Basbousa: The Traditional Middle-Eastern Semolina Cake (Eggless Rava Cake)
Many countries in the middle-east have their own version of a Semolina Cake and this is the recipe for Basbousa, an eggless Semolina Cake from Egypt. What makes this cake special is that it is soaked in a lemony sugar syrup that makes this cake very moist and a delight.
Equipment
- Oven
- Mixing Bowl (1.5 ltr capacity)
- Bowl to melt butter (0.5 litre capacity)
- Heavy-bottomed Vessel (1 litre capacity)
- Spatula
- 8 or 9" Baking Tin
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 Cups Semolina or Rava
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 cup Yogurt
- 1/3 Cup Milk
- 1/3 cup Unsalted Butter (You can use ghee as well)
- 1 tsp Baking powder
For Syrup
- 1.5 Cups Sugar
- 1.5 Cups Water
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
For Garnish
- 2 tbsp Grated Coconut
- 2 tsp Slivered Almonds
- 2 tsp Slivered Pistachios
Instructions
The Prep
- Preheat the oven to 175 C.
- Lightly grease a 8" or 9" baking dish with some butter.
Melt the Butter: Method 1 - Using a Double Boiler Method
- Take two vessels, one to boil water and another which sits comfortably on the mouth of the first vessel.
- To the second vessel, add 1/3 cup butter and set aside.
- Fill the first vessel to 1/3 capacity with water.
- Over medium flame, bring the water in the first vessel to a boil.
- When the water starts boiling, turn off the heat.
- Place the vessel with the butter on top of the first vessel and stir the butter till it melts.
- Remove the vessel with the butter from the vessel with the boiling water and set aside.
Melt the Butter: Method 2 - Using a Microwave
- Microwave the butter for a few seconds till it melts.
- Take out and set aside.
Making the Basbousa Batter
- To a large enough mixing bowl, add 1 cup sugar and 1 cup yogurt, and mix well.
- To the yigurt-sugar mix, add 2 cups semolina (rava), 1/3 cup milk, 1 tsp baking powder, and mix well.
- Add the melted butter and mix well till the butter is well-incorporated and you don't see any butter floating on the surface.
- Let the batter rest for 15 minutes so that the semolina absorbs the liquid and softens.
Baking the Basbousa
- Pour the cake batter into the greased 8" cake pan.
- Bake at 175 C for about 35 to 40 minutes. The surface will turn a light golden brown. Stick a tooth pick or skewer to check whether the Basbousa has baked through.
- Remove from the oven.
Making the Sugar Syrup (Do this while the cake is baking)
- To a heavy bottomed vessel, add 1.5 cups water and 1.5 cups sugar.
- Over medium heat, bring the mix to a boil till the sugar melts.
- Take off the heat and add 1 tbsp lemon juice.
- Mix well and set aside to cool.
The Final Steps
- Remove the cake from the oven but do not demould it.
- Pour the cooled sugar syrup over the hot cake. It is important that the cake is straight out of the oven and hot when you add the syrup so that the cake will absorb the syrup.
- Set the cake aside to absorb all the syrup.
- When the syrup is absorbed, remove it from pan.
- Garnish with 2 tbsp grated fresh coconut, 2 tsp slivered pistachios, and 2 tsp slivered almonds.
- Enjoy a slice of Basbousa with a nice cup of tea or coffee.
- Store in an air-tight tin.
Notes
- This cake stays fresh for a couple of days.
- If you intend to keep it longer, refrigerate the cake and then warm it just before serving.
- If you intend to refrigerate the cake, do not garnish in advance because the coconut will turn rancid. Garnish just before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 338 kcalCarbohydrates: 64 gProtein: 5 gFat: 8 gSaturated Fat: 4 gCholesterol: 17 mgSodium: 51 mgPotassium: 110 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 43 gVitamin A: 189 IUVitamin C: 1 mgCalcium: 62 mgIron: 1 mg