Semolina, Coconut and Polenta “Basbousa”

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Inspired by the Middle Eastern Basbousa, this cake is fragrant with rose and lemon and is gently sweet

One bowl, no mixer, and a dish large enough for baking—that’s all you need. This recipe is fuss‑free baking at its finest.

There are desserts that delight you at first bite—and then there’s basbousa, a Middle Eastern classic that feels like wandering through a fresh, fragrant garden in the best possible way. Traditionally made from semolina, enriched with yogurt, and soaked in aromatic sugar syrup, basbousa is a dessert that graces countless family tables during Eid across many parts of the world. It felt only fitting to include this recipe in my Eid series as well.

Tastes and preferences differ, and while I loved the flavor, styling, and overall concept of this bake, there were a few elements I wanted to refine. To begin, semolina comes in different varieties—from super‑fine grains to a coarser texture known as farina. Basbousa is typically made with the latter, which gives it its signature crumb. Unfortunately, the semolina commonly available in South Africa is much finer, so some of that texture is inevitably lost. To bring back some interest to the crumb, I swapped out a portion of the semolina for polenta and increased the desiccated coconut. The result is a lovely balance of density and texture, while also reducing the syrup absorption—another aspect I wanted to adjust.

Once the texture was right, I also wanted a cake that felt a bit “lighter” and not overly drenched in syrup. Ideally, basbousa should be something you enjoy with a cup of tea after an indulgent meal—not a dessert that feels heavy or cloyingly sweet.

While yogurt brings beautiful moisture, it also adds density. So, I reduced the amount of yogurt and added eggs (yes, I know it’s not traditional… which is why I didn’t call it basbousa in the blog title) to create more structure and protein in the batter. This doesn’t remove the characteristic richness of basbousa, but it does give the cake enough height and volume to hold the syrup without becoming soggy. The result is a slice that’s delicately flavored with syrup and easy to hold and eat—without it dripping everywhere.

Finally, flavor is everything. I rubbed lemon zest directly into the sugar before mixing, and I amplified the rose and lemon in the syrup to brighten the overall profile of the bake. I hope you enjoy my version of this classic—it is undoubtedly inspired by Middle Eastern basbousa. Is it authentic? No. Is it delicious? Absolutely.

Whether you’ve grown up enjoying it during celebrations or are discovering this beloved dessert for the first time, basbousa offers something beautifully simple: the joy of unpretentious ingredients coming together to create something unforgettable.

WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT MAKING THIS SEMOLINA, COCONUT AND POLENTA CAKE?

Can I make this eggless? Yes, the traditional recipe calls for only yogurt, so swap out the two eggs for an additional 1/2 cup yogurt to make an eggless version. Please note that the texture and overall feel will be a lot denser.

Why is my syrup sitting on the top and not absorbing? The syrup needs to be cold. Cold syrup and hot cake is the golden rule to ensure properly soaks through.

Can I omit the polenta? The polenta is wonderful textural element and adds a bit more “grit” to the cake. If you like, you can substitute it with semolina, but the texture would be different.

Can I omit the coconut? Unfortunately I have not tested the recipe without coconut, so difficult for me to comment on this. Coconut also has the effect of not making the cake overly soggy, so I suspect that this would be difficult to adjust for without sufficient recipe testing.

How do I get clean, neat slices? It is important to cut the diamond pattern into the cake before baking. To do this, use a sharp, straight edged knife (not serrated) and run it through some hot water so that it is damp. Make a gentle cutting motion, rather than running the knife down in one go. Then wipe the knife clean before repeating the process.

Can I flavour the syrup differently? Absolutely, if lemon and rose are not your thing, consider orange juice and a bit of almond essence. Alternatively, orange blossom is a wonderful addition too, or you could stick with good ‘ol vanilla. Please be mindful of the quantities and taste as you go along, as the last thing you want to do is serve your guests an “airfreshner tasting” dessert.

Can I freeze the semolina, coconut and polenta cake? Yes! It freezes extremely well. Wrap slices tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost at room temperature — it remains wonderfully moist thanks to the syrup.

