Lebanese dessert called sfoof is not excessively sweet. Due to the absence of rose water and orange blossom essence, which are typically featured in Middle Eastern desserts, it is palatable to Americans. Bon appetit! Sahteyn!
| Prep Time: | 15 mins |
| Cook Time: | 25 mins |
| Total Time: | 40 mins |
| Servings: | 12 |
| Yield: | 1 9-inch round cake |
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups semolina flour
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ⅛ cups white sugar
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch round baking pan.
- In a small bowl, mix semolina, flour, turmeric and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir milk and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add flour mixture and oil and beat with an electric beater at medium speed for 5 minutes. This step is essential, do not use any shortcuts.
- Pour into a prepared 9-inch round pan. Sprinkle top with pine nuts.
- Bake in the preheated oven until wooden pick inserted in center comes out dry, 25 to 35 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 188 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 24 g |
| Cholesterol | 2 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Protein | 1 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2 g |
| Sodium | 70 mg |
| Sugars | 20 g |
| Fat | 10 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
I also added a bit around half a teaspoon of blossom water. The recipe overall was very easy to follow !!
Very tasty and nice flavor
This reminded me of corn bread. I forgot to add the pine nuts but I will make this in place of cornbread in the future.
Just OK. Flavour is a bit bland. Instead of pine nuts try topping the cake with toasted sesame seeds.
It’s delish. The reason why some people may not like it is because semolina is a very distinct taste that not everyone will love. But- many people will love it. Egg-free cakes are different, but that’s what makes them unique! Try it, and you probably won’t regret it!
I was looking for a “birthday” cake that wouldn’t be too sweet and didn’t need icing. We cook with turmeric all the time, especially in soups and in various foods over rice. What a pleasant and tasteful surprise! I did include some extra ingredients though. I added more pine nuts in and on top of the cake, a little rose water to the ingredients, and when the cake cooled, I dusted the cake with a little confectioner sugar–to look a slight more festive without being too sweet!
We loved it! I don’t find turmeric pungent in any bad way at all, probably because I like exotic dishes. I actually made a mistake in using a different kind of flour because our supermarket does not have semolina flour, so the end product is not much cake-ish haha But I love the taste. My 5-year-old daughter helped me bake it and she loved the taste and smell too. I am going to bake it again! 😀
had to make this when i saw the name. several times a day my hungry 15mo runs up to me saying “foof!” it’s different in a mild, pleasant way. the whole family enjoyed it drizzled with maple syrup. i think we’ll make it again.
I use fine semolina and no milk. Turns out perfect. I add sesame seeds on top instead of pine nuts
Yum! Easy to make, not too sweet, and great crumbly texture. Thanks!
I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out delicious! As I grow older I’m getting more and more turned off of overly sweet desserts, so this was perfect. I love the taste of turmeric, but it can be pungent–as one reviewer noted–especially if not measured correctly. Make sure you use a proper measuring spoon, because adding too much of certain spices (powdered cloves comes to mind) can overpower a baked good. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I made this cake using Chinese five spice instead of turmeric, and it was great. I really liked the texture. Without the spice, it’s also a great eggless cake recipe.
I made this for a dinner club party themed “Mushrooms and Turmeric.” I was excited to find a recipe that actually fit the theme. It was good and served its purpose but was not one of my favorite desserts. I’d consider making it again for another “themed” meal.
My whole family really enjoyed this recipe!! Its very yummy!! The younger ones put syrup on top to make it even sweeter.
AWESOME CAKE. I love Middle Eastern cooking, and the turmeric is such a pleasant surprise. Shukran 🙂
It has a very pungent taste that wasn’t very pleasing. I assume it is an acquired taste, but my family and I disliked it.
I added a good amount or rose water, and I cooked it longer in a gas oven.
nice cake, not too sweet.