Basbousa (Egyptian Semolina Cake)
Basbousa is an Egyptian semolina cake drenched in syrup. Today, I'm sharing my aunt Maha's special recipe!
Servings: 8
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 cup (214g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup (150g) fine semolina
- 1 cup (150g) coarse semolina
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup 2% milk
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut or coconut chips
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
For the Cinnamon Simple Syrup
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Get ready: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
- Make the batter: In a large mixing bowl, use a rubber spatula to combine the sugar and yogurt. Add the semolina flours, baking powder, and milk. Stir to combine. Finally, stir in the melted butter.
- Bake the cake: Transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan. Use a spatula to smooth the batter and transfer the cake pan to the heated oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown. If you need to you can put it under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes. You want it to have a little color, but keep an eye on it so the cake doesn’t burn.
- Prepare the syrup: While the cake bakes, make the cinnamon simple syrup. Set a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sugar, water, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Let cool completely, then remove the cinnamon stick.
- Soak the cake: As soon as the basbousa is removed from the oven, pour the cool syrup on the hot basbousa. The pan may fill up with the liquid and the cake may even float for a second, but it’s OK. Just let it absorb into the cake. Let the cake cool completely, as the syrup must be fully absorbed into the cake. For best results, let it sit for 1 hour before serving.
- Serve: To serve, you can either serve it from the baking pan or run a knife around the edges and invert the cake onto a plate. Top the cake with the flaked coconut and sliced almonds. Cut into 8 slices and enjoy!
Notes
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.
- Alternative flour options: You can use 2 cups coarse semolina or 2 cups original Cream of Wheat enriched farina.
- For best results, let Basbousa sit for 1 hour before serving. This allows for the syrup to be absorbed into the cake.
Nutrition
Calories: 553.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 96.1g | Protein: 9.3g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.2g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 32.5mg | Sodium: 162.6mg | Potassium: 174.5mg | Fiber: 2.8g | Sugar: 64.1g | Vitamin A: 366.9IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 95.9mg | Iron: 2.2mg
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