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Semolina Tea Cake

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This is delicious with tea or coffee. It is not over-sweet, in fact, very mildly sweetened which brings to the forefront the vanilla and lemon notes. Any fruit would work, or leave it out altogether. I have a fig tree, so I'm always looking for new ways to use them.

What you need

  1. 1 1/3 cup semolina flour (durum wheat)
  2. 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  3. Pinch of kosher salt
  4. 1 cup yogurt (I use greek style)
  5. 2 eggs
  6. zest from 1 lemon
  7. 1 tsp lemon juice
  8. 1/4 cup brown sugar
  9. 1/2 tsp vanilla powder or 1 tsp vanilla extract
  10. 1/4 cup melted butter
  11. Butter
  12. Bread crumbs
  13. Ripe (not overripe) figs or other fruit (optional)

How to make it

  1. Preheat oven to 325º
  2. Butter a 9 inch round pie pan (glass does a beautiful job in the baking)
  3. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the buttered pie pan and shake and swirl to coat bottom and sides
  4. Cut figs or other fruit into bite sized pieces - with figs, cut in quarters or sixths look pretty
  5. Combine semolina, baking powder and salt in a small bowl
  6. In a medium bowl combine yogurt, eggs, lemon zest and juice, sugar and vanilla powder
  7. When well blended, add melted butter and mix to incorporate
  8. Add semolina and stir just to combine well
  9. Pour batter into the pie tin and spread evenly - this is a thick batter and makes a dense, moist cake
  10. Use a teaspoon to make depressions over the surface of the batter in concentric rings
  11. Place a piece of fig into each depression and press down slightly - try to make the top of the fruit even with the top of the batter
  12. Bake for 45 minutes until lightly browned on top

Cut into wedges and serve as is, or with butter or jam or any fruit based condiment

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