This semolina rosewater cake is a savory, sophisticated tea cake that is great for tea, breakfast, or dessert alongside some whipped cream. Semolina flour makes the cake's crumb hearty and earthy, almost like a polenta cake. it would be perfect with a dollop of creme fraiche or whipped cream, and almost certainly perfect for afternoon tea or morning coffee.
why this semolina rosewater cake is so delicious
this semolina cake, adapted from sweet by yotam ottolenghi and helen goh, is distinct and delicious with its rosewater floral notes.
i love using rose and floral notes in cakes, and this cake is light and floral without too being sweet.
how to make a semolina rosewater cake, step by step
- Preheat oven to 350F. Butter/flour a 9” springform pan.
- Combine pepitas+pistachios, semolina flour, and cardamom in a food processor. Process until the nuts are finely ground, then transfer to a bowl. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until fluffy. Add in lemon zest, lemon juice, rose water and vanilla extract and beat to combine. Add in eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times and making sure that each batch is fully incorporated before adding the next. The mixture will curdle once the eggs are added, but don’t worry; this will not affect the end result.
- Add in dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in thirds – mix on low to just combine.
- Pour into a springform pan - level with an offset spatula and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean but oily.
- Make the roswater cake soak: Combine rosewater, lemon juice and sugar in small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring so that the sugar dissolves, then remove from the heat.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, drizzle all of the cake soak over the top.
- Sprinkle with finely chopped pistachios and set the cake aside in its pan to come to room temperature. Remove from pan and scatter rose petals over the cake.
pro-tips on making this semolina rosewater cake
i took some liberties in adapting the recipe to how i think it would be done better -- a mixture of pistachios and pepitas, all-purpose flour instead of almond meal, combining the wet ingredients first then the dry ingredients -- and the outcome is surprisingly good. I'm a big fan of rustic, single layer cakes that aren't too sweet -- see this chocolate olive oil cake or this lemon yogurt loaf as other examples worth your time.
📖 Recipe
Semolina cardamom rose cake
Ingredients
For the semolina rosewater cake:
- 150 grams pepitas and shelled pistachios plus 2 tablespoons, finely chopped, for serving
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 100 grams all purpose flour
- 170 grams semolina flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 300 grams unsalted butter
- 330 grams granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons rose water not rose essence
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the rosewater cake soak:
- ½ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup rose water
- 100 grams granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Butter/flour a 9” springform pan.
- Combine pepitas+pistachios, semolina flour, and cardamom in a food processor. Process until the nuts are finely ground, then transfer to a bowl. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until fluffy. Add in lemon zest, lemon juice, rose water and vanilla extract and beat to combine. Add in eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times and making sure that each batch is fully incorporated before adding the next. The mixture will curdle once the eggs are added, but don’t worry; this will not affect the end result.
- Add in dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in thirds – mix on low to just combine.
- Pour into a springform pan - level with an offset spatula and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean but oily.
- Make the roswater cake soak: Combine rosewater, lemon juice and sugar in small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring so that the sugar dissolves, then remove from the heat.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, drizzle all of the cake soak over the top.
- Sprinkle with finely chopped pistachios and set the cake aside in its pan to come to room temperature. Remove from pan and scatter rose petals over the cake.