Revani (Turkish Semolina Cake in Lemon Syrup)
In short: A light, tender cake of eggs, semolina and yogurt, scented with orange zest and soaked in a cool lemon syrup until moist. It takes about 57 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 32 min
- Resting
- 2 h
- Total
- 57 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 270 kcal
Revani is the semolina syrup cake of Turkish pastry shops, Ramadan tables and family celebrations. Whipped eggs give it lift, semolina gives a fine, tender crumb, and orange zest scents the batter. After baking, the cake is cut and drenched in cool lemon syrup, which it soaks up completely. Serve it plain or with a spoonful of thick cream, and make it a day ahead if you can.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 23 cm (9 inch) square pan and line the bottom with baking paper.
- Beat the eggs, sugar and salt with an electric mixer for 5 to 6 minutes, until pale, thick and tripled in volume.
- Whisk in the yogurt, oil, orange zest and vanilla.
- Mix the flour, semolina and baking powder and fold them into the egg mixture in two batches, just until combined. Do not knock out the air.
- Pour the batter into the pan and sprinkle with pistachios. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until golden and a skewer in the center comes out clean.
- While the cake bakes, simmer the sugar, water and lemon juice for 8 minutes. Let the syrup cool completely.
- Cut the hot cake into 12 squares in the pan. Pour the cool syrup slowly and evenly over it. It looks like a lot, but the semolina absorbs it all.
- Leave the cake for at least 2 hours so the syrup soaks through. Serve at room temperature.
Tips
- Hot cake with cool syrup, or cool cake with hot syrup, but never both hot. Two hot elements make the cake soggy.
- Revani tastes even better the next day, once the syrup has spread through the crumb. Keep it covered at room temperature.
Questions and answers
Can I make revani without semolina?
Semolina gives the cake its fine, tender crumb. You can use extra flour in a pinch, but the texture will be closer to an ordinary syrup cake.
How long does revani keep?
Up to 4 days covered at room temperature, or a week in the fridge. It is at its best from the second day.
What do you serve with revani?
A scoop of ice cream, a spoon of kaymak (clotted cream) or simply a glass of Turkish tea. Some cooks top it with shredded coconut.
How long does it take to make Revani (Turkish Semolina Cake in Lemon Syrup)?
About 57 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 32 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Revani (Turkish Semolina Cake in Lemon Syrup)?
About 270 kcal per serving, with 4 g of protein, 45 g of carbohydrates and 8 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 270 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 45 g |
| Fat | 8 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 33 g |
| Sodium | 90 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
