Basbousa (Egyptian Semolina Cake)

Basbousa is a rich and flavorful egg-free semolina cake drenched in a cinnamon syrup and topped with crunchy almonds and shredded coconut. My recipe, passed down from my aunt Maha, will teach you how to make Egyptian basbousa at home!

Two slices of the basbousa on a platter with the rest of the cake. - 4

Photo Credits: Mark Beahm

Basbousa may not be as internationally famous as baklava , but for me, it’s pure childhood nostalgia. Growing up in Egypt, basbousa was a staple dessert at just about every celebration.

Basbousa and its cousins, Greek Revani and Lebanese Namoura, is typically sliced into a fancy diamond pattern with a perfectly placed nut in the center of each slice. If you’ve been here a while you know I don’t mess with all of that, but more power to you if you’d like to slice it the traditional way!

A few things make my basbousa recipe special. I use a combination of coarse and fine semolina flour, which makes the crumb perfectly soft but also sturdy enough to soak in the cinnamon-scented syrup without getting soggy. Rather than tuck a perfectly placed almond on each slice, I just sprinkle the top with toasted coconut and sliced almonds.

Either way, this basbousa recipe is sweet but not overly so, deliciously sticky, happily messy, and very easy to make. Its meant to be shared with friends and family on special occasions and I can’t wait to share it with you!

What is in Basbousa?
How to Make Basbousa
What to Serve with Basbousa
More Cake Recipes
Basbousa (Egyptian Semolina Cake) Recipe

Ingredients for basbousa including sugar, greek yogurt, fine semolina, coarse semolina, baking powder, milk, butter, shredded coconut, sliced almonds, a cinnamon stick and a lemon. - 5

What is in Basbousa?

Unlike Western-style cakes, basbousa doesn’t rely on eggs. Yogurt, milk, and butter hydrate the Semolina, creating structure for the cake, which creates a deliciously rich cake that soaks up the cinnamon syrup like a dream without getting soggy.

Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake and the cinnamon simple syrup.
Plain Greek yogurt: Adds moisture and a tangy flavor to balance the sweetness.
Semolina flour: I like to combine the softness of fine semolina and the satisfying texture of coarse, but you can use all coarse semolina.
Baking powder: Adds a bit of lift to the cake so it’s not overly dense.
Milk: I like the lightness of 2% milk with this recipe, but whole milk also works.
Butter adds richness and tenderizes the cake.
Shredded coconut adds crunch and sweetness. Not all basbousa recipes include coconut–simply leave this off if you’re not a fan.
Sliced almonds add another layer of texture and flavor. Feel free to substitute with other tender nuts, like crushed walnuts, pistachios, or pine nuts.
Cinnamon stick adds a cozy, warming flavor and aroma to the syrup without overpowering.
Lemon juice balances the sweetness of the simple syrup.

A close up of a slice of the basbousa on the platter with the rest of the cake. - 6

How to Make Basbousa

Though basbousa spends about 45 minutes in your oven, you’ll want to budget another hour of rest. This allows the cake to soak up all the delicious cinnamon simple syrup and become irresistibly sweet and tender. Here are the steps:

Get ready: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
Make the batter: In a large mixing bowl, use a rubber spatula to combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup yogurt. Add 1 cup coarse semolina, 1 cup fine semolina, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/3 cup 2% milk. Stir to combine. Finally, stir in 1/2 cup melted butter. Transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan and use a spatula to smooth the top.
Bake the cake: Transfer the cake pan to the heated oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown. If you need to, you can put it under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes. You want it to have a little color, but keep an eye on it so the cake doesn’t burn.
Meanwhile, prepare the syrup: While the cake bakes, make the cinnamon simple syrup. Set a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 3/4 cups water, and 1 cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice. Let cool completely, then remove the cinnamon stick.
Soak the cake: As soon as the basbousa is removed from the oven, pour the cool syrup on the hot basbousa. The pan may fill up with the liquid, and the cake may even float for a second, but it’s OK. Just let it absorb into the cake. Let the cake cool completely, as the syrup must be fully absorbed into the cake. For best results, let it sit for 1 hour before serving.
Serve: To serve, you can either serve it from the baking pan or run a knife around the edges and invert the cake onto a plate. Top the cake with 1/4 cup each of flaked coconut and sliced almonds. Cut into 8 slices and enjoy!

A slice of basbousa on a plate with a fork next to a cup of coffee, a bowl of sliced almonds, and the rest of the cake on a platter. - 7

What to Serve with Basbousa

Basbousa is meant to be shared with friends and family. Serve as an afternoon or after-dinner treat with Arabic Tea . For a caffeine-free option, serve with Greek mountain tea , or simply steep fresh mint leaves in hot water.

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Ingredients1x2x3x

For the Cake

▢ 1 cup (214g) granulated sugar
▢ 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
▢ 1 cup (150g) fine semolina
▢ 1 cup (150g) coarse semolina
▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
▢ 1/3 cup 2% milk
▢ 1/2 cup butter, melted
▢ 1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut or coconut chips
▢ 1/4 cup sliced almonds

For the Cinnamon Simple Syrup

▢ 1 1/2 cups sugar
▢ 1 3/4 cups water
▢ 1 cinnamon stick
▢ 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

Get ready: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
Make the batter: In a large mixing bowl, use a rubber spatula to combine the sugar and yogurt. Add the semolina flours, baking powder, and milk. Stir to combine. Finally, stir in the melted butter.
Bake the cake: Transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan. Use a spatula to smooth the batter and transfer the cake pan to the heated oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown. If you need to you can put it under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes. You want it to have a little color, but keep an eye on it so the cake doesn’t burn.
Prepare the syrup: While the cake bakes, make the cinnamon simple syrup. Set a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sugar, water, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Let cool completely, then remove the cinnamon stick.
Soak the cake: As soon as the basbousa is removed from the oven, pour the cool syrup on the hot basbousa. The pan may fill up with the liquid and the cake may even float for a second, but it’s OK. Just let it absorb into the cake. Let the cake cool completely, as the syrup must be fully absorbed into the cake. For best results, let it sit for 1 hour before serving.
Serve: To serve, you can either serve it from the baking pan or run a knife around the edges and invert the cake onto a plate. Top the cake with the flaked coconut and sliced almonds. Cut into 8 slices and enjoy!

Notes

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Alternative flour options: You can use 2 cups coarse semolina or 2 cups original Cream of Wheat enriched farina.
For best results, let Basbousa sit for 1 hour before serving. This allows for the syrup to be absorbed into the cake.

Nutrition

*This post has recently been updated with new information for readers’ benefit.