Basbousa Recipe (Semolina Cake) - The Mediterranean Dish

23.05.
2020 Basbousa Recipe (Semolina Cake) | The Mediterranean Dish
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Home / Desserts / Basbousa: Almond Coconut Semolina Cake Recipe
Basbousa: Almond Coconut Semolina Cake Recipe

April 3, 2015 · Updated August 5, 2019 · By Suzy · 162 Comments
TO RECIPE PRINT
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!
https://www.themediterraneandish.com/basbousa-almond-coconut-semolina-cake/ 1/30
23.05.2020 Basbousa Recipe (Semolina Cake) | 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 leg of lamb? 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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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: almond coconut semolina cake

recipe
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
4.8 from 19 reviews
Author: The Mediterranean Dish Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 1 hour Yield: serves 8 1x
PIN RECIPE
DESCRIPTION
Basbousa is an Egyptian semolina cake drenched in syrup. Today, I’m sharing my aunt
Maha’s special recipe!
INGREDIENTS SCALE 1X 2X 3X
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!
NOTES
Cooking tip: Allow cinnamon simple syrup to cool completely before pouring it
onto the hot basbousa
Cooking tip: For best results, let Basbousa sit for 1 hour before serving. This
allows for the syrup to be absorbed into the cake.
Visit our store to browse our spices, olive oils and bundles!
Method: Baked
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition Facts
Serves 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories 625
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g 28%
Saturated Fat 11.2g
Trans Fat 0g
Sodium 24.1mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 100.1g 36%
Sugars 64.6g
Protein 9.7g 19%
Vitamin A 14% Calcium 10%

Iron 4% Magnesium 8%
Potassium 6% Zinc 7%
Phosphorus 17% Thiamin (B1) 11%
Riboflavin (B2) 16% Niacin (B3) 10%
Vitamin B6 4% Folic Acid (B9) 9%
Vitamin B12 15% Vitamin E 8%
Vitamin K 2%
Keywords: Basbousa, Semolina Cake, Coconut Semolina, Almond Coconut Cake, Cake, Sweets
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

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More Dessert Recipes:
Greek Yogurt Parfait with Kahlua and Nuts
Easy Middle Eastern Rice Pudding
Baklava
Easy Apple Strudel with Phyllo
Filed Under: Desserts
Tagged With: cake , dessert , Sweets
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Comments
Issa says
September 07, 2019 at 3:57 pm
Hi, do you think it would be ok to use non dairy yogurt and oil instead of what’s written?
Reply
Suzy Karadsheh says

September 11, 2019 at 9:29 pm
Hi Issa, I don’t have much experience with non dairy yogurt so I can’t advice you on that for sure,
but it seems it could work. As far as oil vs. butter, no, that will not produce the same result.
Personally, this is one of the very very few recipes I use butter.
Reply
Ayesha says
August 21, 2019 at 8:58 pm
hi!!
Is it okay to use all fine semolina flour rather than a combination of coarse + fine?
Thanks!
Reply
Suzy Karadsheh says

August 23, 2019 at 2:29 pm
Yes, you can use just the fine semolina. The addition of coarse semolina provides more texture.
Reply
😀 says
July 31, 2019 at 8:03 am
Exactly how many grams of semolina is required for this recipe?
Reply
Suzy Karadsheh says

July 31, 2019 at 8:55 am
Hello, we use cups as a measure here, but I’ve done a quick search for you and it sounds like 1 cup
semolina = 167 grams. This recipe uses 2 cups, so the assumption is 334 grams is what you need.
Reply
Sara says
July 26, 2019 at 5:06 pm
Thank you 🙂
Is this the recipe of authentic Egyptian basbousa? 😋
Can I substitute the semolina with the same amount of polenta for a gluten-free option?
I tried with millets before but it didn’t really turn out like basbousa.
Reply
Suzy Karadsheh says

July 29, 2019 at 8:45 pm
Sara, yes, this is my aunt’s basbousa recipe and she is Egyptian 🙂 Semolina is what is traditionally
used for it’s unique texture and how it absorbs the syrup. But, you’re welcome to give polenta a try.
My guess is that it will not have the same texture and may be a bit more dense.
Reply
Surabhi says
May 24, 2019 at 6:08 pm
Hi!
I’m so close to baking this tonight! But I’m wondering if condensed milk can be added at some point in
this recipe. Would it be a bad idea? I just have some let over condensed milk and want to use it if
possible.
🙂 Thank you for sharing this promising recipe.
Reply
Suzy Karadsheh says

June 06, 2019 at 3:33 pm
Hi there. Thanks for your question. I am not always able to answer on the spot, so I apologize for
that. This recipe does not use condensed milk. It would not be needed.
Reply
zakera says
May 24, 2019 at 12:23 am
look yummy
Reply
Niki says
May 22, 2019 at 12:39 pm
This turned out to be delicious. I just reduced the syrup quantity into half as it would have been too
sweet for us. It is perfect for us now. Thank you very much for the recipe
Reply
Suzy Karadsheh says

May 23, 2019 at 9:48 am
Wonderful, Niki! yes, it’s kinda drenched in syrup, but as you mentioned, that is easy to adapt.
Reply
SJ says
May 19, 2019 at 6:14 pm
Can we use ghee instead of butter? If yes, would it be the same quantity as the butter mentioned in the
recipe or different?
Can we use fresh grated coconut?
Reply
Suzy Karadsheh says

