Soft, moist and bursting with bright citrus flavour, this Orange Semolina Almond Cake is really a fabulously lush tea time treat!
I’ve had semolina cake on my mind for ages now. I did make it once a few years ago…nothing worth talking about! It was too dry and crumbly, not sweet enough. The good part was that I knew exactly how I’d wanted to fix it. It took me only 5 years to get to it, and boy, am I pleased with the result or what!
This Orange Semolina Almond Cake is just how I thought it should be. Soft crumb, beautifully fragrant with orange blossom water, orange zest and juice. A tad nutty texture thanks to almond meal and semolina. And it rose really well, without egg! Yep, no egg in the batter. I subbed it with yogurt which added to the moisture and a slight tang that’s undoubtedly irresistible.
Making this one-bowl cake is as easy as ABC! Just measure out the dry ingredients in a bowl, add all the wet ingredients and stir until thick and lump-free. Once baked, make a delicious orange honey syrup that gets poured over the warm cake. Let it soak for a bit and let all the flavors marry. Cut into fat slices and serve with a cuppa. And that gorgeous syrup? If you have any leftover, serve it with the cake or use it on your pancakes, toasts, oatmeal, your tastebuds will thank you for this!
For added pizzazz, top the cake with some caramelized oranges. It’s absolutely optional though. I have given the recipe below, just in case you want to give it a try. But do sprinkle toasted almonds on top for a wonderful nutty crunch. Like all good things must be shared, here’s the recipe for this elegant Orange Semolina Almond Cake.
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- 1 cup ( heaped) Semolina /Sooji
- 1/2 cup Almond Meal or Ground Almonds
- 1/4 cup Wholewheat flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp Fresh orange zest
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup Yogurt Please use thick yogurt.
- 1/3 cup oil
- Juice of 1 large Orange About 1/3 cup
- 1 tsp Orange Blossom Water
- Juice of 1 large Orange
- 2-3 tbsp honey
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 Orange, cut into slices, about 1/8" thick
- Preheat your oven to 180C. Grease a 6" cake tin well.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the dry ingredients - semolina, almond meal, wholewheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and orange zest. Give it all a good whisk to ensure there are no lumps.
- Add in the yogurt, orange blossom water, oil, and orange juice. Stir into the dry ingredients. whisk until a thick, smooth batter is formed.
- Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 30-40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- While the cake is baking, pour orange juice in a small saucepan and let it simmer for about 10 minutes till it's reduced by a third. Take it off the heat and stir in honey. Taste and adjust for taste. Let this syrup cool completely.
- Once the cake is baked, let it cool for 20 minutes. Then poke holes with a skewer. Spoon or brush the syrup all over the warm cake. Make sure the entire surface is covered with the syrup. Let the cake soak in the syrup.
- Once the cake is completely cool, top with toasted almonds and caramelized oranges. Serve with leftover syrup. Enjoy!
- Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Let it cook until all the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the orange slices to the pan and let them simmer for 20-15 minutes till the rind is almost translucent and the syrup is really thick. Make sure you turn the slices over a couple of times.
- Take the caramelized slices out and place them on a rack. Cool them completely. At this point, you can allow them to dry for a few hours to harden them or use straight away.
This cake sounds absolutely fabulous. It’s my birthday week and I shall make this cake for myself. Maybe I’ll share – just a bit!!