Lemon lovers, this one’s for you! An ultra-moist, tender cake made with lemon zest, fresh lemon juice and a light lemon syrup, enhanced by ground almonds and semolina. The result is a uniquely textured, nutty-citrus cake that tastes especially good chilled from the fridge — a welcome trait for a lemon cake.
I first made this recipe a few years ago and recently reshot it. The original is from the Sweet cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh, where it appears as mini cakes; here I’ve baked it as a single 8-inch cake. It yields small slices — double the recipe if you want larger quantities.
This cake shares similarities with an orange semolina syrup cake, but the lemon version is lighter and a bit crumblier at room temperature. For best texture and a brighter lemon punch, refrigerate slices before serving — the cooler temperature firms the cake and lets the flavors deepen.
For this iteration I slightly reduced the butter to avoid greasiness and dialed back the lemon in the syrup for a well-balanced sweet-tart finish. The method here is streamlined to cut steps without sacrificing flavor. The syrup soaks in easily, keeping the cake incredibly moist.
Almonds and semolina give the cake a subtle bite and a distinctive crumb. It’s an addictive combination of tender, moist crumb and lively lemon notes. Enjoy baking and sharing this cake!
Lemon Semolina Syrup Cake
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1/2 cup semolina or sooji rawa (80 gms)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt if using unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup butter, at room temp (115 gms)
- 1/2 cup caster sugar (90 gms)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3/4 cup whole almonds
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten (I have not tried substitutes))
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
For the syrup
- 1/4 cup caster sugar, lightly heaped (50 gms)
- 2 tbsps fresh lemon juice (30 ml)
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 180 C. Grease an 8-inch springform tin or line it with non-stick baking paper. Grind the almonds in a blender or food processor until finely ground; avoid over-processing to prevent almond butter.
-
In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy using a hand mixer on low speed.
-
Add the eggs and beat briefly to combine. Fold in the ground almonds, semolina and baking powder, mixing slowly until combined. Stir in the lemon juice; do not over-mix.
-
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
-
About five minutes before the cake is done, make the syrup. Combine the sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir, bring to a boil, then simmer for 3–4 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the syrup thickens slightly.
-
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, spoon the hot syrup over the top and let the cake cool completely, preferably overnight. The cake keeps at room temperature for a couple of days, but I recommend chilling it: refrigerated slices are firmer and the lemon flavor is more pronounced. In the fridge it will keep for 5–6 days. Happy baking!
Notes
This post contains affiliate links.