Basbousa, also known as Semolina Cake, Sooji Cake is a sweet cake from the Middle East. The main ingredient of this cake is semolina or sooji which is combined with coconut, sugar, milk, condensed milk. It is naturally eggless and is soaked in citrus flavoured sugar syrup once baked.
Basbousa Recipe
I came across this recipe just a few weeks ago. I have seen this in cooking shows and in many other cooking blogs. Really wanted to try this recipe, but many of this recipe has eggs in it.
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Wanted to try it without eggs, so modified the recipe accordingly and tried it. It came out so good. The taste of this is crumbly, sweet with a sugar soaked flavour. I enjoyed it warm with some whipped cream. But it will taste great with a cup of black tea.
About Basbousa Recipe
Basbousa is also known as Middle eastern semolina cake popularly made across Arab countries also Egypt. The cake is naturally Eggless and doesn’t uses any flour. It uses simple ingredients like Semolina, coconut (optional), sugar, milk, ghee and condensed milk.
Some recipes uses coconut, I like the flavour of coconut so I used it. You can skip it if you prefer. I like to use it because coconut adds moistness to the cake since the batter is made with semolina it tends to dry out.
It is easy to make and taste absolutely delicious. The batter is made by mixing all ingredients, it has to be thick. You have to slice the cake before baking to ensure smooth and even slices.
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I used pumpkin seeds and cashews to decorate the cake. You can add some almonds, pistachios on top of the cake. If you prefer fragrant basbousa you can add rosewater, saffron and cardamom.
The cake is soaked in ghee in the end of baking, which not only helps with the colour but also preserves the moistness and enhance the taste of the cake. Sugar syrup is poured over the cake once it is finished baking.
I tried it warm as well as cold, but I liked it more when it is warm. I added coconut in this, but if you want to store this for some more days then skip it.
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Ingredients
- Sooji – Use fine semolina or sooji for this cake. Since it mixed into the wet ingredients and makes the cake hold better when baked.
- Coconut – I used desiccated coconut. even though this is optional, it helps make the cake moist.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar is used in cake batter and in sugar syrup.
- Ghee – ghee is poured over the cake which enhance the flavour and keeps the cake moist.
- Milk – I used whole milk for making the cake batter which makes it moist.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – condensed milk helps hold the cake better and prevents it from drying.
- Nuts – I used pumpkin seeds and cashews. You can use whichever nuts you prefer.
Step by Step Pictures
1)Grease a 11×7 inch rectangle baking dish with ghee and set aside. Preheat the oven to 180 degree C (360 degree F).
Basbousa Batter
2)Take sooji, sugar, baking soda, coconut in a bowl and mix well.
3)Mix it well using spatula so everything is combined evenly.
4) Now pour in milk, sweetened condensed milk and mix well to a smooth thick batter.
5)If your batter is too thick, you can add more milk.
6)This is the consistency you are looking for.
Baking Basbousa
7)Pour this in a greased baking pan. Spread evenly.
8)Now use a knife to mark on the cake by which you are going to slice the cake later. This ensure you get clean slices once the cake is baked.
9)Decorate with pumpkin seeds and cashews on top on each square. Now place the cake pan in oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Sugar Syrup
10)While the cake is baking. Make the sugar syrup. Take sugar and water in a sauce pan and bring it to a full boil.
11)Boil for 2 minutes. Once it boils, take it off the heat.
12)Add in lemon slices and set aside somewhere warm.
Pouring Ghee
13)After 25 minutes the cake must have got light golden in colour.
14)Now remove the cake from oven. Use the knife to slice through the cuts which we made earlier.
15)Now pour the melted ghee all over the cake evenly.
16)Place it back into the oven and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes until the cake is deep golden in colour.
Soaking Sugar Syrup
17)Now remove the cake from oven. Use knife to make cuts again if required. Pour the sugar syrup all over the cake evenly while the cake is still hot.
18)Let it sit for 15 minutes for the cake to absorb the sugar syrup.
19)Now slice the cake and serve with whipped cream, ice cream or as it is.
Expert Tips
- Use fine semolina which helps with the texture. In India you can use fine sooji.
- You can skip coconut, instead use 50 grams extra semolina.
- Water can be used instead of milk. But milk makes it moist.
- Never skip ghee, it helps with the flavour and also keeps basbousa incredibly moist.
- Choose any nuts like pistachios, blanched almonds. You can flavour sugar syrup with cardamom, saffron or rose water.
Serving and Storage
Basbousa taste great when served warm or hot. It can be enjoyed cold too. Leftovers can be stored in fridge and reheated at the time of serving in microwave.
FAQ
Q: Is sooji and semolina same?
Yes sooji and semolina is similar. For making this cake, use fine variety of sooji so the cake holds better.
Q: Can I skip coconut?
Yes you can skip coconut. You can use ground almonds instead or add 50 grams extra sooji.
Q: Can I use bigger baking pan?
Yes you can use large baking pan for baking this, it makes the height of the basbousa small.
Q: Can I use any flavourings?
You can flavour sugar syrup with cardamom, saffron or rose water.
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Basbousa Recipe (Eggless Middle Eastern Semolina Cake)
Basbousa, also known as Semolina Cake, Sooji Cake is a sweet cake from the Middle East. The main ingredient of this cake is semolina or sooji which is combined with coconut, sugar, milk, condensed milk. It is naturally eggless and is soaked in citrus flavoured sugar syrup once baked.
Equipment
1 11×7 Rectangle Baking Dish
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Basbousa Recipe (Eggless Middle Eastern Semolina Cake)
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
