Namoura Semolina Cake with Almonds

Name: Namoura Semolina Cake with Almonds
Prep time: 27 min
Cook time: 48 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 24 servings
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar; 1 cup (240 ml) water; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained; 1 tbsp (15 ml) orange blossom water; 2 cups (320 g) coarse semolina; 1 cup (80 g) fine unsweetened desiccated coconut; ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar; 2 tsp (8 g) baking powder; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine salt; 1 cup (245 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature; ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, at room temperature; ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until just warm; 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract; 2 tbsp (30 g) tahini, well stirred; 24 whole almonds (30 g) whole blanched almonds

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A classic Lebanese tray cake with a tender, slightly grainy crumb from coarse semolina, yogurt and coconut. It is scored into diamonds, topped with blanched almonds, baked until golden and soaked with a light orange blossom syrup.

Prep: 27 min
Cook: 48 min
Wait: 1 hr 30 min
Total: 2 hr 45 min
Makes: 24 diamond-shaped pieces from one 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) pan

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Ingredients

24 servings

For the syrup
1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (240 ml) water
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained
1 tbsp (15 ml) orange blossom water
For the cake
2 cups (320 g) coarse semolina
1 cup (80 g) fine unsweetened desiccated coconut
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
2 tsp (8 g) baking powder
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine salt
1 cup (245 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature
½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until just warm
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
For the pan
2 tbsp (30 g) tahini, well stirred
For the topping
24 whole almonds (30 g) whole blanched almonds

Equipment (8)

9×13-inch (23×33 cm) metal or ceramic baking pan
Medium saucepan (2-quart / 2 L)
Large mixing bowl
Whisk and rubber spatula
Small sharp knife or bench scraper for scoring
Pastry brush
Measuring cups and spoons or kitchen scale
Wire rack

Steps

Before you start

Use coarse semolina (sometimes labeled 'semolina, coarse' or 'smeed khashen'). Fine semolina or semolina flour will give a dense, gummy cake.
Melt the butter and let it cool until just warm so it doesn't clump the yogurt.
The 30-minute batter rest is essential: it lets the semolina absorb liquid so the cake is tender rather than sandy.
Make the syrup first so it can cool while the batter rests. The golden rule is hot cake, cool syrup.

