This is a mithai-style semolina cake inspired by the Ottoman delicacy Basbousa. This eggless cake recipe fits effortlessly on every festive menu. Be sure to watch the video!
- My Mithai Cake
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- My Tried & True Tips
- Watch Semolina Cake Video
- Eggless Semolina Cake Recipe
My Mithai Cake
This semolina cake is a confluence between Indian sweets ( mithai ) and a delicate Persian-style cake called Basbousa. It has a delicate crumb with a lingering aroma of saffron and rose water.
Basbousa is a popular dessert in Turkey, Egypt, and the Middle East. It is a simple semolina cake made with a few basic ingredients. Once baked, the cake is glazed with perfumed sugar syrup. Each region has its own style of making Basbousa.
The taste of Basbousa is very similar to Indian desserts as well. Over the years, I have tweaked this semolina cake recipe according to the locally available ingredients and our taste buds.
This is an Indian-style semolina cake enriched with ghee, coconut, saffron, and rose water. You will fall in love with this mithai cake taste after one bite.
A few years back, I shared another eggless semolina (rava) cake recipe, which is a HUGE hit among our website readers.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For The CakeBatter:
- Semolina : Fine semolina (rava/suji) is perfect for this cake recipe. There is no substitute for semolina in a Basbousa.
- Coconut : Use desiccated dry coconut or packaged desiccated coconut.
- Sugar: The sugar is added to this cake in two parts. One, in the cake batter. Second, by glazing it with sugar syrup ( chashni ).
- Curd : Plain, thick curd or yogurt is used to substitute eggs.
- Ghee: Melted butter is used to make this semolina cake batter. I like the taste better with Indian Ghee. Feel free to pick between melted butter, ghee, or olive oil.
- Milk : Room temperature unflavored milk. To build on the flavor, use coconut or almond milk instead of plain dairy milk.
- Aromatics: I use cardamom powder, saffron, and rose water. When it comes to this semolina cake, the possibilities are endless. You can add orange essence, kewra water, or stick to vanilla flavor.
- Other Ingredients: Baking Powder, Salt
Garnish: Almond Slivers, Edible Rose Petals, Edible Silver Leaf
For Sugar Syrup
- Water
- Saffron Strands
- Granulated White Sugar
My Tried & True Tips
- The Golden Colour: To get the beautiful golden colour of the cake, bake it on the top rack of the oven for the last 10 minutes of the baking time. The saffron and the hot sugar glaze also contribute to the perfect colour.
- Sugar Syrup: The sugar syrup should be slightly sticky and not runny/watery.
- Glazing: Make sure sugar syrup and cake are warm while glazing. Once the cake is glazed, let it sit at room temperature to cool down completely. Do not try to cut and serve the warm cake after glazing, as it might crumble apart.
Watch Semolina Cake Video
Storage Suggestion
Once the semolina cake is cooled down, transfer it to an airtight container. Store the cake in the refrigerator for 1 week. Reheat in the microwave for 1 minute before serving.
The semolina cake tastes delicious when served slightly warm with butterscotch or vanilla ice cream. Do not leave semolina cake at room temperature for more than 24 hours as it spoils quickly.
More Eggless Cake Recipes
- Eggless Vanilla Sponge Cake
- Eggless Whole Wheat Cake
- Eggless Tutti Frutti Cake
- Eggless Chocolate Cake
- Eggless Orange Cake
- Eggless Peach Cake
- Eggless Ragi Cake
Ingredients
My 1 Cup = 250 ml, 1 Teaspoon = 5 ml
- ▢ 1 ½ Cup semolina (suji/rava)
- ▢ ¾ Cup dessicated coconut
- ▢ 1 teaspoon green cardamom powder
- ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
- ▢ ¼ Cup granulated white sugar
- ▢ ¼ Cup brown sugar or jaggery powder
- ▢ 2/4 Cup curd or plain Greek yogurt
- ▢ ⅓ Cup ghee, melted
- ▢ ½ Cup milk
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon saffron
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon rose water
- ▢ 1 tablespoon sliced almonds
- ▢ 1 tablespoon sliced pistachio
Ingredienst for Sugar Syrup:
- ▢ 2 Cup water
- ▢ 2 Cup granulated white sugar
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon saffron
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 180 degrees Celcius for 10 minutes. Grease a 10 inch square or rectangular baking dish.
- Combine semolina, coconut, baking powder, salt, sugar, jaggery powder. Mix nicely. Set aside until required.
- Soak ¼ teaspoon saffron in ¼ cup of warm milk. Keep aside to add to the cake batter at a later stage.
