Another perfect tea-time treat. This Eggless Semolina Cake is moist, tender, has amazing semolina texture and filled with fruit bits and nuts.
Semolina (Rava or Sooji) is quite popularly used in India for savoury as well as sweet delicacies. It is the coarse, purified wheat middlings of durum wheat mainly used in making upma, pasta, couscous as well as desserts.
Semolina comes in different varieties from big granules to really fine granules. Always go for the finer semolina for achieving the perfect texture of the cake.
So what made me bake this beauty up?
It was Eid and and I planned on baking this up to celebrate with my loved ones and definitely share the recipe with you all.
Eid desserts are all about rosy fragrance, sugar syrups and they are simply aromatic. Use of nuts, rose, semolina, coconut and many more local ingredients is what is usually used to bake on this festival to make it even more joyful.
You do not require any unusual ingredient and no such expertise. Just bring together these (as shown in the picture) regular ingredients and your cake will be ready in no time.
This cake has strong similarities to Basbousa, an native egyptian and traditional middle eastern sweet cake which is mainly prepared from semolina, dessicated coconut and dry fruits.
Which type of Semolina for the Cake?
Fine version of Semolina (Rava or Sooji) works best for baking this cake. Just in case if you have the coarser variety, then just grind it into finer grains. The finer, the better.
Additions in the Cake.
Adding fruit or flowery syrups, dried fruits and nuts is really important to be added in this cake. You can choose whatever you want to add. It can be fruity Papaya bits (Tutty Fruity), crushed nuts, Orange flavouring, rose essence, etc because without any of these cake, even though will be baked fine, but tastes bland.
Such added flavours and nuts really bring out the best version of this Semolina Cake and you will keep wanting for more and more.
In step 2, it is crucial to mix semolina with the wet ingredients and leave for a minimum of half an hour. This gives time for the Semolina to soak up liquid and become soft, providing tender cake at the end.
Add more fruits and nuts on top of the cake for each bite to be just delightful. Now bake and enjoy another perfect tea-time treat.
Here you go with the recipe.
What you need? (for 6" round cake pan)
Fine Semolina - 5/8 cup (115 grams)
Flour - 2 full tablespoons (18-20 grams)
Baking Powder - 3/4 teaspoon
Baking Soda - 1/8 teaspoon
Salt - 1/8 teaspoon
Vanilla - 1/2 teaspoon
Oil - 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons (1/6 cup or 40 ml)
Thick Curd - 1/4 cup (65 grams)
Milk - 6 tablespoons (90 ml)
Castor Sugar - 1/2 cup (100 grams)
Fruit Bits (Tutty Fruity) - 1/5 cup, tossed in flour (reserve a few to sprinkle on top)
Finely Chopped Almonds - 2 tablespoons, tossed in flour (reserve a few to sprinkle on top)
Directions:
- Take a bowl and add curd, milk, oil, sugar and vanilla to it. Whisk till it is lump-free and sugar has dissolved.
- Now add fine semolina to it. Mix it well so that semolina is completely blended with the wet ingredients.
- Now cover the mixture and leave it for half an hour for semolina to soak up the liquid ingredients and become soft.
- In the meantime pre-heat the oven at 180*C for 10 minutes and prepare a 6" round baking tin. Line it with baking paper and grease the inside well with either oil or butter. Coat it with thin layer of flour.
- Once the semolina becomes soft after half an hour, add other dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt) to it. Fold everything together. DO NOT OVER-MIX.
- Now lastly, toss fruit bits and chopped almonds in some flour and add into the batter and give it a final fold.
- Pour the batter in to prepared 6" inch round baking pan. Now sprinkle reserved fruit bits and almonds on top.
- Bake the cake at 180*C for 35 minutes.
- Your eggless Semolina Cake is ready.
Note:
- Semolina Cakes are little denser than the sponge cakes but they are deliciously tender, moist and flavourful.
- DO ADD some fruit bits, cardamon, nuts and choice of flavourings that complement well with semolina as semolina cake in itself might taste a little bland but with few additions, they are just divine.
- Semolina requires soaking time with the wet ingredients to become soft and hence a minimum of half an hour soak in NECESSARY and CRUCIAL.
- Coating fruit bits and nuts in flour is important because it helps in NOT SINKING of them in the batter.
- These cakes perfectly accompany a hot cup of tea.
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