EGGLESS BASBOUSA / SEMOLINA CAKE / RAVA CAKE

Basbousa is a semolina(rava) cake is a Traditional and popular  in the Middle East. This cake is a  dessert dunked in simple sugar syrup The cake is not too sweet but it is soaked with a sugar syrup flavoured with rose water.

This has different names and is  popular  in Lebanon,Turkey,Greek, North African countries etc. The recipe varies based on the country, some include yogurt while others include milk, some with coconut and others without, some prepared with clarified butter and others with vegetable oil. This cake is soft, moist, juicy and of course yummy too. Serve it with hot tea or coffee.

INGREDIENTS

 Rava / Semolina                 - 1 ½ cups

 All purpose flour / maida    - ½ cup

 Sugar                                - ½ cup

 Melted butter                      - ½ cup

 Milk                                   - 1 cup

 Baking powder                   -1 tsp

 Baking soda                      -1/4 tsp

Rose essence                     - 1 tsp

 Almonds for garnishing      - 10 to 20 nos

INGREDIENTS FOR SUGAR SYRUP

 Sugar                                - 1 cup

 Water                                 - 1 cup

          

         METHOD 

      Add a cup of sugar and water along with a tsp of lemon juice in a pan .

       Bring it toboil  until it is slightly sticky.

       keep it aside and allow it to cool completely .

              Soak almonds in hot boiling water for 30 minutes and remove the skin, keep it aside.

               Grease a cake pan with butter and keep it aside.

    Add rava / semolina, all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda in a mixing bowl      and mix well everything.

  Add butter, milk, rose essence and fold everything together.

  Preheat oven for 180 degree C,. Pour the batter to the greased pan and  pat to spread it      evenly.

 Score the batter with a knife either square or diamond. Place almonds on top of each square.

 Bake it for 25 to 30 mins. After 30 mins remove from oven and cut right through on the  scored lines.

 Again keep it back in the oven and bake it for 15 to 20 minutes or until  baked.(Check it by inserting tooth pick, it should come out clean.)

Remove cake from oven and pour the cold sugar syrup over the hot basbousa and allow them to soak for 45 minutes.

Once it comes to room temperature, slice them on the scored lines .

 Eggless basbousa cake is ready to serve.

NOTES

Baking time differs depending on the oven you are using.

you can add  orange essence or rose essence at the end of making sugar syrup.

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