Description
Semolina Cake With Cream, also known as Basbousa, is a traditional Middle Eastern dessert featuring a moist semolina cake layered with a rich cream filling and soaked in fragrant rose water syrup. This recipe combines the nuttiness of semolina with the silky texture of cream, topped with a sweet, aromatic syrup that makes each bite irresistibly delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Batter
- 2 cups fine semolina
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Filling
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Syrup
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon rose water or orange blossom water
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and Dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
- Make the Cake Batter: In a large bowl, combine the fine semolina, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir well to mix the dry ingredients evenly. Add the plain yogurt, melted unsalted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly until you form a thick, consistent batter.
- Layer the First Batter: Pour half of the semolina batter into the prepared baking dish. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it evenly, creating a smooth base layer.
- Prepare the Cream Filling: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the whole milk, cornstarch, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens to a custard-like consistency. Once thickened, remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Add the Cream Layer: Spread the thickened cream filling evenly over the semolina batter layer in the baking dish.
- Top with Remaining Batter: Carefully spoon the remaining half of the semolina batter over the cream layer. Gently spread it out evenly to cover the cream completely without mixing the layers.
- Bake the Cake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and the cake is set.
- Prepare the Syrup: While the cake bakes, combine 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1 1/2 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon rose water or orange blossom water for flavor.
- Apply the Syrup: As soon as the cake comes out of the oven and is still hot, pour the warm syrup evenly over the entire surface. This allows the cake to soak up the syrup thoroughly.
- Cool and Serve: Let the basbousa cool completely, preferably for at least one hour, to allow full absorption of the syrup. Slice into squares and serve. Optionally, garnish with ground pistachios or almonds before serving for added texture and flavor.
Notes
- Let the basbousa rest for at least 1 hour to ensure the syrup is fully absorbed for maximum moistness.
- You can garnish the top with ground pistachios, almonds, or other nuts for added texture and visual appeal.
- Use fine semolina for the best texture; coarse semolina will create a grainier cake.
- Rose water can be substituted with orange blossom water if desired for a different fragrance.
