If you’ve been looking for a simple, one-bowl dessert recipe, then this Semolina Cake is for you. Pouring lemon-infused simple syrup over the golden-yellow top keeps this cake moist for days after baking.
Who would have thought that a flour used mostly for pasta would make such a magical cake, but that’s exactly what durum flour does in this easy dessert recipe. This semolina cake has tons of fans thanks to its sweet and sticky bottom, moist middle, and cakey texture. It’s also universally loved because it's just such a breeze to make.
Making the simple syrup a week or two in advance means all you need to do is mix your ingredients in a single bowl, bake the cake, and pour the sweetened syrup over the top before serving. The lemon in this cake gives it tons of spring and summer vibes, but adding a few warming spices instantly turns it into a cozy fall treat.
How to Make It
- Make syrup: Bring water and ¾ cup sugar to a boil, and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Allow to cool.
- Make the cake: Whisk together eggs and remaining sugar until combined. Add yogurt and vegetable oil and whisk again until evenly combined. Add semolina, all-purpose flour, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gently fold ingredients together until just combined.
- Bake: Bake for 30-34 minutes. When the cake is done, the edges will be golden brown, and the texture will be firm but have a little spring.
- Add syrup: Pour the syrup evenly over the cake, and allow it to absorb the sticky sweetness.
- Let the cake cool, and then serve.
What is semolina flour?
Semolina flour is a hearty variety of yellow flour made from durum wheat. While semolina is most often used to make pasta - its super high protein content is great for helping pasta keep its shape after being cooked in boiling water, it also makes terrifically crumbly and textured baked treats. Because semolina naturally has a gorgeous yellow color, cakes and pastries made with semolina have the most beautiful color when you pull them from the oven.
What is simple syrup and how to make it
Simple syrup has tons of uses in the kitchen, and it can be made ahead and stored for up to a month in the refrigerator. Besides being an easy way to add some sweetness to baked goods, it's also used in cocktails. If you love mojitos, mint juleps, gimlets, and old fashioneds, it doesn’t hurt to have some simple syrup on hand.
Making simple syrup is easy. Combine one part water and one part sugar in a saucepan, stirring occasionally until all of the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool before storing.
If you’re not a fan of sugar, you can also use a 1:1 ratio of honey and water.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- Semolina - Semolina flour gives baked goods the most wonderful golden-yellow color, and dense, teacake-like texture.
- Plain Yogurt - Plain yogurt has a tangy neutral flavor that allows the other flavors to shine. If you don’t have plain yogurt, non-fat Greek yogurt would also work. Using a berry flavored yogurt is also a popular choice if you’re layering in different fruit flavors.
- All-Purpose Flour - Semolina is our main flour ingredient, but we still need a few tablespoons of all purpose to hold the cake together.
- Vegetable Oil - Vegetable oil is a good go-to baking oil for its neutral flavor. You could also try grapeseed, olive oil, coconut oil, or saffron oil.
- Eggs, White Sugar, Pure Vanilla Extract, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt - Basic kitchen baking ingredients to add lift, bind the things together, and add a subtle sweet vanilla flavor.
- Simple Syrup - The secret ingredient to a moist, sweet semolina cake is simple syrup.
Variations
This semolina cake makes it so easy to add your own personal touches. There is no limit to the fun variations you can create using this cake as your base.
- Add chopped pecans, almonds, or walnuts for a sweet, nutty flavor.
- Substitute orange water or rosewater for the lemon.
- Add dried fruits like chopped dates or apricots.
- Lean into those spring and summer flavors by adding fresh strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries.
- Including some shredded coconut to this semolina cake will add a little more sweetness and a fun crunch to each bite.
- Craving some warm seasonal spices? Cardamon, nutmeg, and cinnamon would be divine in this recipe.
Tip
For an extra sweet and syrupy cake texture, pour the simple syrup over the cake and then let it rest overnight. Giving a few extra hours for the cake to absorb the syrup creates the most amazingly sweet bottom layer.
Semolina is very high in gluten. If you have a gluten sensitivity, you could swap the semolina for a gluten-free flour like almond, coconut, or oat, but the finer texture of these flours will change the density of this cake.
If you want to freeze this cake and serve it at a later date, allow the cake to cool completely and skip adding the simple syrup. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap to preserve the freshness, and store in a sealed container. When you’re ready to serve, bring the cake to room temperature, and pour the simple syrup over the top. Slice, serve, and watch it disappear.
Semolina cake is one of those cakes that is great at room temperature, or with a little chill on it. You can store this cake by letting it cool, and tightly covering the cake pan with plastic wrap. Store for up to 3 days.
