Almond, Coconut & Semolina Cake

Sweet, syrup soaked semolina cake, basousa-like but fluffier and made with almond flour, coconut, brown butter, and orange zest.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword coconut, semolina

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 40

Servings 9 inch cake

Equipment

1 9x9 inch square pan you can also use a round pan, but square is preferable for a more even distribution of syrup

Ingredients

Semolina Cake

2 tablespoons tahini to spread on the pan
175g unsalted butter
200g or 1 cup fine granulated sugar
Zest of 1-2 oranges
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
160g or 1 cup fine semolina
115g or 1 cup blanched almond flour
80g or 1 cup finely shredded dehydrated coconut "coconut macaroon" see notes
2 teaspoons baking powder
180g or ¾ cups whole milk

Simple Syrup

200g or 1 cup fine granulated sugar
120g or ½ cup filtered water
Pinch fine sea salt
1 tablespoon browned butter reserved from above

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Use the tahini to spread around a 9 inch square metal pan, using your fingers to cover the bottom and sides.
Set the butter in a light colored frying pan over medium low heat. Cook as the butter melts, then starts to sputter and foam, until all the bits that have dropped to the bottom of the pan have turned a deep toasty brown (not black). Immediately transfer to a heatproof bowl to cool. Set aside one tablespoon of the browned butter to add to the syrup, the rest will go into the cake batter.
In a large bowl add the sugar and zest the oranges over it. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers. Add salt, eggs and vanilla. Use a hand mixer or a whisk to beat until the color of the mix has lightened several shades: it will go from being an orange-ish yellow to a pale yellow.
With the mixer on, slowly pour in the browned butter for the cake - ensuring to get all the little brown butter bits in the bowl. Mix on medium speed until well incorporated.
Add the semolina flour, coconut, almond flour, and baking powder and briefly mix. Pour in the milk and mix until the batter is combined (it will be lumpy overall and not smooth but there shouldn’t be any unmixed bits.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Set in the oven on the middle rack to bake until the top is firm when pressed and it’s golden all over (but more so at the edges), about 35-40 minutes.
When the cake is almost done baking, make the syrup by combining the water, sugar and pinch of salt in a small pot and setting it over medium low heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves and the syrup starts to boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the reserved tablespoon of browned butter.
When the cake comes out of the oven, poke it all over with a toothpick or cake tester: get as many holes in as you can so the syrup can get in. Pour the hot syrup over the cake, focusing on the center (it will soak the edges quite quickly whereas the center needs more attention). Let cool then enjoy the cake; warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

Video

Notes

*Different than shredded coconut, this is much more fine and kind of like a powder. I use the Ziyad brand, found in middle eastern specialty grocery stores or the ‘middle eastern’ section at places like Safeway, Giant, etc.