Revani

Cook Time 2 hours

Servings 15

Ingredients

1 cup of fine semolina
1 cup of blanched almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
2 cups of self raising flour, sifted
2 tsp baking powder
Rind of 1 lemon
6 eggs
250g butter, at room temperature
Juice of 2 oranges
2 tbsp cognac or brandy (or vanilla essence if you prefer to keep it free of alcohol)
1 cup of caster sugar

Syrup:
4 cups caster sugar
4 cups water
1/4 tsp cloves
1 wedge of lemon

Shredded coconut (as garnish)

Method

Preheat your oven to 175°C fan-forced.

To begin making the cake, cream the butter with the sugar using the paddle wheel attachment of an electric mixer. Add the eggs one at a time, then the lemon rind. Reduce the mixer’s speed and add the orange juice and cognac. Combine the semolina and the baking powder. Slowly add the self-raising flour to the mixing bowl, followed by the combined semolina and baking powder. Mix in the almonds.

Thoroughly butter and flour a square cake tin, then pour in the mixture. Bake for approximately 45 minutes. Once the cake is ready, take it out of the oven and allow it to cool completely. Score the cake into 15 squares but leave in the tin.

Make the syrup by bringing the sugar, water, cloves and lemon wedge to a boil, then simmering for 10 minutes. Take the syrup off the heat and cool down slightly.

Discard the lemon wedge and pour the syrup over the cold cake, then cover with a tea towel for about an hour, allowing the cake to soak up the syrup. Cut into squares and garnish by sprinkling shredded coconut on top.