Gulf Ramadan cake · Syrup soaked
Basbousa Recipe (Semolina Coconut Cake in Syrup)
Do not overmix. Bake golden. Cool syrup, hot cake.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenBasbousa is a soft semolina cake soaked in syrup, eaten across the Gulf and Egypt, especially in Ramadan. It turns dry and crumbly, or dense and soggy. The fix is mixing just until combined, baking until deep golden, and pouring cool syrup over the cake straight from the oven.
The 3 laws of basbousa
Why this recipe works
Beat hard
Stays soft and tender.
Pale
Absorbs syrup without going mushy.
Both hot
Even soak.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Cake
Syrup
The NineFoods basbousa gauge
Is it baked?
Look at the top and edges.
Method · 3 stages
Step by step
Syrup
- Boil sugar and water 8 minutes, add lemon and rosewater; cool.
Mix and bake
- Mix semolina, coconut, sugar and baking powder, then yoghurt and butter.
- Spread in a tahini greased tin, score diamonds, top with almonds and bake. Use the gauge above.
Soak
- Pour cool syrup over the hot cake and rest 1 hour.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Too little syrup.
Fix next time
Use all the syrup.
Why
Hot syrup on hot cake.
Fix next time
Cool the syrup.
Why
Overmixed.
Fix next time
Mix just until combined.
Why
Short bake.
Fix next time
Bake until deep golden.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Fine semolina | Base | Coarse semolina, rest 30 minutes |
| Yoghurt | Moisture | Milk |
| Tahini | Greasing | Butter |
| Rosewater | Aroma | Vanilla |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Arabic coffee or tea, with cream.
Store
Room temperature 3 days, covered.
Reheat
Serve at room temperature.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 16 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 3 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is it baked) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Basbousa FAQ
What is basbousa?
A semolina cake soaked in syrup.
Why is my basbousa dry?
It needs more syrup or was overbaked.
Is basbousa Egyptian or Gulf?
It is from Egypt and loved across the Gulf.
What is harissa cake?
Another name for basbousa in the Levant.