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–+ servings

Basbousa, Semolina Cake

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Jewish, Greek, Egyptian, Middle Eastern
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Resting time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 14 people
Calories: 363kcal
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Ingredients

For the cake

  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened, (113g)
  • ½ cup sugar (100g)
  • 1 cup semolina flour (125)
  • 1 cup ground hazelnuts (100g)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature
  • Orange zest from one medium orange
  • 2 tbsp orange juice

For the syrup

  • 3 cups sugar (600g)
  • 3 ⅓ water (800ml)
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 slice orange rind
  • ⅓ cup lemon juice (80ml)
  • ⅓ cup orange blossom water (80ml)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 415°F (210°C) and line one 8-inch or 9-inch pan with parchment paper.
  • Mix the semolina, ground nuts, and baking powder.
  • Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the semolina mixture and the zest and juice.
  • Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top and a toothpick is inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean,
  • Bring the sugar, water, and cinnamon to a boil to make the syrup. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes.
  • Add the lemon juice, orange rind, and orange blossom water and cook on low for another 10 minutes.
  • Pour the syrup over the cake, and allow it to soak the syrup for 10-20 minutes. Then cut the cake vertically from top to bottom into four equal portions.
  • Now turn the cake and slice the cake horizontally but in diagonal lines so you’ll have diamond slices.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 363kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 76mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 262IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 1mg