for about 40-45 minutes. If necessary, broil ever so briefly so that the top of the basbousa gains color. Watch carefully. When ready, remove from oven.
  5. While the cake is baking, prepare the cinnamon simple syrup. In a small sauce pan or pot, combine the sugar, water and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil on high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Turn heat to low and let cook for a few minutes until the syrup thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Let cool completely, then remove the cinnamon stick.
  6. As soon as the basbousa is removed from the oven, pour the cool syrup on the hot basbousa. Let cool completely; syrup must be absorbed into the cake. For best result, let it sit for 1 hour before serving.
  7. When ready to serve, top the cake with the coconut chips and the coconut and shaved almonds. Slice and enjoy!

 

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    ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! I love making exotic recipes, and this was a delicious and easy way to express my interest in international baking. Here are my notes:

    I sifted my semolina the way I would any flour (Bob’s Red Mill) and did all my mixing with a whisk or spoon – no mixer. When I added the butter, at first it appeared not to incorporate and pooled up, but after some gentle stirring and then 5-10 minutes to settle, it absorbed thoroughly into the batter and there was no trace. I greased my pan with unrefined coconut oil but did not flour it – 43 minutes achieved perfect doneness. The cake was unmistakably golden and very firm and sturdy when touched in the center. I was so proud.

    Instead of a cinnamon stick, I used a scant ½ tsp ground cinnamon and let my paranoia bully me into cooking the simple syrup about 20 minutes because I wanted to make sure it had thickened. I put it in the fridge (then freezer) to speed the cooling while the basbousa finished baking and stirred it occasionally. It wasn’t completely cool when I poured it over the hot cake. The syrup had boiled down to exactly 2 cups and I poured it slowly over every bit of the cake – it sits on top of the cake before slowly absorbing, and it briefly appeared to flood the pan, but I assure you, it all soaks in! We let it sit for a few hours before slicing and even our pickiest eater had a slice!

    Coconut and almonds provide a delightful crunch that really compliments this dense, delectably moist cake, but it is certainly flavorful enough on its own.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  2. I just happened to stumble upon this recipe and made it today. Actually it is getting baked in the oven as I’m writing this..I must say this is an awesome recipe which is quite easy to make if you have the ingredients at hand. I’m from Sri Lanka and we quite like some spices in our food. I just added a pinch of nutmeg to the batter and and cardomom to the syrup. Can’t wait to taste how good it is. Thanks Suzy!

    Reply

  7. If I don’t have coarse ground semolina, only fine-ground and farina, could I combine those two for 1 cup of each? I am not sure if the flavors would go well. Could I use 2 cups of just fine ground semolina?

    Reply

  8. Hi, I would like to try out this recipe tomorrow. What does 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbspoons butter mean? I am new at cooking and is not that familiar with the terms used.

    Reply

    • Hi Nihala! I am so sorry I just found your comment. The answer to your question is that you need to measure 1/2 cup of butter and add another 2 tablespoons of butter. Hope this helps.

      Reply

  9. Hi Suzy,

    I can’t wait to try out this recipe! Quick question, can I use fresh shredded coconut or does it have to be dry? I currently have fresh coconuts at home I’d like to use up.

    Reply

  11. This looks yummy and I can’t wait to make it!! I would like to use Hun instead of sugar for the syrup, can you suggest how much honey to use please.

    Reply

    • Hi Zahida. Generally speaking, if you want to make a honey simple syrup, you’d need to use 2 parts honey to 1 part water. So in this case, you are using 1 3/4 water, which means you’ll need 3 1/2 cups honey. But can start with 2 1/2 to 3 cups of honey. Hope you enjoy it!

      Reply

  12. I work with many Middle Eastern people and they exposed me to their cuisine at a local restaurant. The cook there makes an amazing basbousa and I, being a baker, wanted to try it. I found your recipe and followed it exactly… and my coworker’s declared it BETTER THAN THE RESTAURANT’S!!

    Amazing recipe. Thank you for sharing it!

    Reply

  13. This was absolutely delicious, easy, and addictive! I didn’t refrigerate it and it only lasted 2 days on the counter. I’m so glad for having this added to my recipe collection. Thanks for sharing it! I can’t wait to make this again.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  14. Hi,
    I made this desert just for my boys this Saturday, it was amazing, easy and tasty. I put a pinch of salt. It became even better after 2-3 hours. Thank you!!!

    Reply

  15. Thank you for sharing this story and your Aunt Mahas recipe. I made this for my fathers birthday. I come from a Greek heritage and we have a similar semolina cake but I wanted to make one without eggs or dairy as my father is fasting for Easter.
    I replaced the dairy with non dairy yoghurt, milk and butter and it came out amazing!! Thank you thank you for sharing this and big love to your Aunt!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  16. I prepared this cake today as part of a culinary class I got to teach to international high school students. We chose it as the dessert for our Middle Eastern feast! It was absolutely amazing. We didn’t have coconut, also we added a little rosewater to the syrup, and garnished the cake with the almonds and some edible rose petals!! It was wonderfully decadent. I was so proud of the students, too! Thanks for introducing me to this wonderful dessert which is now solidly a part of my repertoire!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • I am so glad to hear this, Julie! Thank you for giving this recipe a try. I am so glad you and the class enjoyed it. And thank you for taking the time to share with me.

