Semolina Cake with Milk and Maple Syrup

Semolina, coarse wheat flour, is known mainly as flour used in making pasta dough. However, it is also wonderful when used for cooked puddings or cakes, as you can see here.
In Greece, Turkey and some Middle Eastern countries, one can find many types of semolina cakes. However, most are quite heavy on the oil or butter, and with overly sweet sugary syrups. In the cake I have here for you, I’ve reduced the amounts of oil and sugar, to create a lighter, yet no less tastier, version of those cakes. The milk syrup is delicately sweetened with both sugar and maple syrup.
The result is a sweet and moist cake, scented with vanilla and maple syrup (or with orange blossom honey).

The cake is very easy to make. You can serve is as is, with some extra maple syrup or honey, or topped with Crème Chantilly (which is a fancy term for heavy cream whipped with sugar and vanilla. ) Anyway you choose to serve it, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this moist and tasty cake.

Makes: 20 squares
Prep time for the cake: 10 minutes
Baking time: 15 minutes
Prep time for the syrup: 10 minutes
Waiting time before serving: 1 hour
Prep time for the Crème Chantilly: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
For the cake:
2 cups semolina
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
4 XL eggs
2 Tbs oil
1 tsp vanilla
For the syrup:
2 cups whole milk
1 cup water
½ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
¼ cup maple syrup (or honey)
For the Crème Chantilly: (optional)
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla

1. The cake: preheat the oven to 340F (170C). Brush a 12”x8” (20.5cm x 30cm) pan with a thin layer of oil.
2. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients for the cake. Pour batter into the pan and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cake is golden. Cool to room temperature.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the milk syrup: in a medium size pot, combine the milk, sugar, water and vanilla, and bring to the verge of boiling. Mix well and reduce the heat to low. Cook for two minutes, take off the heat, and add the maple syrup or honey. Mix well and pour over the cake.

4. Cover the cake with baking paper and then with aluminum foil. (This will help the cake soak the syrup better.) Cool to room temperature and then transfer to the fridge for at least one hour, or until ready to serve. The cake will keep, covered in the fridge, for 3-4 days.

5. The Crème Chantilly: combine all ingredients in a mixer bowl. Start whipping on low speed until the cream thickens a bit. Increase the speed to medium and whip to a firm peaks stage. Spread over the cake and serve.