Orange Semolina Cake
1 cup fine semolina flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon of salt
½ cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 sticks softened butter or vegan butter
1 ¼ cup sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
For the syrup
3/4 cup orange juice
Zest of 2 oranges, finely grated
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons orange blossom water
For decoration
1 cup Greek yogurt or coconut milk yogurt
(non-dairy option)
¼ cup sugar
Candied oranges or toasted pistachios
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line the bottom of an 8 inch springform pan with parchment paper, then grease the sides with oil spray.
- In a medium bowl, place the semolina, flour, baking powder and salt and mix well.
- In a small bowl, combine the orange juice and vanilla, then set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until very creamy and pale white.
- On the low setting, add half the flour and half the orange juice, mix until just combined.
- Add the remaining flour and orange juice. Do not over beat.
- Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake.
- Place on a cooling rack.
- Prepare the syrup by combining the orange juice, orange zest, sugar and orange blossom water in a small sauce pan.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir well, then lower heat and simmer until the syrup begins to thicken.
- Remove from heat and allow syrup to cool.
- Once the cake has cooled, poke holes in the top of the cake with a toothpick.
- Pour syrup over the cake.
Wrap cake tightly with plastic wrap. - Just before serving, beat the yogurt with the sugar and pour over the cake.
- Decorate with pistachios, or fresh candied orange slices.
Candied orange slices
2 oranges, washed and dried
1/4 cup sugar
Fresh rosemary, optional
- Slice oranges into thin rounds and remove any pits.
- Place in a pan with ¼ cup of sugar and rosemary.
- Simmer until sugar becomes syrupy and orange slices have released their juice.
- Set aside to cool.