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A traditional Middle Eastern cake make with a base of semolina and yoghurt, Basbousa is sweet, light and fragrant and so so moist! It's also studded with almonds and soaked after cooking in a sticky lemon syrup | Recipe on thecookandhim.com #basbousa #semolinacake #vegan #vegancake #eggfreecake #dairyfree #veganbaking

Vegan Basbousa (Turkish Semolina Cake)

Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 30 mins | Total: 45 mins | Quantity: serves 6-10

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 1 + 1/2 cups (220g) semolina
  • 3/4 cup (75g) ground almonds
  • 1 + 1/4 tsp (7g) baking powder
  • 3/4 cup (110g) icing sugar
  • 1/2 cup (125g) vegan butter – melted
  • 1 cup (250g) vegan plain yoghurt
  • Around 20 whole almonds

Syrup:

  • 3/4 cup (190g) caster sugar
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) water
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 5 cardamom pods

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 160 Fan / 180 C / 350 F / Gas 4 and, if necessary, grease or line a 9 x 7 inch (23 x 18 cm) baking tin
  2. In a large bowl mix together the semolina, ground almonds, baking powder and icing sugar
  3. Stir in the melted butter and yoghurt until you have a thick batter
  4. Pour and spread it into your tin and flatten and smooth the top
  5. Place the whole almonds at regular intervals over the top of the cake so that when you cut it the almonds will sit in the centre of each diamond or square
  6. Bake for 30 minutes until the cake is golden and springy to the touch
  7. While it's baking make the syrup by putting all the ingredients into a saucepan and bringing gently to the boil
  8. Continue to bubble for 3-5 minutes until the syrup is reduced slightly, thickened and sticky
  9. Remove the cooked cake from the oven and brush all over with the syrup. If you want the top of your cake extra golden put under a hot grill for a few minutes, keeping a close eye on the cake. Do this BEFORE brushing with the syrup!
  10. Leave to cool slightly before cutting into diamonds or squares
  11. Once cold, store in a lidding container for a few days at room temperature

Recipe by The Cook & Him at https://thecookandhim.com/recipes/vegan-basbousa-turkish-semolina-cake/