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I love a moist semolina cake, like the sort you find in middle eastern countries that are soaked in syrup. This cake makes me think of trip’s I have been on to egypt and morocco. I have made a few of them in the past but this one was really easy and tasted really delicious.

Fragrant wild roses growing on the coast path near the beach, where collected and turned into syrup to make this cake. For the last few years collecting wild roses has been on my to do list every late may/june.

I love this time of year because there are so many edible flowers in season, like elderflower’s and lilacs. But I think that roses are my absolute favourites.

I enjoy going out and collecting the flowers as it is so much fun, last year I went with my friend solenn and we managed to pick so many that we made the most delicious jam.

Not only is their colour so vibrant but also their smell. The fragrance is so incredibly strong that it filled up the whole room, it was delightful. I just wanted to capture that smell so it would long as long as possible.

I thought this syrup would make the perfect addition to this cake made with semolina and ground almonds. Turning it in to my favourite style moist semolina cake. You will really need a syrup of some kind to see this cake’s full potential. If you don’t like rose the you can use orange blossom water, or simply just lemon or orange.

If you cant find wild roses, then you can make a simple sugar syrup with rose extract and it will work just as well.

I added cardamom and fennel seeds to the syrup to add a bit of a twist to it and made some almond and fennel seed praline to sprinkle on top.

I candied a few left over rose petals to decorate it with and make it extra pretty. It’s been ages since I made sugared flowers so it was a nice addition.

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Moist semolina cake

The sponge

Recipe

• 125g baking spread or softened butter
• 125g golden caster sugar
• 90g ground almonds
• 130g fine semolina flour
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tablespoon rose syrup or 1/2 tsp rose extract
• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean extract
• 1 tablespoon milk
• pinch of salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 160c fan

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment whip the butter or baking spread (margarine) with the sugar and beat for about 4 minutes, then scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Then mix again for 1 or two minutes or until really pale and creamy.

Add one egg and mix at high speed for 2 minutes, then scrape around the sides of the bowl and mix again for another 2 minutes, then add the next egg and mix again for two minutes. scrape the bowl and add the last egg and mix for 2 minutes until thick and creamy.

Add the rose syrup, or extract and vanilla and mix.

Mix the semolina, almonds and baking powder together with a pinch of salt, then fold until combined then add the mix and mix in.

Pour into a lined 9 inch cake tin, and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for about 30 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.

leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, them remove and cool on a wire rack.

once complely cooled drizzle over some syrup to make it in to a delicious moist semolina cake and serve with praline and cream or creme fraiche.

This cake can be eaten with out the syrup too, but I think its much more special with it.

Wild rose syrup with cardamom and fennel seeds

Recipe

• 2 cups fresh wild rose petals (garden roses will also work)
• 5 cardamom pods
• 650ml water
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 cup caster sugar

In a pan add the rose petals, water and cardamom and fennel seeds and simmer for 20 minutes on a medium heat. strain liquid and remove the petals and seeds then pour back into the pan.

Then add the sugar, stir to combine and reduce until syrupy (about 5 to 8 minutes)

If you don’t have access to any rose petals add some rose extract instead. I suggest adding a tsp and tasting it.

Almond and fennel seed praline

• 1 tbsp rose water or syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• half a cup flaked almonds
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds

Toast fennel seeds and almonds in a dry pan for one minute until they start to colour, then spread on to a large piece of baking paper.

Add water, rose syrup or rose water and sugar in a pan, over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, mix together until the sugar has dissolved and then remove the spoon and don’t mix it any more. Brush down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent crystals from forming. Once sugar is dissolved, cook without stirring until sugar is deep amber.  pour over almonds and leave to harden. then break up to sprinkle on cake.

Sugared rose petals

Brush the petals with egg white and dip in sugar and leave to dry on a wire rack.

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