Namoura (Semolina Cake)

namoura or semolina cake on a blue plate

4.98 from 44 votes

This Middle Eastern semolina cake is known as namoura or basbousa. It has a similar texture to cornbread, but is drenched in a sweet simple syrup flavored with orange blossom or rose water.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Resting time30

Total Time1 20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Servings: pieces

Calories: 253kcal

Author: Hilda Sterner

Ingredients

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.

2 cups semolina
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tsps baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup Greek yogurt
½ cup ghee or melter butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 whole almonds

Syrup

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 tsps lemon juice
2 tsps rose water

Instructions

Prepare Batter

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.

Prepare Syrup

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.

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.

Nutrition