- In a mixing bowl combine, curd, ghee, saffron infused milk, and rose water. Whisk using an egg beater or wire whisk for 5 minutes.
- Next, add ⅓ of the semolina mixture. Cut and fold the batter to evenly combine. Add ⅓ more of the semolina mixture, cut, and fold into the batter. Add remaining ¼ cup of milk. Gently fold into the batter. At last, add the remaining semolina mixture, and fold it into the batter. Stop mixing once the cake batter is evenly combined.
- Pour the batter into the greased baking dish. Spread evenly using a spatula. This semolina cake does not rise much after baking. Hence, do not spread the batter into a very thin layer. It should have a half to one inch thickness.
- Sprinkle sliced almonds and pistachio. Using a knife cut the cake into squares before baking.
- Bake at 180 degrees Celcius for 20 minutes in the middle rack of the oven. Transfer to the top rack of the oven for the last 10 minutes of the baking time.
- Meanwhile, simmer water, sugar, and saffron in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the syrup reduces to almost half the original amount or to one cup, turn off the heat.
- Bring the cake out of the oven. Pour the warm sugar syrup. Do not slice the cake. Let the cake sit till it cools down completely.
- Garnish with edible rose petals and silver leaf. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or on its own with a drizzle of sugar syrup.
Recipe Notes:
- Use desiccated coconut and not grated coconut for the cake batter.
- Fine semolina (chiroti rava) is perfect for making this cake.
- Soaking saffron in milk gives a beautiful color to the cake.
- You can substitute rose water with kewra water or orange blossom water as well.
- The sugar syrup should have a slightly sticky consistency.
- It is optional to decorate the cake with edible silver leaf or rose petals.
Nutrition
We follow a strict NO SPAM Policy
Eggless Semolina Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Oven
- Baking Dish
Ingredients
My 1 Cup = 250 ml, 1 Teaspoon = 5 ml
- 1 ½ Cup semolina (suji/rava)
- ¾ Cup dessicated coconut
- 1 teaspoon green cardamom powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ Cup granulated white sugar
- ¼ Cup brown sugar or jaggery powder
- 2/4 Cup curd or plain Greek yogurt
- ⅓ Cup ghee, melted
- ½ Cup milk
- ¼ teaspoon saffron
- ¼ teaspoon rose water
- 1 tablespoon sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon sliced pistachio
Ingredienst for Sugar Syrup:
- 2 Cup water
- 2 Cup granulated white sugar
- ¼ teaspoon saffron
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 180 degrees Celcius for 10 minutes. Grease a 10 inch square or rectangular baking dish.
- Combine semolina, coconut, baking powder, salt, sugar, jaggery powder. Mix nicely. Set aside until required.
- Soak ¼ teaspoon saffron in ¼ cup of warm milk. Keep aside to add to the cake batter at a later stage.
- In a mixing bowl combine, curd, ghee, saffron infused milk, and rose water. Whisk using an egg beater or wire whisk for 5 minutes.
- Next, add ⅓ of the semolina mixture. Cut and fold the batter to evenly combine. Add ⅓ more of the semolina mixture, cut, and fold into the batter. Add remaining ¼ cup of milk. Gently fold into the batter. At last, add the remaining semolina mixture, and fold it into the batter. Stop mixing once the cake batter is evenly combined.
- Pour the batter into the greased baking dish. Spread evenly using a spatula. This semolina cake does not rise much after baking. Hence, do not spread the batter into a very thin layer. It should have a half to one inch thickness.
- Sprinkle sliced almonds and pistachio. Using a knife cut the cake into squares before baking.
- Bake at 180 degrees Celcius for 20 minutes in the middle rack of the oven. Transfer to the top rack of the oven for the last 10 minutes of the baking time.
- Meanwhile, simmer water, sugar, and saffron in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the syrup reduces to almost half the original amount or to one cup, turn off the heat.
- Bring the cake out of the oven. Pour the warm sugar syrup. Do not slice the cake. Let the cake sit till it cools down completely.
- Garnish with edible rose petals and silver leaf. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or on its own with a drizzle of sugar syrup.
Video
Notes
- Use desiccated coconut and not grated coconut for the cake batter.
- Fine semolina (chiroti rava) is perfect for making this cake.
- Soaking saffron in milk gives a beautiful color to the cake.
- You can substitute rose water with kewra water or orange blossom water as well.
- The sugar syrup should have a slightly sticky consistency.
- It is optional to decorate the cake with edible silver leaf or rose petals.
Nutrition
Learn to make Vermicelli Upma, a popular Indian breakfast. It is an easy, tasty, and satisfying vegetarian dish. Be sure to watch the video!
