Festive semolina cake
“Break with tradition and try these Malaysian takes on Christmas lunch.”
- 300g coarse semolina
- 300g butter
- 300g castor sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 14 egg yolks
- 4 egg whites
- pinch salt
- 60g plain flour mixed sifted with 1 tsp baking powder
- 120g almond meal
- 2 tbsp brandy
- 1 tsp rose essence (or 1 tbsp rose water)
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
Said to be a legacy of the Portuguese, this semolina cake has several names including love cake and sugee also suji as it's the Indian word for semolina cake.
Wonderfully moist, it is often served during Christmas and weddings but so popular that just about every race in Malaysia has a version. Some families make them with dried fruit, while others use almonds and cashews and the Chinese even use preserved melon. And yes, the number of yolks is correct. Recipe adapted from Betty Yew.
Method
Grease a 25cm x 25cm cake tin well and line with baking paper. Dry roast the semolina over low-medium heat in a saucepan or wok for 5 minutes or until it is nutty and aromatic. Set aside to cool.
Cream butter and 200g of sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add
milk, beating all the time. Add semolina and mix well. Leave to stand
for 1 hour.
Whisk egg yolks with remaining sugar until pale and thick. Add to
butter mixture gradually and mix well. Whisk egg whites with a pinch of
salt until soft peaks form. Carefully fold flour, almond meal and egg
whites alternately into butter mixture. Stir in brandy, rose and
vanilla.
Spoon mixture into prepared cake tin and decorate with cashews. Bake in
a moderate oven (170C) for about 70 minutes or until pale gold on top.
If the cake browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil and do not use
the skewer test because if it comes out clean, then the cake is just a
bit overcooked - best to have a moist centre.
Leave cake in tin to cool completely before tipping it out. Wrap and
store in a cool place. Serve with whipped cream if preferred.
Note: If extra brandy is preferred, add another 2 tbsp to cake after 2 days.
Serves 8-10