More Simple 8x8 Cakes
- Easy Vanilla Snack Cake
- One-Bowl Chocolate Cake
- Easy Peanut Butter Cake
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
- Applesauce Snacking Cake
Favorite Tools
- 8x8 Baking Dish Emile Henry - I love this small, sturdy baker.
- Anchor 3-Piece Glass Mixing Bowls - My go-to mixing bowls for baking.
- All Clad Saucepan (3 quart) - A good quality saucepan will help the ingredients to heat evenly.
- Flat Whisk - A flat whisk is my favorite tool for scraping around all of the edges of the pan. This is my favorite one.
📖 Recipe
Semolina Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Square Baking Dish
- Saucepan
- Whisk
Ingredients
For the syrup:
- ¾ cup water
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice (optional)
For the cake:
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 ½ cups plain yogurt (see note)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup semolina (see note)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 177°C
- Lightly grease an 8”x8” (20 cm x 20 cm) baking dish with cooking spray or lightly rub it with cooking oil.
- Make syrup: Combine water and ¾ cup sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 1 minute to fully dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice (if using). Set aside to cool completely.
- Make the cake: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and ½ cup sugar until sugar dissolves. Add yogurt and vegetable oil and whisk again until evenly combined. Add semolina, all-purpose flour, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir just until everything is combined (do not overmix). Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake: Bake until the center of the cake is set and the edges are golden brown and start to pull away from the sides, 30 to 34 minutes. (Note: Gently press on the cake in the center to be sure that it has cooked all the way through - it should have a springy but firm texture.)
- Add syrup: Remove the cake from the oven and slowly pour the syrup over top, making sure to pour syrup evenly over the entire surface. (Note: much of the syrup will drip down the sides which is fine. The cake will absorb the syrup from the bottom as it sits.)
- Let the cake cool completely before slicing and serving. (The cake is also great served chilled. If not serving immediately, store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)
Jen
Wow that cake looks delicious!
nancy neva gagliano
Hi. Could I substitute sour cream for the yogurt? Would a 6” bundt pan be too small?
Jess Smith
Yes - sour cream will work, but the batter will likely be more thick and may make the cake slightly more dense (I don't think it should matter though - this is a pretty light cake). Not sure about the bundt pan size - I think the batter will fit, but you may need to adjust the cooking time. Use a tester to check it, but my guess is that it might need about 10 minutes more to bake through in a small bundt pan.
Monique
Made this tonight... turned out to be a big hit! Thank you for the recipe 🥰
Jess Smith
Thank you Monique! So glad you liked it!
Sarah
Delicious- BUT- I used coconut oil
instead of veg. oil- the flavor was AMAZING - and perfect for a dessert with fresh berries & whipped cream
Jess Smith
Sarah - so glad you liked it! I love the idea of using coconut oil - I'm going to try that!
victor
Can you make this without eggs as I am vegan
Jess Smith
I haven't tried it, but I'd guess that your favorite vegan-friendly eggs substitute would work in this cake - like flax egg(?). It's not as finicky as many other cakes because the semolina gives it a lot of structure.
Saraswathy Ganapathy
I used rice semolina ('rice rava' here in India) and added grated coconut to the batter. It came out great. Saras G,
Bangalore, India
Cath
I included some sultanas and lemon zest to the cake and also lemon juice in the syrup. What a hit.
Jess Smith
Sounds delicious!! So glad it came out well!
Zainab
Do u poir thesyruponto the cake whileitis hot or do u wait till the cake cools b4 pouring the syrup?
Jess Smith
While still hot.
Prieiya
Tried , it was really tasty...My mom and I nearly finished half of it ourselves.😂
Thanks for the recipe 😁🙏
I roasted the semolina before putting it into the batter
Jess Smith
Awesome - so glad you both liked it!!
Clarke
I've made this recipe several times with great results, I usually replace the lemon with orange and it works a treat. Thanks!
Jess Smith
The orange sounds delicious - what a great idea!
LoveAndSqualor
What a delicious cake! I subbed 1/2 cup sourdough starter discard in place of the AP flour and 1/4 cup of the yogurt and it worked perfectly. Also used the honey variation in my soak, using a really strong, dark honey, and added a cinnamon stick for extra seasonal flavor. Just a really moist, excellent cake. I'll have it for dessert tonight with squishy-ripe persimmons and whipped cream, and bring the leftovers to work this week to have with my afternoon coffee! Thanks for the recipe.
Jess Smith
So glad you liked it! Now I'm craving persimmons!
Zeeba
The cake turned out perfect and delicious just by itself without the syrup. Thank you for the amazing recipe
Jess Smith
That's great to hear! I'm so glad you liked it!
