Orange Semolina Cake

Let me introduce you to this Orange semolina cake (rava cake), so easy to make…so delicious. It is fluffy and moist with a gorgeous orange flavor. This is an egg-free cake perfect for vegetarians.

The main ingredient in this cake is Semolina, which is used in many Indian dishes. This is typically made as a dry cake, which can then be soaked in sugar syrup, which I have changed to orange sugar syrup in this recipe.

I had tried an orange polenta cake made by a colleague, and since then, I have been craving to make an orange cake myself. Finally, I got to it, and here is Orange Semolina Cake for you!

As I was creating this recipe, I saw that semolina is also popular in other cuisines. In Greek, Turkish, and Albanian cuisine, semolina cake is called Revani. In Egyptian cuisine, it is called Basbousa. It is typically drenched in sugar syrup. It is fascinating to see the similarities in cuisines around the world.

The unique thing about this recipe is that it is made in a Pressure Cooker. You can also make this cake in the oven. I saw people make fabulous cakes in their Instant Pot, from cheesecake to banana cake and even chocolate cake. However, I was not flattered by the banana cake made in the Instant Pot; it was too dense for our family’s taste. However, I can assure you that this eggless Semolina Cake will not disappoint you!

I tried two versions of this semolina cake, one where I pressure-cooked it and another where I steamed it while venting the steam. I preferred the second one because it was fluffier than the pressure-cooked version.

You might also like these Fudgy Brownies and Lava Cake made from scratch in the instant pot. Check it out!

Ingredients

Let’s gather the ingredients. I recommend using fine semolina for this recipe. Semolina is made with durum wheat. It gives the cake a moist, crumb texture. Note that semolina is not gluten-free as semolina is made of durum wheat, which has gluten. Here are a few more recipes with semolina – sooji halwa and rava upma.

I add very little butter, about 3 tablespoons, when making this cake. You can also use oil or ghee as a replacement for butter.

An optional ingredient in this recipe is cardamom powder. Indians love cardamom in our desserts, but feel free to skip it if you are not fond of it.

How to make Semolina Cake?

Bear with me as I show you pictures of the process of making this cake. You can always select the Jump to Recipe button at the top of this post if you want to get to the recipe directly.

Mix all of the ingredients into the semolina and let it sit for 15 minutes. This helps the semolina to soak in the butter and milk.

After 15 minutes, we will add the orange zest, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix it in. After adding baking soda, we want to cook this right away.

After mixing in the baking soda and powder, transfer the batter to a greased cake pan. I used the 6″ Fat Diddio pan with a removable bottom, as it fits easily in the Instant Pot and also makes it super easy to remove the cake once it is cooked.

If you don’t have this removable bottom pan, you can place a parchment paper at the base of the pan.

Instant Pot Method

Now, we want to cover the cake pan with a paper towel and then foil so the steam does not get into the cake. You can also prepare an aluminum foil sling to remove the cake once it is cooked easily.

We will add about 2 cups of water to the pressure cooker and let it come to a boil (Start this while the batter rests for 15 minutes). Then, place a trivet and the covered cake pan with the sling in the instant pot.

I cooked the cake on the Steam setting of the Instant Pot for 25 minutes. I prefer to keep the instant pot in the venting mode so the steam will be released while the cake is cooking.

Another important thing is that as we are doing venting mode, the Instant Pot timer does not work (it only starts after the pressure is built), so keep a separate timer. After the timer goes off, turn off the Instant Pot and open it.

Let the cake sit in there for 5 more minutes, then remove and open it. Test that it is cooked by inserting a knife or skewer in the center; it should come out clean.

My pressure cooking trial—I also tried making this cake on Steam mode with the vent in the sealing position for 20 minutes. Then, I released the pressure 10 minutes after the Instant Pot beeped. It worked fine, but the cake was more fluffier when made with the venting position. So that is certainly my recommendation for this cake. If you like, you can always try this one, too.

Stovetop Pressure Cooker

The same 25-minute cooking time works in the stovetop pressure cooker on low flame. Do not use the whistle, and let the steam release as the cake is cooking.

Oven Method

To make this cake in the oven, preheat oven to 350F. Then bake the cake for about 25-30 minutes until it is well set at the center. 

Make Orange Syrup

While the cake is cooking, prepare the orange syrup on the stovetop. The only 3 things needed for the syrup are 1 orange, sugar, and water. Add both the zest and the juice of the orange (I also added some zest from this into the semolina), sugar, and water to a pan and let it boil.  

Pour this syrup on top of the cake. You can add this to the cake in the baking pan itself or as soon as you take the cake out of the instant pot or oven. You can poke holes so the syrup seeps into the cake

You can also top with nuts at this time. I used sliced pistachios and almonds.

Let the cake soak in the citrus-y syrup. It is best to enjoy this cake after about an hour, but I myself got impatient and did bite sooner, too 😉 I loved the addition of orange to this cake.

Variations

1. Low Sugar and Low Calorie—This cake can be enjoyed without any sugar as a coffee cake. It tastes great even without the syrup and pairs well with a hot cup of coffee or tea.
2. Plain Sugar Syrup – Try this if you don’t have oranges. You can add a cinnamon stick while making the syrup, which can be removed once the syrup is cooked.

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