      Reply

  17. Hi Suzy, I’m so excited to try this cake out as soon as possible. I prefer my desserts to be moderately sweet and so would like to know if it would be okay to reduce the sugar added to the cake part of the recipe, so that the syrup balances everything. I’m a bit concerned that the finished cake would be too sweet for my liking. Thanks 🙂

    Reply

  18. Just made this for a huge group and it was awesome. Multiplied it by 16 and used all fine semolina. Love this! Thank you.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  23. Hi Suzy

    I’m not entirely sure why this post has escaped my radar! As we’re cutting down on gluten in this house this is perfect. I’m sure I could make this with five grain polenta rather than semolina.

    I actually love these sort of cakes that are sticky sweet, rather than full of buttercream.

    Reply

  24. Hi there, this came out rathef tasty. I however did face a small challange. Like you instructed, I took out the hot basbousa frm the oven and poured the cooled sugar syrup and allowed it to cool.
    When I tried to undish it out of the baking pot, it would not move an inch. I had to eventually break it to dish it out. How can I take the whole round basbousa out of the baking dish without breaking it.

    ★★★★

    Reply

    • Bissie, thanks so much for sharing! I’m glad you found the basbousa tasty. So, as instructed at the very end of the step-by-step, when the basbousa is ready, after it absorbed the syrup, you simply top it with the coconut topping then slice and serve it by the slice. You do not actually “undish” the whole basbousa cake onto a serving plate…it is sticky as you experienced, and comes out one slice at a time as you see in the pictures. Hope this helps.

      Reply

      • Hi I am from India and while looking for recipes to use up some extra semolina I came across yours. I tried it and everyone in my family loved it!! The only problem was that it had become too soggy. It was only after a day that it dried out to the texture that was manageable but by that time only a couple of pieces were left ?. What i want to know is the actual quantity of syrup that should be poured onto the cake?

        Reply

        • Hi Bindu! Thanks for stopping in!!! So this cake is supposed to be quite drenched in syrup…and it does break apart easily. You are supposed to use all the syrup, pour on the hot cake and leave it for at least 1 hour so that the cake will completely soak the syrup in. It is messy…by sounds like your family enjoyed it. It’s a favorite of ours!

          Reply

    • Hi Maisah, I know you received my answer by e-mail, but I’ll answer here again for the sake of others. For this particular recipe, I highly recommend making the simple cinnamon syrup as opposed to using maple syrup. This cake is drenched in a lot of syrup, and maple syrup is fairly strong in flavor.

      Reply

  26. Quick Question….You pour the syrup on the cake while it’s still in the pan, and then let it sit for an hour or so, and then you flip it out upside down (from the 9-inch pan), and then you have to flip it again to be right side up, right?

    Is it a bad idea just to get it out of the pan immediately after baking and before putting the syrup on it to avoid flipping it around covered in syrup? Otherwise, I’d probably have to keep it in the pan (as it is not springform).

    Thanks—

    Reply

  27. Hi Suzy,

    The cake looks amazing and I really want to try it out. Only I cudn’t find all fine semolina. Would it be okay if I use coarse semolina? Would there be any changes required in the recipe?

    Reply

    • Deepti…thank you for your question. I am sorry that I haven’t been able to reply as quickly as I could to comments. Yes, you can use coarse semolina instead. No changes necessary 🙂

      Reply

  28. Thank you for sharing this recipe. It looks divine and must taste scrumptious. I have a work-do next week whereby we all need to bake, and now seeing this simple recipe, with an easy step by step plan, with pictures. It has now put me at ease.

    ★★★★

    Reply

  29. Hi Suzy,

    Indeed a beautifully looking cake. Thanks for sharing. Can’t wait to try.

    Just one question, how much in advance can I make this cake? and best way to store it (with/o syrup)?

    Reply

    • Hi Priyanka! So the syrup must be poured on the cake immediately when you take it out of the oven (when the cake is hot, it will absorb the syrup better). You let it sit for at least an hour before serving. As far as how long it will store; it won’t be that different from other cakes (2-4 days, refrigerated). If you refrigerate it, you’ll want to make sure it gets to room temperature before serving; you can also give it a quick warm up.

      Reply

    • Hi Sarah, it should thicken to a “syrup” consistency…If you’ve used like a maple or agave syrup for pancakes for example, this one should turn out similarly. But don’t worry if it’s not perfect. It’ll still taste great!