Philip
Dear Jess
Thanks for your recipe. Was going to try it out today as it looks delicious. Just one question before, if you don’t mind. For the syrup you say sugar 3/4 cup = 75g. but for batter you say 1/2 cup sugar = 100g. If 3/4 cup = 75g then half cup should be 50g. Which is the correct measurement please? Many thanks.
Jess Smith
Hi Philip - thanks so much for catching that error on our side. 3/4 cup is correct, but should be 150g. We've corrected the recipe now. Thanks again!
Tara
Jess,
Is there a way to turn this into a dark chocolate cake?
Jess Smith
Hi Tara - I've never tried it, but if you have success, please share!
Megan
This cake turned out AMAZING!🤩thank you for sharing it with us.
John L
I followed the steps but the batter turned out runny. Perhaps it is because I used olive oil or maybe I did not beat the egg and sugar long enough? Anyway, I added more semolina flour and AP - tablespoon by tablespoon - until the batter thickened. After that I baked in the oven for 33 minutes. I then turned off the oven, left the oven ajar for 5 minutes. Well, the cake turned out delicious! So big thank you Jess. What a blessing to bump into your website! 😁
Jess Smith
So glad you liked it John! Thank you for the note.
Will
This recipe is amazing, thanks for sharing! I baked using 3/4 of given measures due to my tray size and it worked perfectly. Thanks for the notes on the syrup, I only used half and it is a perfect match to my taste.
JoAnne Miller
My usual is full fat yogurt. Can I dilute Ruth milk to get the right consistency? Guessing 1 part milk, 3 parts ff yogurt.
Jess Smith
That sounds about right to me - a 1:3 ratio should work.
Diane Libonati
Love this recipe! I used a course semolina, have you had success with medium or fine grade as well? What is recommended?
Jess Smith
I haven't tried fine grade, but it works well with medium and coarse and just affects the texture / crumb. So glad you liked it!!
Sue
I made the old recipe you had posted with some tweaks. I have revisited today bake it again to discover you have adapted the recipe. Do you still have the old recipe and previous comments?
Jess Smith
Hi Sue - I've made no changes to the recipe or the comments. Any comments that were posted in the past remain at the bottom of the screen. I did add metric equivalents to the recipe itself and update the language a bit, but it's still the exact same recipe you've made in the past (one of my favorites!). The post may look a little different because it includes all new photos.
Sue
Thank you for the reply back, however I still cannot see previous comments, only comments (33) that have been posted this year.
Jess Smith
Oh wow - I apologize - you're completely right. I'm actually not sure what would have caused that, but will look into it. The recipe, however, has not changed. We made a few small stylistic changes to the instructions to fit with my current style, but the measurements and method are the same as the original.
Melissa
Hi Jess! I want to try this recipe, but I don't have a 8x8 on me. Can I make it with an 11x7? Should I change it in any way to fit that pan? Thank you so much!
Jess Smith
That should be just fine! Just keep an eye on it as it cooks - it may finish baking a few minutes earlier.
Isla
Wow! Delicious and so easy to make. The semolina flour makes for a beautiful crumb and even with the syrup the cake isn’t too sweet. Instead of lemon in the syrup, I added a pod of star anise and the peel of half an orange to the simmering sugar water mixture.
Jess Smith
Delicious additions! That sounds great!
Jim Steele
Amazing recipe, and very creative! I put a little twist on the simple syrup recipe and added little less water/sugar and substituted for 7-Up, and let it boil a little longer to reduce. Very delicious, thank you so much for sharing!
Jess Smith
What a fun twist! Thanks so much for sharing that idea Jim!
Chef Bruce West
The recipe worked great! I followed the recipe exactly, except I added one level teaspoon of flax seed meal as I like extra fiber.
Anyway, it's rare when an internet recipe works and the final product tastes awesome. Kudos to Jess Smith.
Jess Smith
I love the flax seed meal addition - I put it in all sorts of things as well!
Lisa
Thanks for the great recipe and helpful comments. I tried lemon thyme and pine nuts. Yummy.
Rob
This was terrific. I subbed sour cream for yogurt and added a little almond extract. It gets better as it sits!! Fresh strawberries and whipped cream. Try this!
Sherida Dildar
Followed this recipe, tweaked a little less 100g yogurt, double b.powder as I don't like the taste of b.soda, added lemon extract and vanilla to the mixture and used medium eggs. Very very lovely.
Sosi
Made cake it is great! Want to make it 13x9 pan for a larger crowd. What is the recipe?
