Basbousa Recipe aka Harissa (Middle Eastern Coconut Semolina Cake) (2024)

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Basbousa, also known as Namoura or Harissa, is a rich and dense cake with a rustic texture from semolina, and a sticky sweetness from rose or orange blossom-scented sugar syrup.

This cake is called Basbousa, Namoura, or Harissa in different areas of the Middle East. My Syrian ex-mother-in-law who learned how to make it from her Palestinian mother-in-law always calls it Harissa (also transliterated Harisseh, Haressa, Harisa, Haresa, and Harisha).

No matter what you call it, it’s one of my favorite Arabic desserts! Along with Knafeh bil Jiben (a Middle Eastern sweet cheese pastry), it is something I always seek out to sample.

Basbousa is made with semolina, so it has a very unique rustic texture. Similar to cornmeal, semolina absorbs a lot of moisture so the cake itself is very dry. A simple sugar syrup that’s scented with rose water and/or orange blossom water is poured onto the hot cake once it’s removed from the oven.

It results in a sticky-sweet, moist, dense, and very rich cake. It’s absolutely delicious! And even though it might look fancy, don’t be intimidated because it’s very easy to make.

Basbousa, Namoura, and Harissa Cake in the Middle East

A few years ago when my ex-husband and I were in Damascus, we came across a pastry shop owner who was making a very unique version of this cake. His cake had a layer of cream (called ashta in Arabic) baked inside the cake!

The shop owner claimed to be the only one making it this way in Damascus, so of course he didn’t want to share his recipe or method, lol! While I don’t know if he was in fact the only one making it this way, I can speak to the fact that his version was delicious. The cream really rounds out the flavor perfectly.

And, I think I have a pretty good idea of how to make it with a layer of cream so I might do a little experimenting!

A Mid-East Feast Book Tour

This recipe is part of A Mid-East Feast, the virtual book tour that my friend Brandy from Nutmeg Nanny put together for my cookbook release in 2012.

A huge thank-you to Brandy, and the fabulous group of bloggers who are participating in this event:

• Rachel –Baked by Rachel
• Megan –What Megan’s Making
• Heather –Girlichef
• Joanne –Eats Well With Others
• Gina –Running to the Kitchen
• Jeanette –Jeanette’s Healthy Living
• Amanda –Fake Ginger
• Brandy –Nutmeg Nanny

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Perfect texture.It’s dense, yet moist and melts in your mouth. Semolina is a unique choice for a cake, and it adds great texture here.
• Sweet and aromatic.Instead of adding all the sugar to the cake before it bakes, most of the sweetness comes from a scented simple syrup that’s added after the cake is baked. This lends aroma and sweetness, and also helps keep the cake ultra moist.
• Easy to make and keeps well.Don’t be intimidated to try something new; this recipe is very easy to make! And because it’s soaked in simple syrup, it stays moist without drying out for about a week if stored properly.

Basbousa Ingredients

Scented Sugar Syrup (aka Attar) Ingredients

• Sugar – Use regular granulated white sugar.
• Water – We’re essentially making a simple syrup to sweeten the cake and help keep it moist. This is called a “rich” simple syrup because it uses a 2:1 ratio of sugar:water.
• Fresh lemon juice – Lemon is less for flavor here and more for its acidic property, which helps prevent crystallization.
• Orange blossom water – Or you can use rose water or vanilla extract to give flavor and aroma to this simple syrup.

Coconut Semolina Cake Ingredients

• Tahini – For this recipe, we use tahini to grease the pan. In a pinch you can use butter or ghee, but I love the slightly nutty flavor that tahini lends to the bottom and sides of the cake.
• Fine semolina – Semolina is a coarse flour made from durum wheat. Don’t mistake it for cornmeal; semolina also has a light yellow color because durum wheat is golden. For the right smooth texture, make sure to use fine semolina.
• Baking powder – The leavening agent.
• Sugar – Use regular granulated white sugar here.
• Unsweetened shredded coconut – Coconut adds flavor and a slightly chewy texture to this cake.
• Unsalted butter – For rich, buttery flavor.
• Milk – My mother-in-law always used whole milk to help give this cake richness. However, you can swap it out for any kind of milk you like.
• Blanched almonds – For decorating the top.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F (190C); brush the tahini on the inside of a 10-inch (25 cm) round baking pan.

1. Make the sugar syrup, and let it cool to room temperature.
2. Whisk together the semolina, baking powder, sugar, and coconut in a large bowl. Stir in the butter and milk until combined.
3. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread it out evenly; let it sit for 10 minutes. (It will thicken.)
4. Score the batter into 1-inch (2.5-cm) square or diamond shapes with a sharp knife, periodically dipping the knife in hot water and drying it off before continuing to score the batter; place 1 almond in the center of each diamond.
5. Bake until the sides and top are golden brown, about 30 minutes. (If the sides are brown but the top isn’t, you can broil the cake for a couple minutes to brown the top.)
6. Once out of the oven, cut the cake along the lines you scored. Slowly pour the cooled syrup onto the hot cake. Let the cake sit at room temperature 2 hours to absorb the syrup before serving.

Tips

• Use tahini to grease the pan. I love using this unique technique of greasing a pan with tahini to bake a cake! Its primary purpose is to help prevent the cake from sticking, but it also imparts a touch of nuttiness to the cake. However, if you don’t have tahini, you can just use butter or ghee (clarified butter) instead.
• Let the batter sit for 10 minutes once it’s in the pan.It will thicken a bit so it’s easier to score. I definitely recommend scoring it before baking so it crumbles less when you cut it.
• The cake should be brown on top. If the sides are brown and the top isn’t, broil the cake for a few minutes to brown the top.
• Hot cake, cool syrup.For the cake to absorb the syrup properly, when you pour on the syrup the cake should be hot out of the oven and the syrup should be cooled to room temperature.

Variations

In the Middle East there are a ton of different versions of semolina cake!

Some use coarse semolina, others use fine semolina, and then there are recipes that use a combination of both.

Coconut may or may not be present. (My preference is with coconut! It lends a subtle coconut flavor and deliciously chewy texture.)

Basbousa recipes may or may not call for yogurt.

Every cake of this kind that I’ve ever seen (either in the Middle East or here in the U.S.) has nuts on top! But the nuts can vary. Almonds are the most popular, but I’ve also seen a pistachio topping.

Storage

Once this cake is cooled to room temperature, wrap it with plastic wrap and store it overnight at room temperature. After that, you can store the cake covered in the fridge for up to 5 days more.

Basbousa FAQs

How Can I Make Eggless Basbousa?

If you’re looking for an eggless Basbousa recipe, you’re in the right place!

Some semolina cake recipes call for eggs. However, this version is eggless.

It’s the version I learned from my Syrian ex-mother-in-law that she calls Harisa, and it always comes out perfectly without eggs.

Can I Make Basbousa Without Yogurt?

Yes! In different areas of the Middle East, this cake is sometimes made with yogurt.

However, instead of yogurt, this recipe calls for milk and butter. The end result is rich, buttery, and moist.

If you want to make Namoura with yogurt, there are just a couple simple changes you’ll need to make to this recipe: 1) reduce the milk to 3/4 cup, and 2) add 1 cup of plain, unsweetened yogurt (use regular yogurt, not Greek yogurt here).

More Middle Eastern Desserts to Make

• Ma’amoul (Middle Eastern Date-Filled Cookies)
• Easy Rice Pudding
• Syrian Ice Cream

Let’s Connect

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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.

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