This sticky semolina cake is the first cake I ever made in my grandmother’s kitchen in Sri Lanka. The fragrant, cashew-studded treat is served throughout the country at teatime or whenever guests come calling. The dense crumb and chewy edges remind me of something that would happen if a butter cake and a blondie had a baby—a pleasingly crunchy, tender, and sweet love child. In the oven, the rose water, honey, cardamom, and cinnamon start to bloom. This cake doubles as aromatherapy.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr 10 min |
| Active: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 16 servings |
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
- 1 cup (6 ounces) coarse semolina
- 4 large eggs, separated, plus 2 large egg yolks
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon rose water
- 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (4 1/2 ounces) finely chopped raw cashews
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Butter the parchment.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the semolina and cook, stirring, until it is very lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the semolina mixture out onto a large plate to cool to room temperature.
- In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the 6 egg yolks and sugar on medium speed until pale and thick, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in the honey, rose water, almond extract, cinnamon, cardamom, lemon zest, and salt. Beat in the cooled semolina mixture and fold in the cashews.
- With clean beaters, whip the 4 egg whites to medium-stiff but not dry peaks on medium speed, about 2 minutes. Stir one-quarter of the egg whites into the semolina mixture, then fold the remaining egg whites into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a rack.
- To serve, cut along the edges of the cake to release it from the pan. Using the parchment, transfer the cake to a cutting board and cut into diamonds. Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 16 servings |
| Calories | 266 |
| Total Fat | 14 g |
| Saturated Fat | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 32 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 22 g |
| Protein | 5 g |
| Cholesterol | 92 mg |
| Sodium | 110 mg |
Reviews
Lô King gỗ!
Yes yes yes!!