Basbousa Recipe, a Middle Eastern Semolina Cake

Basbousa is a golden, syrup-soaked, and utterly irresistible semolina cake from the Middle East. Find out how I make it, and teach it, right here!

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

The Origin of Basbousa

Where did basbousa originate? Like all timeless recipes, there are a few theories explaining where basbousa comes from.

But one thing they all agree on? Its Arab origin. One of my favourite cookbooks as you may know, is the medieval Kitab al-Tabikh; I’ve referenced it time and again on this site, like in the Sumakiyyah post. This book contains many variations of semolina sweets soaked in syrup.

Then there were also various early dessert concoctions called smeed (sameed is semolina in Arabic). The Arab origin thoery is not a wild leap then, given these old. recorded recipes.

However, some people insist that it came about during the Ottoman Empire. But seeing how the Ottoman Emire also covered a large expanse of territory, I’m thinking the Arab origin theory is hard to disprove.

Whatever its actual origin, Basbousa has certainly travelled throughout the region, from North Africa to the Mediterranean, and even the Balkans.

A Cake by Any Other Name

If you’ve never had basbousa before, you’re in for a treat.

Basbousa (pronounced bass-boo-sa) has its roots in Egypt, but it’s beloved across the Arab world and beyond. For good reason. It’s soft, nutty, buttery, and soaked in fragrant syrup that keeps it deliciously moist for days.

Depending on the country, region or even family, basbousa can also be known as:

• hareesa (not harissa the spice paste!) – the word hareesa means ground or even minced, referring to the rather crumbly nature of the basbousa.
• namoura – traditionally, this is a little lighter in syrup content. The word namoura comes from the Arabic namir, which means leopard. This is because the almonds dotting the top of the semolina cake resemble a leopard’s spots
• safra – this is what it tends to be called in Libya
• revani – the Greek and even Turkish version

Its name might change from place to place, with a slight difference in texture, but the soul of the dish – semolina, syrup, and sweetness – remains the same.

The sweetshop Egyptian basbousa, for example, is a dense cake, usually made without any leavening agents.

Let’s take a look at the ingredients, how to make basbousa, how to serve it  and of course, how to store it.

What does Basbousa Mean?

There are various theories explaining this. The word bas refers to the act of rubbing fat and flour, in this case, semolina, with one’s fingers. Which is the first step in making basbusa as you’ll see in the recipe below, although we tend to just do it with a wooden spoon half the time.

Busa means kiss. So apparently, the light, sweet texture of this Middle Eastern semolina cake is just like a kiss on the lips. So, bas + busa = basbusa, or basbousa as it is commonly spelt.

The Best Basbousa Recipe?

Let me tell you now, there isn’t a single best basbousa recipe out there. I’ve always said that taste is very subjective. The best basbousa cake recipe is going to be the one that’s made to your taste.

If you grew up with it, chances are, this is going to be your family’s recipe. One of the best things about basbousa, like the Eurasian Sugee Cake (from Singapore and Malaysia) on my other blog, is its forgiving nature. Sugee cake is also a semolina cake where we also soak the semolina in the first step.

So if you use a little more of this or a little less of that, you are still going to get a delicious Middle Eastern semolina cake.

The only thing we have to ensure is that it’s sturdy enough to hold its shape when cut. I add a little cornflour (cornstarch) for this purpose.

But you know you can also treat it like pudding and eat it with a spoon! This is a thing, and is sometimes called basbousa bel laban (laban is milk).

Easy Basbousa Recipe

One thing’s for sure though, the best basbousa recipe is always an easy recipe! This is what we’ll be doing:

1. Preheat the oven.
2. Melt the butter and soak the semolina in it.
3. Stir in the baking powder and soda into the yoghurt, along with the sugar.
4. Grease the baking dish.
5. Mix the cornflour and desiccated coconut, then stir into the semolina.
6. Fold the yoghurt mix and milk into the semolina mix.
7. Tip into baking dish, cut shapes, top with almonds, and bake for 30 minutes.

Really, really easy.

The Baking Dish

To me, basbousa is best baked in a medium-sized square or round dish. Like our 9″ x 9″ glass dish today or an 8″ round pan.

If you want to make lots of it, bake in 2 pans of around this size, instead of a long rectangular dish. I’ll tell you why.

Because of the fairly sloppy nature of the basbousa batter, the middle takes a little longer to brown. So if you are using a rectangular dish, you’ll end up with pretty crispy edges by the time that middle bit turns a golden brown that’s to your liking.

Basbousa Ingredients

The magic of basbousa lies in its simplicity. You’ll only need a few pantry staples.

• Semolina – This is the star of the show, proving that semolina belongs in desserts! Use coarse semolina for texture, or a mix of coarse and fine for a softer finish. You’ll see that in our recipe below, I’m only using coarse semolina. Fine semolina is also sometimes sold as semolina flour.
• Desiccated coconut – Not always traditional, but widely loved for the extra chew and flavour.
• Sugar – Both in the batter and in the syrup.
• Butter or ghee – For richness and that irresistible melt-in-the-mouth crumb.
• Tahini – just a touch of tahini is used in greasing our baking pan, adding a hint of nuttiness.
• Yoghurt – Adds moisture and a subtle tang.
• Baking powder and bicarbonate soda – to give it a light lift. So if you’d like your basbousa to be less cake-like, reduce or omit these leavening agents altogether.
• Almonds or blanched nuts – Typically used for decorating the top. The traditional nuts of choice are almonds, but you can also use pistachios or walnuts. The most traditional look is to cut the basbousa into squares or diamonds and to top each piece with a whole almond. But you could also, grind your almonds (or pistachios) and sprinkle them all over instead.

And of course…

• Simple syrup – Often scented with rose water or orange blossom water. This is poured over the hot cake to lock in moisture and flavour.

How to Serve Basbousa

Traditionally, basbousa is cut into diamond or square shapes and topped with a single almond. It’s usually served warm or at room temperature, with mint tea or Arabic coffee.

It also makes a brilliant make-ahead dessert for dinner parties, Eid, Ramadan, or any sweet-tooth occasion. I love making it for Eid and Easter.

Feeling indulgent? Serve it with a dollop of clotted cream or a spoonful of Greek yoghurt on the side to balance the sweetness.

Storage

Basbousa keeps brilliantly. Once cooled completely:

• Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
• For longer storage, pop it in the fridge for up to 1 week. Just bring it to room temperature before serving, or give it a quick zap in the microwave.
• You can even freeze it! Slice it first, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 1 month for the best flavour. Thaw overnight and warm slightly before enjoying. Or do like I do and just zap it in the microwave oven straight out of the freezer.

Basbousa is one of those comfort desserts that’s greater than the sum of its parts. Easy to whip up, deeply nostalgic for many, and adaptable.

It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Go on. Give it a go and let your kitchen smell like rose water, butter, and sunshine. If you have any questions, just drop me a line.