Revani (Turkish Semolina Cake)
Revani is a classic semolina cake that's easy and so delicious. Soaked in a light simple syrup, this cake is popular throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time30 minutes mins
Total Time40 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean, middle eastern, Turkish
Servings: 12
Calories: 409kcal
Simple Syrup
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups water
- ½ lemon juice of
Cake
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup vegetable oil see notes
- 1 cup plain yogurt see notes
- 1 ¼ cup semolina flour
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Topping (optional)
- ½ cup desiccated coconut unsweetened
- ¼ cup ground pistachio
To make the syrup, place the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and add the lemon juice. Let the syrup cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper.
Beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer and a whisk until light in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Mix in the vanilla extract vegetable oil and yogurt. Add the semolina flour, all purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Mix to combine.
Transfer the batter into the baking pan. Smoothen the top and bang it a couple of times on the counter and release the extra air. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. To make sure the cake is ready, insert a toothpick into the cake and if it comes out clean, it's ready.
Let the cake cool for 5 minutes. Slice it into 12 squares in the pan and pour the cold syrup all over the cake using a ladle. Let it sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before serving. If desired, top with desiccated coconut and ground pistachio.
- You can use any kind of neutral flavored oil including vegetable oil, sunflower oil, canola oil or grapeseed oil.
- For this recipe use plain yogurt. It can be whole milk, low-fat or non-fat or even non-dairy yogurt. In case of using non-dairy yogurt, make sure it's not flavored.
- It's very important to make sure the the syrup is completely cold before pouring it over the cake, otherwise the cake will fall apart. You can make the syrup up to 2 days in advance.
- This cake is very fluffy and soft therefore it's best not to slice it into smaller pieces since it's still hot and might fall apart.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Serve cold or at room temperature. I don't recommend freezing this cake since it would get dry and the texture won't be the same.
Calories: 409kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 80mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 89IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 2mg