May 20, 2019 at 11:24 am
yes,you can use ghee. Same amount will work.
Reply
Saniyah says
April 20, 2019 at 4:21 am
I cooked…became delicious😘😍😍😍😋..thanks for the recipe❤..love you😘
Reply
Suzy Karadsheh says

April 20, 2019 at 3:21 pm
So glad to hear it! Thank you
Reply
Lisa says
April 06, 2019 at 6:04 pm
Could I substitute olive oil for the butter without negatively affecting the flavor?
Reply
Suzy Karadsheh says

April 07, 2019 at 8:15 am
Lisa, this recipe in particular is best with ghee or butter (ghee is a healthier option)
Reply
Manal says
February 24, 2019 at 12:55 pm
How do I broil it?
★★★★★
Reply
Suzy Karadsheh says

February 28, 2019 at 11:08 am
place in oven using broiler setting very very briefly. Watch carefully not to burn the top
Reply
Rhianna says
How far in advance can it be made? Should it go in the fridge?
Reply
Suzy Karadsheh says

You can make this a couple nights in advance, if you like. I keep mine in the fridge, but it’s best
served at room temperature, so bring it out far in advance of serving.
Reply
Rhianna says
Sounds good – thanks for your quick reply!
Reply
Eva says
We love almonds in my family and I love the texture your cake seems to have! Can’t wait to try it 😉
Reply
Alfredo says
January 24, 2019 at 10:27 pm
Do I have to wait 1 hour before serving?
Reply
Suzy Karadsheh says

Ideally, Alfredo. This allows the syrup to settle in…much better flavor and texture.
Reply
Reia De Souza says

January 06, 2019 at 10:36 am
Hi,
I’m sure I’ve done something wrong. After 50mins, the top of the cake hasn’t turned the brown that you
see in yours and everyone else who has tried the recipe. Would you know why?
I suck at cooking, that could be one reason 😫
Reply
Alison says
August 10, 2018 at 9:36 pm
Excellent! I broiled the top a bit then added the almonds and coconut and toasted a bit more. Sooooooo
stinkin good! The kids and I took spoons to it and my daughter declared the recipe had to be wrong if
you were supposed to wait an hour!!! Thank you for a beautiful recipe!
Reply
Suzy Karadsheh says

August 13, 2018 at 12:45 pm
Wonderful, Alison! Glad the kids enjoyed it too! Truth be told, it is so darn hard to wait a whole hour
to eat it 🙂
Reply
Bhairavi says
October 19, 2018 at 9:05 am
You mentioned to mix all the ingredients and leave aside for little while for the flour to soak
the butter…. How long is a good time to set aside for flour to soak in. Wont it become more dry
if let to soak in before baking.
Reply
Suzy Karadsheh says

October 20, 2018 at 3:39 pm
This shouldn’t take long at all. If you see the butter floating on top, just wait long enough
for it to disappear into the flour
Reply
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Hi! I’m Suzy. I was born and raised by the

shores of the Mediterranean in Port Said,
Egypt, a short “boat ride” from places like
Greece, Italy, Lebanon, and Israel. Today,
influenced by my mother’s tasty kitchen, and
my extensive travels, I share easy wholesome
recipes with big Mediterranean flavors.
Welcome to my table. Read More about Suzy
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23.05.

2020 Basbousa Recipe (Semolina Cake) | The Mediterranean Dish

Recipes Mediterranean Diet Shop Meal Plans About Contact

Home / Desserts / Basbousa: Almond Coconut Semolina Cake Recipe

Basbousa: Almond Coconut Semolina Cake Recipe

And for dessert?

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

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

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

basbousa: almond coconut semolina cake

Total Time: 1 hour Yield: serves 8 1x

1 cup plain yogurt

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

1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Amount Per Serving

Total Fat 22g 28%

Saturated Fat 11.2g

Total Carbohydrate 100.1g 36%

Protein 9.7g 19%

Vitamin A 14% Calcium 10%

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

More Dessert Recipes:

Greek Yogurt Parfait with Kahlua and Nuts

Easy Middle Eastern Rice Pudding

Easy Apple Strudel with Phyllo

Filed Under: Desserts

Tagged With: cake , dessert , Sweets

« Loaded Grilled Roast Beef Easy No Bake Dessert Bars with

Suzy Karadsheh says

Suzy Karadsheh says

Exactly how many grams of semolina is required for this recipe?

Suzy Karadsheh says

Suzy Karadsheh says

Suzy Karadsheh says

Suzy Karadsheh says

Suzy Karadsheh says

yes,you can use ghee. Same amount will work.

I cooked…became delicious😘😍😍😍😋..thanks for the recipe❤..love you😘

Suzy Karadsheh says

So glad to hear it! Thank you

Suzy Karadsheh says

How do I broil it?

Suzy Karadsheh says

How far in advance can it be made? Should it go in the fridge?

Suzy Karadsheh says

Sounds good – thanks for your quick reply!

Do I have to wait 1 hour before serving?

Suzy Karadsheh says

Reia De Souza says

I suck at cooking, that could be one reason 😫

Suzy Karadsheh says

Suzy Karadsheh says

Rate this recipe

SEARCH FOR A RECIPE

Hi! I’m Suzy. I was born and raised by the