Semolina Cake or Namoura is a Middle Eastern cake similar in texture to cornbread, only sweeter and drenched in syrup! It's dense, rich, and so delicious! Serve this namoura recipe with Turkish coffee or tea.
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Semolina cake is a popular dessert throughout the Middle East. It is enjoyed in Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq and other countries including Greece where it's called ravani.
This popular dessert has other names too! While we Assyrians call it Namoura (sometimes spelled nammoura), others refer to it as Harissa. Not to be confused with hareesa, which is more like an Assyrian porridge. Are you confused yet?
Semolina cake has a moist and dense texture similar to cornbread. Well, cornbread that's drenched in a delicious syrup scented with rosewater or orange blossom water. Doesn't that sound good?
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What You Need For This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients And Substitutions
- Semolina Flour: Semolina comes in various grinds. It looks similar to cornmeal but finer. You'll want to use coarse semolina instead of fine semolina. You can find it in Middle Eastern markets, health food stores, or on Amazon.
- Yogurt: Unflavored Greek yogurt or vanilla yogurt can be used. See pro tips for vegan/dairy-free substitution options.
- Coconut: Shredded coconut, preferably unsweetened. If you don't like coconut, you can leave it out.
- Butter: Choose from melted unsalted butter, ghee, or coconut oil.
- Almonds: Almonds are used to decorate the top of your namoura cake. You can either use raw almonds or blanched almonds. If you have nut allergies, you don't have to add them.
- Syrup: Simple sugar syrup, made with sugar, water, and lemon juice. The syrup is flavored with either rosewater or orange blossom water.
- Tahini: Tahini is an optional ingredient. Sometimes tahini is used to grease the pan instead of butter. If you have tahini, give it a try; otherwise, use butter, ghee, or cooking spray.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk semolina flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir coconut into the dry ingredients.
Step 2: In a small bowl, mix yogurt, ghee (or melted butter), and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mix until combined.
Step 3: Grease an 8"x8" baking dish with butter or tahini. Spread the batter into the pan, then slice with a bench scraper or a sharp knife into 16 squares. Add one almond in the center of each square. Cover and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
Pro Tip: This resting time allows the dry semolina flour to hydrate.
Prepare Syrup
Step 4: Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, mix syrup ingredients and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Boil over high heat for 5 minutes or until thickened. Set aside to cool.
Pro Tip: Keep in mind that the syrup will thicken further as it cools.
Step 5: Preheat oven to 350℉. Place cake on the center rack and bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 6: Remove the cake from the oven and drizzle with the cooled syrup. The syrup will soak into the cake as the cake cools. Cool before serving.
If you enjoy this semolina cake recipe, you may also like this moist and delicious honey cake recipe.
Recipe FAQs
Namoura is a Middle Eastern cake made with coarse semolina, sugar, yogurt, baking powder, and baking soda. The baked cake is drenched in a simple syrup flavored with orange blossom water or rose water.
One slice of namoura has approximately 250 calories. Of course, the calories will fluctuate based on the recipe used and the size of the slice.
Semolina is flour made with durum wheat. It comes in various coarsenesses. It is high in gluten and used to make pasta, couscous, and many Middle Eastern dishes, including kibbe and semolina cake.
Pro Tips
- If you are fasting from dairy, or want to make this namoura recipe vegan-friendly. Just substitute ¾ cup of orange juice for the yogurt and use coconut oil instead of butter or ghee.
- Most recipes call for the coconut to be stirred into the batter. Still, others sprinkle the coconut on top.
- Occasionally, you'll see a namoura recipe baked in a round pan and cut into wedges. Play around with the various shapes to see what you prefer.
- Store leftover namoura cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days on the counter, or refrigerate for up to a week.
- Namoura can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
More Middle Eastern Recipes
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Ingredients
Method
- In a medium bowl, whisk semolina flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir coconut into the dry ingredients.
- In a small bowl, mix yogurt, ghee (or melted butter), and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mix until combined.
- Grease an 8"x8" baking dish with butter or tahini. Spread the batter into the pan and slice with a bench scraper or a sharp knife into 16 squares. Add one almond in the center of each square. Cover and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, mix syrup ingredients and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Boil over high heat for 5 minutes or until thickened. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Place cake on the center rack and bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and drizzle with the cooled syrup. The syrup will soak into the cake as the cake cools off.
Nutrition
Notes
- This resting time allows the dry semolina flour to hydrate, so don't skip it!
- If you are fasting from dairy, or want to make this namoura recipe vegan-friendly. Just substitute ¾ cup of orange juice for the yogurt and use coconut oil instead of butter or ghee.
- Most recipes call for the coconut to be stirred into the batter. Still, others sprinkle the coconut on top.
- Occasionally you'll see a namoura recipe baked in a round pan and cut into wedges. Play around with the various shapes to see what you prefer.
- Store leftover namoura cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days on the counter, or refrigerate for up to a week.
- Namoura can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Ashley Younan says
Hello, I have made a number of your recipes and my in-laws love them!! They are Assyrian. The semolina cake is one of my mother in-laws favorites. I was going to try your recipe, but when I went to the store they have Semolina coarse and semolina fine. Does it matter which one is used?
Ashley
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Ashley, I'm so glad your inlaws are enjoying the recipes. It's usually hard pleasing an Assyrian mother-in-law, so way to go! In regards to the semolina, you'll want to get the coarse variety if available. Good luck!
Shirley Hollick says
253 calories for the whole cake? Or for a 1x1 inch piece? Or?
HildaSterner says
Hi Shirley, The calories are for one piece, and the recipe says 16 servings, so it would be the calories for one serving.
julia says
it was a hit with the family
HildaSterner says
Hi Julia,
Thanks for the feedback. I'm so glad to hear the family enjoyed it. By the way, I noticed your email address having the name "Mee" in it. Would you happen to be one of my new Montana neighbors?