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
- What is ‘vermicelli’?
- About Semiya Upma
- Meal-Prep Tips For Upma
- Watch Semiya Upma Video
- Serving Suggestion
- Vermicelli Upma Recipe
What is ‘vermicelli’?
Vermicelli is a thin, long thread-style noodle or pasta. In the Indian sub-continent, it is known as ‘semiyan’, ‘seviyan’, or ‘semiya’. It is commonly used to make sweets, kheer , and snacks like spring rolls or stir fry noodles.
These vermicelli noodles are often made with various flours like all-purpose flour, wheat, ragi, or semolina . The Indian variety of vermicelli noodles is approximately one inch long, or you can say they are bite-size, unlike the Southeast Asian style vermicelli noodles.
About Semiya Upma
Semiya Upma is an Indian breakfast made with vermicelli noodles, vegetables, and spices. It perfectly qualifies all the criteria of a quick and easy Indian breakfast .
I am sharing a South Indian-style, wholesome, and tasty upma recipe.
With each season, the ingredients of my vermicelli upma also keep changing. During the winter, it is loaded with bright and shiny vegetables – green peas , carrots, and beans . We like to keep it simple with onion and potatoes during hot summer days.
My favourite is lemon semiya upma with only peanuts, cashews, a lot of lemon juice, and fresh coriander. Plain and refreshing!
More Reasons to LOVE Semiya Upma
- possible vegan and gluten-free
- easy to pack for lunchbox
- packed with vegetables
- highly customizable
- meal-prep friendly
Meal-Prep Tips For Upma
These two meal prep tips always work for me:
- You can clean, chop, mix, and store all the vegetables for the upma in an airtight container at the beginning of the week or a day before.
- Usually, I boil the vermicelli noodles the previous night or the day before. Toss boiled noodles gently in a teaspoon of cooking oil and store them in the refrigerator.
Last minute, all you need to do is cook the upma. A hearty breakfast is on the table in under 30 minutes.
Watch Semiya Upma Video
Serving Suggestion
You can serve vermicelli upma as a breakfast or a teatime snack.
The green mint chutney or the traditional coconut chutney tastes best with the upma. You can pack it for the office or school lunchbox as well. It is easy to carry around, store, and reheat.
More Indian Breakfast Recipes
- South Indian Rava Upma
- Sabudana Khichdi
- Masala Bath
- Matar Poha
- Indori Poha
- Dalia Upma
Ingredients
- ▢ 2 Cup vermicelli (semiya)
- ▢ 2 teaspoon cooking oil
- ▢ 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon urad dal (skinned)
- ▢ ¼ Cup peanuts
- ▢ 1 sprig curry leaves
- ▢ 1 medium-size onion, fine chopped
- ▢ ¼ Cup potato, fine chopped
- ▢ ¼ Cup green peas (fresh or frozen )
- ▢ ¼ Cup carrot, fine chopped
- ▢ Salt to taste
- ▢ 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ▢ ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ▢ Juice of one lemon
Instructions
How To Boil Vermicelli (Semiya):
- Add 4 cups of water and a teaspoon of salt in a large saucepan. Turn on the gas stove.
- Once the water starts boiling, add vermicelli. Stir and cook for 10 minutes or until softened.
- Transfer to a metal colander. Drain all the water. Rinse vermicelli nicely with cold or running water. Drizzle a teaspoon of oil and mix. Set aside till required.
How To Make Semiya Upma:
- Heat oil in a kadhai or pan. Add mustard seeds. Allow them to crackle.
- Add urad dal and fry for few seconds or till turn light golden in colour.
- Next, add the peanut and fry for a minute.
- Now add the curry leaves and onion. Fry till onion turn light golden in colour.
- Add mix vegetable, salt, spices and stir to combine. Cover and cook till the vegetables are tender.
- Once vegetables are cooked, add boiled vermicelli and gently mix all the ingredients together.
- Drizzle lemon juice and sprinkle fresh coriander leaves. Mix nicely.
- Serve Vermicelli Upma with green chutney and a hot cup of tea.
Recipe Notes:
- Add vermicelli in the water only when it is a roaring boil. Do not add vermicelli before that stage.
- Vermicelli or semiya does not take too long to get cooked. So while boiling keep checking them for doneness. Usually, vermicelli does not take more than 10 minutes to get perfectly boiled.
- To make a vegan vermicelli upma, use refined oil or coconut oil instead of ghee.
- You can store semiya upma for 2 – 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat it in a microwave or a frying pan.
Nutrition
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