Cardamom Orange Semolina Cake

طريقة التحضير

1. 1

   Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 175°C/350°F. Grease a 15 cm/6-inch round cake pan and line the base with parchment. Leave a little butter around the sides so the cake develops a golden edge.

   ✓ نقطة تحقق: Oven reaches 175°C/350°F and the parchment lies flat against the pan.
2. 2

   Whisk Fine semolina, All-purpose flour, Baking powder, Fine salt, and Ground cardamom together in a medium bowl. Break up any lumps of baking powder and distribute the cardamom evenly.

   ✓ نقطة تحقق: The dry mixture is evenly colored, with no visible clumps.

   💡 نصيحة الشيف: Use fine semolina for a tender crumb; coarse semolina will produce a noticeably grainier cake.
3. 3

   In a second bowl, whisk Granulated sugar for cake and Large egg for 60 to 90 seconds, until the mixture is smooth and slightly thickened. Whisk in Plain full-fat yogurt, Orange zest, and Fresh orange juice for cake.

   ✓ نقطة تحقق: The wet mixture looks smooth, glossy, and lightly aerated, with no streaks of egg.

   💡 نصيحة الشيف: Room-temperature egg and yogurt help the melted butter emulsify instead of forming greasy pockets.
4. 4

   Pour the melted Unsalted butter, melted into the wet mixture in a thin stream while whisking constantly. Add the dry mixture and fold just until no dry patches remain. Do not beat the batter.

   ✓ نقطة تحقق: The batter is thick, smooth, and pourable, with no dry flour visible.

   💡 نصيحة الشيف: Overmixing develops gluten and can make the semolina cake heavy. A few tiny lumps are preferable to a heavily worked batter.
5. 5

   Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Tap the pan once gently on the counter to release large air pockets.

   ✓ نقطة تحقق: The batter is level and reaches roughly halfway up the pan.
6. 6

   For the syrup, combine Granulated sugar for syrup, Water for syrup, and Fresh orange juice for syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then simmer without stirring until slightly reduced. Remove from the heat and stir in Orange blossom water. Keep the syrup warm but not boiling.

   ✓ نقطة تحقق: The syrup is clear, lightly glossy, and coats a spoon thinly; it will thicken more as it cools.
7. 7

   Bake the cake until the top is deep golden, the edges pull slightly from the pan, and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

   ✓ نقطة تحقق: The surface is golden and springy, and the center does not wobble when the pan is gently nudged.

   💡 نصيحة الشيف: If the top browns before the center is set, tent it loosely with foil for the final 10 minutes.
8. 8

   Leave the cake in the pan for 5 minutes. Pierce the warm surface all over with a skewer, then slowly spoon or brush the warm syrup over the cake, allowing it to absorb between additions.

   ✓ نقطة تحقق: The syrup disappears into the crumb rather than pooling heavily on the surface.

   💡 نصيحة الشيف: Apply the syrup gradually for an evenly moist cake. Reserve 1 tablespoon if you prefer a lighter finish.
9. 9

   Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes, then run a thin knife around the edge and transfer it to a rack. Cool completely before slicing. Serve at room temperature with the golden top facing upward.

   ✓ نقطة تحقق: The cake feels set and barely warm, with a moist but stable crumb.