Thank you,
Jess Smith
So glad you liked it! I'd just try doubling the recipe and baking it in a 13x9 pan. You may have to play with the baking time a tiny bit, but it should work just fine.
Carol
Made this today and didn't have lemon juice so I used limoncello. Yum! Happy holidays!
Jess Smith
What a great idea! Happy Holidays to you as well.
Jess Smith
Yum! What a great idea!
Jen
Hi Jess,
I’m about to make this cake but just wondering if it’s suitable to freeze?
Jess Smith
Absolutely! The only trick is that the cake will do best if frozen without the added liquid. If I freeze it, I defrost it at room temp and then warm it very briefly in the microwave before adding the liquid - it's almost as good as the original!
Jen
Thank you!
Annick Kroesen
Hi Jess, I am so happy to have found your semolina cake recipe! Semolina brings me back to my childhood, my mom made this dessert regularly and it was my favorite. I followed your instructions and it turned out perfectly, I couldn't stop eating it....yikes... I will check some other recipes that you have here, keep up the good work.
Jess Smith
So glad you enjoyed it as much as we do!
June
There are differing opinions in my house. My 15 yr old son could not adapt to the wetness/moistness of the cake. Of course I poured the syrup over the entire thing and that just added to his dissatisfaction. Myself along with my husband and 2 other kids liked it. I think it tastes better cold as it is refreshing. I would definitely make again but will put the syrup on the side and add only to those that want it. I make Arabic sweets often and the kids are use to syrup (usually an orange blossom syrup) but for my 15 yr. old I guess syrup over crispy baked kunafa is different then a moist yummy cake.
Elaina
I added lemon zest and cranberries - turned out delicious and honey instead of sugar for the syrup. Can I use apple slices next time or will it make it soggy? what about frozen blueberries?
Jess Smith
I've never tried either, but they sound delicious! I think they'll work just fine but I suspect you'll want to add less syrup than the recipe calls for since those ingredients will add moisture on their own.
Kennedy
OH MY GOD!! This cake is absolutely AMAZING! Never been more satisfied with a desert!
Though I did modify the recipe just a tad because of food shortages.
My dad went to the store and didn't find semolina flour, so he bought cornmeal (out of everything?) because he thought I needed it for the bottom of the pan (don’t ask me- at least he was super nice and bought me the stuff). So out of curiosity I did use the cornmeal in substitute of semolina (1:1 - same amount). I also didn’t have enough vanilla, so I used the rest (about 1/8 of a teaspoon), and added a tablespoon of honey. For the syrup I substituted the sugar for honey (also same amount - 1:1), and just microwaved it for about three-or-so minutes and stopping to stir ever thirty seconds.
The cake came out looking great, just with a more grainy texture and yellow color like cornbread, but it tasted PHENOMENAL!!! With or without whipped cream and strawberries it was so good! Me and my mom had one price and I totally want another, though I probably shouldn’t!
Thank you so much Jess for the wonderful, simple but brilliant cake that brought my family just a little more joy! 🙂
Jess Smith
So glad you liked it and thank you so much for the great note! And it's so helpful to hear that the substitutions worked - thanks for sharing those!
Sara
Made this recipe for my mother (followed metric) and she absolutely loved it. Bookmarked for a go to recipe
Jess Smith
Oh I'm so glad! It's one of our absolute favorites!
Sophie
Hello, this recipe looks great! I'm doing a bake off for work and only have time to bake on the sunday. What would be the best way to store this until tuesday?
Thank you
Jess Smith
Apologies Sophie - I'm getting to this question late, but hopefully you went ahead and baked the cake. You can bake it just as directed and store in the refrigerator until Tuesday. It will be great!
s
Could buttermilk be used instead of yogurt?
Jess Smith
Should work fine! Since buttermilk can be a bit more thin than yogurt, you may have a more thin batter, but I'd guess the cake will bake up just fine.
Denise
can I substitute semola four for the semolina?
Jess Smith
I'm not super familiar with semola flour, but I believe it's much more finely ground than semolina which has a slightly rough texture. I've never tried it, but I suspect the results will be quite different if using semola.
Jody
I've already started mixing my ingredients and realized I only have 1/2 cup semolina left. Can I use flour to replace the other half cup of semolina? Or would that not work 🤔
Jess Smith
Hi Jody - I'm sorry I'm getting to your question late, but hopefully you went ahead and used regular flour. It should work fine, but probably won't have quite the same light texture that it has with the higher amount of semolina
Leigh Melvin
I tried this today and it worked out really well. I have a surplus of semolina and stumbled across this recipe. It’s a really good way to use semolina rather than the usual pudding.
Jess Smith
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!