      Reply

      • Thanks Suzy! It turned out amazingly well! I’m half Saudi half Syrian and was making this for the first time for my mother on Easter (reminiscent of her sitou’s ba’lawa which was lost). My mother, brother and fiance loved the recipe and I took it into my office the next day (all-arab working environment) and everyone absolutely adored it! Total hit! So thank you :). Thanks so much for sharing and for your response. Will be using your website tons to add to all our family recipes as well 🙂

        ★★★★★

        Reply

  32. Would it be okay to mix the coconut with the other ingredients when making this recipe? I will serve to some kids and prefer not to top it on the cake. Thanks.

    Reply

    • Hi Mona, the coconut is not essential to this recipe. You can leave it out, or serve it on the side for those who might like to add it to their own pieces. If mixed in, it might dry out the basbousa. I haven’t tried it myself though. But that’s my initial thought.

      Reply

  33. This was absoloutely delish, made it for visitors and they raved about it. Will beaking again and again. Thanks ?

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  34. Lovely recipe! Do you know if I could use all fine semolina for it, though? I recently ordered fine semolina for bread and have lots of it!

    Reply

  35. when i poured the syrup on the cake it was floating about in the container in a sea of syrup. i was scared that i had put i too much syrup so i ended up pouring some away. I was wondering if this is how it should be or if i miscalculated my amounts somewhere?

    my family raved about how delicious this cake is though 🙂 I made a raspberry, blueberry and orange juice sauce for the top and just used the almonds, missing out the coconut as i have some people in my family who don’t like it 🙂

    Reply

    • Yes, it is a lot of syrup, and it does float at first. But you are supposed to leave it be for at least 1 hour before serving so that the syrup is completely absorbed. The end result should be a cake drenched in syrup 🙂 But I like your twist with the raspberry and orange juice topping! 🙂

      Reply

  37. I was a bit overwhelmed at first with all the Basbousa options, but decided to use yours. Due to difficulty finding course Semolina, I made it using Farina and it was perfect! I made it to take to a Middle Eastern themed dinner party and it was a big hit. Thank you so much for sharing!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  38. Hi, i never bake, but this cake turned out to be perfect!!!!
    My friends had it and were amazed
    Thank you for sharing the recipe and will do it again

    Reply

  40. I want to make this beautiful cake for a friends birthday! However, I have celiac disease and have to bake gluten free. Do you think I can use corn meal instead of the semolina? Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

    • Hi Angela. Semolina and Cornmeal can be interchangeable, but I am afraid probably not in a cake where the main ingredient is semolina. Cornmeal will likely be more coarse and produce a cake far denser in texture. I think you would be better off trying a cake that is cornmeal based as opposed to tweaking this one. I am just afraid it won’t produce the same delightful result, and I would hate for you to be disappointed.

      Reply

  42. So many recipes for this cake! I just saw one that has rose water flavoring the syrup as well as eggs and zest of lemon or orange! I have read that the name means 1000 kisses. Is that true? Is there a story behind that name?

    Reply

    • Rochelle, thanks for stopping in! I don’t doubt that there are several version of Basbousa, but this is the only way I’ll make it. It’s my aunt’s recipe and it is one of those tried-n-true, never-fail recipes for me. Bousa does mean kiss, but I don’t know for sure if the dessert name means 1000 kisses. It’s a sweet thought, though 🙂

      Reply

  43. This looks delicious!!! I stumbled upon your page through pinterest and im so glad I did! I tried to make this yesterday. I tried to make this yesterday, it baked wonderfully, gorgeous color and all. I took it out of the oven and poured the syrup on it and my baking dish just popped! unfortunately it shattered into a gazillion pieces so i wasnt able to salvage any piece of the cake but try again i shall!

    Reply

    • Amina, so sorry to hear your baking dish broke! I have never experienced that before!!! I wish you better luck next time; and do stop in again and let me know how you like it!

      Reply

  44. Hi, this recipe looks amazing.

    I’m in the UK, and wondering if you use the American cup measurement, which is about 240ml??

    Thanks for sharing

    Reply

  45. Hi Suzy,

    My mom makes this cake but her recipe includes eggs. I’m quiet interested to see how this one will turn out once I try.

    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

      • I will try your recipe. looks delectable. I lived in Alexandria, Egypt as an expatriate teacher and this is the one dessert that is just indelible to me. The taste, texture and aroma…it is all there.

        Reply

  46. Hi Suzy,
    Have you tried this with a Greek yogurt, or do you recommend sticking with a regular consistency yogurt?

    Reply

  50. Suzy, i once made a basbousa cake for a themed dinner party i was hosting. I had never heard of it and researched it. Now I see your cake that looks amazing. Mine did not have anything on top of it like yours does and that adds a whole dimension to the cake. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  51. I don’t think I’ve ever had semolina cake and clearly I’m missing out as it looks gorgeous drenched in all that lovely syrup 🙂

    Reply

  52. Wow, that is SO interesting Suzy. We have a VERY similar cake (minus the coconut) in Tunisia called Aricha (or Harissa). As you may remember, we love authentic and traditional recipes on our site. If you don’t mind, I will probably use your recipe (and give you credit of course) next time we travel to Egypt or Turkey (as it seems like it really originated from this country). Thank you for this beautiful trip!

    ★★★★★

    Reply