Basbousa 🍰 syrup-soaked semolina cake 🇪🇬

Description

Golden, tender semolina cake perfumed with vanilla and coconut, soaked in lemony sugar syrup for a glossy, moist crumb. ✨

Hook
Bake → soak → set. That’s the secret to a shiny top and melt-in-the-mouth texture. 💧

Ingredients

• For the cake
• 🌾 Fine semolina: 300 g (1½ cups / 10.6 oz)
• 🥥 Desiccated coconut (fine): 60 g (¾ cup / 2.1 oz)
• 🧂 Fine salt: 1 g (¼ tsp / 0.04 oz)
• 🧈 Melted butter (or ghee): 120 g (½ cup / 4.2 oz)
• 🥛 Plain yogurt (3.2%): 240 g (1 cup / 8.5 oz)
• 🍚 Sugar: 120 g (½ cup / 4.2 oz)
• 🥛 Milk: 120 ml (½ cup / 4 fl oz)
• 🥚 Eggs: 2 large (~50 g / 1.8 oz each)
• 🍨 Vanilla extract: 5 ml (1 tsp / 0.17 fl oz)
• 🥄 Baking powder: 8 g (2 tsp / 0.28 oz)
• ➕ Optional garnish: blanched almonds or pistachios
• For the syrup
• 🍚 Sugar: 250 g (1¼ cups / 8.8 oz)
• 💧 Water: 250 ml (1 cup / 8 fl oz)
• 🍋 Lemon juice: 10 ml (2 tsp / 0.34 fl oz)
• 🌹 Optional: 1–2 tsp orange blossom or rose water

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Make the syrup first
2. Simmer sugar and water 5–6 min, take off heat, stir in lemon juice (and floral water if using). Let cool to room temp.
3. 2️⃣ Mix the batter
4. Whisk yogurt, milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and melted butter. Fold in semolina, coconut, salt, and baking powder until just combined; rest 10 min (semolina hydrates).
5. 3️⃣ Pan & score
6. Grease a 23×33 cm (9×13 in) pan. Spread batter evenly, smooth the top. Score diamonds/squares and press a nut into each.
7. 4️⃣ Bake
8. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 28–32 min until deep golden and a tester comes out clean.
9. 5️⃣ Soak while hot
10. Remove from oven and immediately pour cooled syrup evenly over the hot cake. It will absorb in a few minutes.
11. 6️⃣ Set & serve
12. Cool 20–30 min, then cut along the scored lines. Serve slightly warm or at room temp.

Total Time

⏱️ Prep: 15 min

🔥 Baking: 30 min

😌 Rest: 25 min

🕒 Total: 70 min

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