1
Heat oven, grease panOven 350°F / 175°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F (175°C).
- Stir the tahini well, then use a pastry brush or your fingers to coat the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) pan in a thin, even layer.
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Ready when: Every part of the pan, including the corners, has a thin glossy coating.
Tip: Tahini is the traditional pan coating and gives a nutty flavor. Use a thin layer, as too much will pool and brown unevenly.
2
Simmer the syrup
- In a medium saucepan, combine the 1½ cups (300 g) sugar and 1 cup (240 ml) water.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring just until the sugar dissolves.
- Reduce to medium-low and simmer for 8 minutes without stirring.
- Stir in the lemon juice and simmer 1 minute more.
- Remove from the heat, stir in the orange blossom water, and set aside to cool to room temperature while you make the batter.
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Ready when: The syrup is lightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon, but still pours easily like thin maple syrup.
Tip: Don't over-reduce. Syrup that is too thick won't soak into the cake as it cools.
3
Mix dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the semolina, coconut, ¾ cup (150 g) sugar, baking powder and salt for about 30 seconds, until evenly combined with no clumps of baking powder.
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Ready when: The mixture looks uniform in color and texture.
4
Make the batter
- In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the yogurt, milk, cooled melted butter and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula for about 1 minute, just until no dry pockets remain.
- The batter will be thick, like a soft, spreadable paste.
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Ready when: A thick, uniform, spreadable batter that holds a ribbon of spatula marks.
Tip: Butter that is too hot can curdle the yogurt. It should feel barely warm on your wrist.
5
Rest the batter
- Cover the bowl and let the batter stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- The semolina will absorb the liquid and the batter will become noticeably thicker and firmer.
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Ready when: The batter is stiff enough to hold its shape when you drag a spatula through it.
Tip: Use this time to let the syrup finish cooling. If it is still warm after 30 minutes, chill it for 10 minutes.
6
Spread, score, add almonds
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
- With damp hands or a damp spatula, press and smooth it into an even layer about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick, pushing it into the corners.
- Using a small sharp knife dipped in water, score the surface into 4 rows by 6 rows on the diagonal to form 24 diamonds, cutting about halfway through.
- Press 1 almond into the center of each diamond.
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Ready when: The top is level and smooth, with clean score lines and one almond centered in each piece.
Tip: Score now: after baking the cake is too delicate to cut cleanly, and syrup needs the cuts to seep through.
7
Bake the cakeOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) on the center rack for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges pull slightly away from the pan, and the top is pale golden.
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Ready when: Edges are golden and slightly pulling from the pan; a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Tip: Rotate the pan front to back at the 20-minute mark if your oven bakes unevenly.
8
Broil for colorOven 500°F / 260°C
- Switch the oven to broil (high).
- Move the pan to the rack about 6 inches (15 cm) below the element and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, watching constantly, until the top is a deep golden brown and the almonds are lightly toasted.
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Ready when: The surface is deep golden brown, with the almonds lightly toasted.
Tip: Do not walk away. Coconut and almonds go from golden to burnt in seconds.
9
Soak with syrup
- As soon as the pan comes out of the oven, slowly spoon the room-temperature syrup evenly over the hot cake, including along the score lines and edges.
- It will sizzle and be absorbed quickly.
- Use all of it; the cake will look very wet at first.
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Ready when: The syrup pools briefly, then sinks in, leaving the surface glossy.
Tip: Pour hot cake with cool syrup. If both are hot, the cake turns soggy instead of syrupy.
10
Cool and set
- Leave the cake in the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour, until completely cool.
- The cake will absorb the syrup and firm up.
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Ready when: The pan is room temperature to the touch and the cake feels firm, not wet, on top.
Tip: Resist cutting early. Warm namoura crumbles.
11
Re-cut and serve
- Run a knife along the score lines again, cutting all the way through to the bottom of the pan, then lift out the diamonds with a small offset spatula.
- Serve at room temperature.
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Ready when: Pieces release cleanly with intact, glossy tops.
Tip: Wipe the knife between cuts for neat edges.

Good to know

Tips

Always use coarse semolina. Fine semolina absorbs too fast and produces a heavy, pasty cake.
Pour cool syrup over the hot cake straight from the oven for the best absorption and a moist, not mushy, texture.
Dip your knife and hands in water when scoring and smoothing to stop the batter from sticking.
If you prefer a less sweet cake, reduce the syrup by about a quarter, using 1 cup (200 g) sugar and ⅔ cup (160 ml) water.

Make ahead

"Namoura is better the next day. Bake, soak and cool, then cover and keep at room temperature up to 24 hours before serving. The syrup can be made up to 1 week ahead and refrigerated; bring it to room temperature before pouring over the hot cake."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: covered, up to 3 days. Refrigerator: airtight container, up to 7 days; let pieces stand 15 minutes before serving. Freezer: wrap pieces individually and freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature. No reheating is needed, but 10 seconds in a microwave will soften a chilled piece."

Substitutions

tahini → melted butter or neutral oil. Works for greasing the pan, but you lose the traditional nutty flavor.
orange blossom water → rose water (1 tsp) or 1 tsp finely grated orange zest. Rose water is stronger, so use less. Add it after removing the syrup from the heat.
plain whole-milk yogurt → full-fat sour cream or labneh thinned with a splash of milk. Keep it the same thickness as plain yogurt so the batter consistency stays the same.
whole blanched almonds → blanched pistachios or pine nuts. Pistachio halves look beautiful; the bake time stays the same.