Egyptian · dessert

Basbousa (Semolina Cake)

Name: Basbousa (Semolina Cake)
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Egyptian
Ingredients: 2 cups coarse semolina; 1/2 cup sugar; 1 cup yogurt; 4 tbsp butter, melted; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 cup desiccated coconut; 12 blanched almonds; 1 cup sugar syrup (1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp rose water)

Basbousa (Semolina Cake) reads sweetness 7.7, richness 5.3 and nutty 4.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Egyptian dessert, about 55 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 3.4 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 8.0 / 10
Sour & Bright — 2.7 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 1.2 / 10
Rich & Fat — 6.7 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 0.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sweetness 7.7 · Richness 5.3 · Nutty 4.8 · Funk & Ferment 3.2 · Sourness 2.7 · Umami 1.3 · Fruity 1.2 · Earthy 1.1 · Floral 0.7 · Bitterness 0.7 · Salinity 0.5

What's in it (8)

2 cups coarse semolina
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup yogurt
4 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
12 blanched almonds
1 cup sugar syrup (1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp rose water)

Time & effort: about 55 min (25 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 449.2 kcal, 13.6 g protein, 29.8 g fat, 37.3 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (4 steps)

Mix semolina, sugar, coconut, yogurt, and melted butter into a thick batter, then stir in baking powder.
Spread into a greased pan, score into diamond shapes, and press an almond into each piece.
Bake until golden, then immediately pour cool sugar syrup flavored with rose water over the hot cake.
Allow to absorb fully before serving.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Facturas (Pastry Assortment) — Argentine
Apam Balik (Peanut and Sweetcorn Griddle Pancake) — Malaysian
Canjeero with Ghee and Sugar — Somali
Simit — Turkish
Konafa (Kunafa) — Egyptian

Keep reading: what sweetness, richness, nutty mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.