What rose water should I use? PLEASE use culinary-grade rosewater which is labelled pure rather than an essence. An essence is something completely different and if you use the same quantity of the rose water, you are guaranteed to ruin the flavour. Rose essence is much stronger and will easily overpower the cake.

RECIPE TIMELINE

I have begun adding a recipe timeline to bakes, which people deem as complicated (which it really is not!) or having a few components. I deliberately write out my recipes in great detail, so that people can understand it and have maximum success. Where there are a few components, I include a recipe timeline to help you plan and also manage your expectations on how long until you can enjoy your bake

It is easier to keep each of the recipe components together when writing a recipe, but the truth is I often do things in tandem, and that makes the process go a lot quicker than when you initially look at a recipe on paper. I hope this helps you and makes the recipe feel more approachable, but if it is too much just ignore it and do each component as you need to.

Total Prep Time: 15 – 20 minutes
Total Bake Time: Approximately 30 minutes
Total Post Bake Rest Time: 3 hours
Total time until you can enjoy: 4 hours

Breakdown of Prep Time (Approximately 20 minutes)

5 – 10 minutes – Make the syrup. It is critical that the syrup is cool, so begin with that. Place in the fridge to cool whilst the cake bakes. You can also make the syrup up to two days ahead and keep it in the fridge in case you want to get ahead.

10 minutes – Make the batter. No fancy electric equipment is needed here and the batter comes together easily. Simply mix the wet and dry mixture together and place into your baking dish.

OTHER RECIPES IN MY EID SERIES

If you make this recipe, please share it with me by tagging me on Instagram @adventureswithsugar or on Facebook at Adventures with Sugar. Please also leave a comment below to let me know how you got on with the recipe.

FOR THE SYRUP

300g granulated white sugar
375ml water
20ml rosewater
40ml lemon juice

METHOD

Make the syrup: Place all the ingredients, except the rosewater, into a medium size saucepan and place on medium heat. Heat until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup comes to a boil. Allow to boil for about 4 minutes before turning off. Add in the rose water.
Cool the syrup: Place the syrup in the fridge to cool whilst the cake is baking.

FOR THE SEMOLINA, COCONUT AND POLENTA “BASBOUSA”

125g salted butter, melted
225g caster sugar
zest of two lemons
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 large eggs
240g yogurt
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
360g semolina
70g dessicated coconut
60g cake flour
100g polenta
whole almonds, for decorating

METHOD

Prepare your oven and your pan: Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius. Grease a large 26cm dish and set aside. You can also grease and line the base of a 24cm cake tin baking paper, you will just end up with a slightly higher cake. You can also do this in a 26cm tart tin, if that is what you have. It could also work in a 23 by 33 rectangular tin.
Combine all the dry ingredients and set aside: Add the semolina, coconut, polenta cake flour and salt into a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Infuse the sugar and lemon: With the tips of your fingers, rub the lemon zest into the sugar.
Add in the melted butter and eggs: Add in the melted butter into the sugar and whisk to combine, then add in the eggs and vanilla essence and whisk to combine. You do not need to aerate this too much.
Activate the raising agents: In a separate bowl, add the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda to the yogurt. Pour on the lemon juice onto the baking soda and watch it fizz. Whisk this into the yogurt so that it becomes frothy. Then add this to your egg and butter mixture.
Add in the dry ingredients: Gradually add in the dry ingredients into the yogurt mixture and whisk to combine, you will end up with a thick batter.
Add the almond and slice: Pour the batter into a greased dish. Using a wet knife, score the diamond shape into the batter. The place a whole almond in the middle of each of the diamonds you have cut.
Bake: Bake for around 30 – 35 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Keep an eye on the bake to ensure the almonds do not burn. If the almonds are getting too brown, but the cake is not yet done, then cover with a piece of foil and continue to bake.
Pour on the syrup: When cake comes out of the oven, immediately pour the cold syrup all over the cake. It feels like a lot of syrup, but the cake needs it. Allow the syrup to seep in, before adding more. Let the cake cool before slicing and enjoying.