I was cooking my breakfast the other day, and couldn't help myself but think about a cake. You know you have a problem, when it's not even 8 AM, and you are already thinking about cake...Sound familiar? I really hope it does, just so I'm not the only one! Anyway, because the breakfast I was preparing was delicious, creamy semolina with cherries and cherry jam , I couldn't help myself but think about semolina cake, and how long it's been since I've had one...
We used to eat it all the time as kids (me and my brothers that is), but in a slightly different version...which I am yet to master to turn into vegan option. It was however, the most awesome cake in the history of the universe! At least in my universe! I would hang around the table, waiting for mum to empty the creamy filling from the pan into the cake, and then...I would race for that pan along side with my brothers. It was like a marathon, but the price was a small pan with leftovers of that filling. Neither of us liked to share, so if you wanted it, you had to run for it!
However, as mentioned above, I am yet to master the recipe for that, so in a mean time, I made this pretty number! It turned out soooo good! Spongy texture, perfectly moist, and super sweet. What else could you ask for? It is very well known as traditional Middle Eastern cake, goes by many names (Basbousa is just one of them), and there are many different recipes and varieties of it all around the world. It is soaked in a simple lemon syrup, but I've replaced some of the sugar with agave nectar and it was just as awesome.
OK, I have to be honest here...This cake may not be the healthiest, it is quite high in calories and sugar, but trust me, the taste will tickle your taste buds with happiness. So for that very reason, there will be no nutritional values for this. Just think that this cake is loaded with joy. That's all what you need, right?
Lemon Semolina Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 ½ cup Self- raising flour sifted
- ⅔ cup of semolina
- ½ cup of almond milk
- 2 flax eggs
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- ½ cup caster sugar
- ½ cup agave nectar
- 1 cup vegan butter spread softened
- ½ cup pistachio nuts roughly chopped
Lemon Syrup
- ½ cup caster sugar
- ½ cup agave nectar
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 170 Celsius (350 F).
- Spray your cake pan lightly with cooking spray.
- To make syrup, place sugar, agave, lemon juice and ½ cup of cold water in a saucepan over low heat.
- Cook for few minutes until sugar has dissolved fully, then increase heat and bring to boil, boil for about 5 minutes until your mixture thickens.
- Set aside to cool down completely.
- Using an electric mixer, whisk together sugar, agave, butter, lemon zest until creamy texture will form.
- Add flax eggs, semolina, flour and milk.
- Pour the mixture into cake pan and bake in the oven for about 35- 40 mins or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Ensure that lemon syrup is completely cool before pouring it all over the cake, if you don't want it too sweet, do not use all of the syrup), sprinkle with pistachio nuts.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
ZolaSpud
Do you have a link for how to make (amounts etc) flax eggs please?
😀
annabanana
Hey there!
Sure thing, one flax egg = 1 tbsp flaxseed meal + 2.5 tbsp water. Mix them together and set aside for about 5 minutes until 'gloopy' consistency forms.
Hope this helps! 🙂
Liezle pascual
Can i use egg,instead?
annabanana
Hi Liezle, I believe that you can. The recipe will work with egg too! Hope this helps.