Basbousa (Basboosa) is a Middle Eastern dessert that is basically sweet semolina and coconut cake. It is also called revani or namoura in some parts. Here is how to make it at home.
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About Basbousa
Basbousa (Basboosa) is a soft and super moist dessert that is quite popular in Middle Eastern countries, especially Turkey. It is also called revani or namoura.
This traditional Turkish dish is pronounced as ‘Bass-b-ouza’.
Basbousa is basically a sweet semolina and coconut cake that is flavored with orange zest.
It comes together easily using simple ingredients and equipment.
You might have tried a lot of savory Middle Eastern dishes like Hummus, Pita, or Mutabal. Now try this dessert as well.
Ingredients
All-Purpose Flour & Semolina – The base of this Middle Eastern cake is made using fine semolina and a little bit of all-purpose flour.
Desiccated Coconut – This is one of the main ingredients in this traditional recipe. It complements the semolina very well and gives the dessert a beautiful coconut flavor.
Orange Zest – Orange zest gives it a slight hint of tanginess, that makes this dish delicious. So do not miss this one.
Blanched Almonds – Soak the almonds in hot water, remove the skin, and then use them to top your basbousa.
Eggs and Yogurt – These two ingredients make sure that your dessert comes out soft and moist. You can avoid adding eggs, for an eggless version.
Others – You will need granulated white sugar, melted salted butter, any neutral-flavored oil, and baking powder.
How To Make Basbousa
Make The Sugar Syrup
Add 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water to a saucepan.
Cook over high heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring a few times.
Once the sugar is dissolved, reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.
Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and mix well.
Remove the pan from heat and keep aside.
Make The Cake
Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃). Line a 9×11-inch baking tray with parchment paper.
Add 2 large eggs and ½ cup of granulated white sugar to a large mixing bowl and whisk well using an electric hand blender or a wire whisk.
Add ½ cup plain yogurt and whisk until combined.
Now add ½ cup of melted salted butter and ½ cup of any neutral-flavored oil and whisk well.
Add
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup desiccated coconut
- 1 and ½ cups fine semolina
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Mix everything well.
Pour the batter into the prepared tray and spread it evenly using a silicon spatula.
Using a sharp knife, make diamond-shaped marks on the batter.
Arrange blanched almond halves over the cake.
Keep the tray in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the tray from the oven.
Run a sharp knife over the marks once again.
Pour sugar syrup over the warm cake and let the cake cool down completely (at least an hour). Take out the diamond-shaped pieces and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make eggless basbousa, replace eggs with ¼ cup of plain yogurt and keep the rest of the recipe the same.
Replace eggs, yogurt, and melted butter with 1 cup of whipped silken tofu and ¼ cup of non-dairy milk to make a vegan version of this recipe.
To make it gluten-free, replace all-purpose flour and semolina with a combination of almond flour, rice flour, and corn flour.
Storage Suggestions
Basbousa can be stored in an airtight container for about a day at room temperature.
You can refrigerate it for about 4-5 days. Reheat it in a microwave for a few seconds as it may get a little hard after refrigeration.
Take the amount you are planning to serve and microwave it for a few seconds. Heating the whole Basbousa, again and again, will decrease its shelf life.
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Recipe Card
Basbousa Recipe (Middle Eastern Coconut Semolina Cake)
Ingredients
For The Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For The Cake
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- ½ cup melted unsalted butter
- ½ cup any neutral-flavored oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup desiccated coconut
- 1 and ½ cups fine semolina
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 10-12 blanched almonds (halved)
Instructions
Make The Sugar Syrup
- Add sugar and water to a saucepan.
- Cook over high heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring a few times.
- Once the sugar is dissolved, reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add lemon juice and mix well.
- Remove the pan from heat and keep aside.
Make The Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃). Line a 9×11-inch baking tray with parchment paper.
- Add eggs and sugar to a large mixing bowl and whisk well using an electric hand blender or a wire whisk.
- Add yogurt and whisk until combined.
- Now add melted butter and oil and whisk well.
- Add vanilla extract, baking powder, all-purpose flour, desiccated coconut, semolina, and orange zest.
- Mix everything well.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tray and spread it evenly using a silicon spatula.
- Using a sharp knife, make diamond-shaped marks on the batter.
- Arrange almond halves over the cake.
- Keep the tray in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the tray from the oven.
- Run a sharp knife over the marks once again.
- Pour sugar syrup over the warm cake and let the cake cool down completely (at least an hour). Take out the diamond-shaped pieces and serve.
Rukshana
Hi, with the amount of sugar 1/2 cup , is the dessert moderately sweet or richly sweet. i want to try this but don’t want it to be overly sweet 🙂
Neha Mathur
It’s moderately sweet.
Rukshana
Thank you Neha, I made this for Eid and was a superhit. It wasn’t too sweet and everyone loved it . This will be my permanent Basbousa recipe. The orange zist added a nice flavour to it
Ruby
One of the most delicious desserts tasted so far. The recipe is perfect.
Thank you v.much for sharing.