There is nothing better than a homemade cake and a cup of tea or coffee. My favorite cake with tea is a semolina cake that I discovered while visiting my husband’s family in Morocco. This is somewhat similar to basbousa, a Middle Eastern sweet semolina cake, but it’s simpler. My husband’s family always calls this “harcha”. Harcha is typically referred to a type of flat Moroccan pan-fried bread. I assume they call this harcha because this cake has similar ingredients.
Semolina is not typically found in the American kitchen but I love cooking with it. The brand of semolina that I like to use is Bob’s Red Mill Semolina Pasta flour. I can find it in most of my local grocery stores like Wegmans, Whole Foods, or Harris Teeter. I have ordered it from Amazon before. I will link it here https://amzn.to/3xbaOzb. The recipe that I wrote down in Morocco didn’t work out. I discovered this recipe from Fati Casa on Youtube. I highly recommend her channel. It ended up turning out perfectly. https://www.youtube.com/user/CasaFati.
*This recipe is normally measured using a Moroccan tea glass. My Moroccan tea glass measures around 3/4 cup.
Ingredients
2 Eggs
3/4 Cup of milk
3/4 Cup of vegetable oil
3/4 Orange juice *freshly squeezed but any natural orange juice should be fine*
Orange zest from 1 or 2 oranges *can subsitute with lemon zest*
1 TSP of vanilla
3/4 Sugar
1 1/2 Cups of Semolina ( I like to use this one https://amzn.to/3xbaOzb )
2 TSPS of Baking powder
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 360 degrees.
- Butter a spring form pan and place parchment paper to the bottom.
- Start by mixing the 2 eggs in a mixing bowl very well.
- Add the vegetable oil and milk then mix well.
- Add in a glass of orange juice.
- Add the zest of 1 or 2 oranges.
- Add a teaspoon of vanilla.
- Add the Sugar.
- Mix all the ingredients well.
- Add in the semolina.
- Add in the baking powder.
- Mix well and let it sit for 8-10 minutes.
- Transfer your ingredients into your pan.
- Cook for around 20 minutes. It should look golden brown when finished.
- Let it cool and then flip it over onto a plate.
- Remove parchment paper and enjoy!
* Some people like to add melted apricot jam and shredded coconut but we love it without it.
Please feel free to ask me any questions about this recipe that you may find confusing or need help with.
