Orange Blossom Semolina Cake
This dense Orange Blossom Semolina Cake is sweet, moist, and absolutely delicious. Soaked in a blossom water syrup, this easy one-bowl Middle Eastern dessert will be one of your favorites!
There are many versions of this semolina cake throughout Greece and the Middle East. Each region has its own version and recipe name, but the base is pretty much the same. The differences are in the details – flavorings, nuts, and various additions to the batter.
This recipe is the simplest version of the all. The cake is made in one bowl with only 5 ingredients. The syrup is a simple syrup that is flavored subtly with orange blossom water. The warm cake absorbs the sweet syrup resulting in a dessert that is dense, rich, delicious.
Ingredients Needed For Semolina Cake:
With only a handful of ingredients, this semolina cake is one the easiest, yet tastiest desserts to make. Here is what you need:
- butter
- fine semolina
- sugar
- baking powder
- blossom water
How To Make Orange Blossom Semolina Cake:
The technique to making this semolina cake is pretty straightforward. All of the ingredients are combined in one bowl and mixed until smooth. Once the batter is poured into the cake pan, the cake needs to sit for 30 minutes before baking. Once it is set, score the cake and it is ready to be baked.
To prepare the syrup, combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves.
Tips For Making Blossom Water Semolina Cake
Make sure to prepare the syrup ahead of time so that is is completely cool before pouring over the hot semolina cake. The cool syrup will prevent the cake from becoming soggy.
This cake is better when it is prepared the day before you want to eat it – this way, the semolina gets a chance to soak up all of the syrup.
Instead of slivered almonds, you can add pistachios to the diamond pieces before baking.
If you make this recipe, take a photo and tag #bakedambrosia on Instagram and Facebook so that I can see your creations and feature them on Instagram! To stay up to date with the latest recipes, follow Baked Ambrosia on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. ♡
Orange Blossom Semolina Cake
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter melted (plus more for coating pan)
- 2 1/2 cups 480 g fine semolina
- 1 1/4 cups 283 g sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp blossom water
- 1 1/4 cups 300 mL warm water
- slivered almonds for topping
Syrup
- 1/2 113 g cup sugar
- 1/2 cup 120 ml water
- 1 tbsp orange juice
- 1/4 tsp orange blossom water
Instructions
Make the syrup:
- Combine sugar, water, orange juice, and blossom water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Coat an 8-inch (20 cm) cake pan with butter.
- Place the melted butter, semolina, sugar, baking powder, and blossom water in a large bowl. Stir until well combined.
- Transfer to prepared cake pan and spread into an even layer. Let the cake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- While the cake is setting, preheat oven to 325 degrees F. After 30 minutes, use a sharp knife to score the surface (about 1/4-in deep)Â into about 28 diamond pieces. Top each diamond piece with slivered almonds. Bake 45-50 minutes.
- Remove cake from oven and place over a wire rack. Cut the cake along the scored lines all the way to the bottom. Pour cooled syrup over the hot cake. Let cool to room temperature before serving.
- Serve with whipped cream.
