Vegan Basbousa

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Vegan basbousa is a delightful Middle Eastern semolina cake soaked in sugar syrup, boasting a sweet and floral taste. The top layer is golden and crunchy, while the inside remains a soft, fluffy, and pale yellow.

a glass tray with namoura cake in it — Freshly baked basbousa

What is Basbousa?

Basbousa is a decadent Middle Eastern semolina cake sans regular flour and is drizzled in simple syrup known as atter.

It is also referred to as Harissa or namoura. It is a traditional dessert with a rich history. Believed to have originated in the Middle East (especially popular in Egypt, Syria, Turkey, Greece and Lebanon) and has been enjoyed for centuries.

Different regions will call this cake different names, my Lebanese family calls it either harissa or namoura. It is not the same as this Lebanese cake or this dark sfouf which both also use semolina.

This a vegan basbousa recipe, and my favorite parts are the cake edges, they are extra caramelized and crunchy.

Ingredients and Variations

The complete list of ingredients with measurements, can be found in the full recipe card below.

White sugar yields the best results (brown sugar will not turn out the same).

Rosewater for flavoring, you can substitute this with orange blossom water. I always use a good-quality brand such as Cortas, which I also use in my Lebanese vegan milk pudding.

Dairy-free butter - traditionally full-fat butter is used, however, any type of dairy-free butter works just as well. No one ever notices the difference!

Coarse semolina is preferred as it makes namoura less dense, however, you can use fine semolina too, or perhaps even mix both evenly. Semolina is known as 'smeed' in Arabic and gives a wonderful crunchy grainy texture, it features in a few different Middle Eastern desserts, such as atayef which are dessert pancakes or date maamoul cookies.

Bicarbonate soda and baking powder are important, these help to leaven this Middle Eastern semolina cake.

Coconut yogurt replaces full-fat yogurt, you can use any dairy-free yogurt. I like using coconut yogurt as the flavor pairs so well with this cake some people like to add coconut to it.

Variation: Add ½ a cup of desiccated coconut when adding all other ingredients to the dough.

Pro Tips

My mother's hot tip is to make the dough the night before, explaining that it produces a less dense cake. So the more resting time, the better.

When using tahini, there is a top layer of oil in the jar, take the top layer with the tahini to brush the baking tray. This prevents the cake from sticking and adds a hint of nuttiness.

If you prefer not to use dairy-free butter in the simple syrup, you can skip it. However, this step gives the vegan namoura a beautiful sheen.

Once the semolina cake cools down, recut it to remove the pieces.

Looking for more vegan Lebanese desserts? Here's a list with many delicious options.

baked golden semolina cake in a tray and plate

FAQ

How to store basbousa?

Basbousa can be stored in a snap-lock container in a cool pantry for several days. Or covered in the fridge. Ensure that it is fully cooled to room temperature before storing.

Is basbousa supposed to be soft like cake or hard (almost crunchy)?

Both methods are equally delicious and depend on your preference. Using a smaller tray will yield a softer, cake-like result, as the batter isn't spread out and will stay moist. For a crunchier namoura, use a larger tray to allow the batter to spread thinner, about an inch (2.5 cm).

Is basbousa gluten free?

No. Namoura is not gluten free as it contains semolina which is made out of wheat.

a stack of golden namoura cake in a white plate

Did you make this? I'd love to know! Leave me a comment below with a ★★★★★ star rating or tag @plantbasedfolk on social media.

Recipe

Vegan Basbousa

Vegan basbousa is a delightful Middle Eastern semolina cake soaked in sugar syrup, boasting a sweet and floral taste. The top layer is golden and crunchy, while the inside remains a soft, fluffy, and pale yellow.

Prep: 45

Cook: 30

Total: 1 15

Servings: servings

Author: Janelle Hama

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Lebanese, Middle Eastern

Diet: Vegan

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Ingredients

Sugar Syrup (Atter)

2 cups White sugar
1 cup Water
2 tablespoon Rose water substitute with orange water
½ tbsp Dairy free butter

Namoura

3 cups Coarse semolina
1 cup Dairy free butter room temperature
1 tablespoon Rose water substitute with orange water
1 teaspoon Bicarbonate soda
1 pinch Salt
1½ teaspoon Baking powder
1 cup Coconut yogurt
½ cup White sugar
1 teaspoon Tahini
30 Almonds

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Sugar Syrup (Atter)

In a saucepan, add water, sugar, dairy free butter and rose water, stir through and bring to the boil for about 6 minutes. Set aside to cool down to room temp.

Basbousa

In a large mixing bowl add semolina and dairy free butter, combine well using hands until a dough forms. Cover with cling wrap and set aside for a minimum of 30 minutes. Once dough has rested, crumble dough using your fingers and add sugar, rose water, bicarb soda, baking powder, salt, coconut yoghurt and combine using your fingers. See notes below about using your fingers.
Coat baking tray 22cm (9") x 33cm (13") with tahini and flatten dough as evenly as possible. Use a wet knife to push the edges down and off the tray and then cut into squares or diamond pieces and place one almond in the middle of each piece.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (356°F). Place the tray in the middle of the oven for the first 15 minutes, then move it to the top for the last 15 minutes. The total baking time is approximately 30 minutes or until lightly golden.
Evenly pour a generous amount of sugar syrup over the baked namoura. Allow it to cool to room temperature before re-cutting and removing the pieces.

Video

Notes

Using your fingers to combine all the ingredients to the dough is important as it helps to keep the dough light.

Use enough sugar syrup to completely cover every part of the cake in the tray, it should not be dry, it will soak a lot of sugar syrup. Alternatively, you could soak it just enough and then offer extra sugar syrup with each piece, leaving it up to individual discretion.

You might also be interested in this Lebanese rice pudding.

Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml