The semolina and apple cake is a delicious and genuine dessert, perfect for Carnival time, given its resemblance to the Migliaccio, but great any time of year. The base of the cake is a semolina cream, which gives it a soft and moist texture, similar to a cheesecake. The addition of apples and raisins makes the flavor even sweeter and more pleasant. The preparation is very simple, once the semolina is cooked with milk and water, the other ingredients are gradually added… finally, everything is poured into the cake pan and placed in the hot oven. Try this cake, it is delicate, creamy, and very delicious!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 8People
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stovetop
- Seasonality: All seasons, Carnival
- Energy 157.60 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 24.90 (g) of which sugars 15.80 (g)
- Proteins 3.08 (g)
- Fat 5.29 (g) of which saturated 3.23 (g)of which unsaturated 2.02 (g)
- Fibers 1.34 (g)
- Sodium 13.32 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 90 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 4 oz semolina
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3 1/2 tbsp butter
- 2 apples
- 1/4 cup raisins
- lemon zest
- vanilla extract (to taste)
Tools
- Cake pan 22-24 cm
- Saucepan
- Bowl
- Whisk
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
Preparation
Pour the milk, water, a pinch of salt, and 50 g of sugar into a saucepan.
Bring to a boil, then sprinkle in the semolina, stirring with a whisk. Cook for about 5 minutes, continuing to stir, until it reaches a consistency similar to polenta (1).
Transfer it to a bowl (or the stand mixer) and, while it’s hot, add the remaining 50 g of sugar, the butter, grated zest of half a lemon, and a teaspoon of vanilla to taste.
Blend with a hand mixer or the stand mixer’s paddle attachment.
When the mixture is at room temperature, add the eggs, one at a time, and incorporate them.
Then add the apples, peeled and chopped, and the raisins, previously soaked in warm water and drained (2). Mix well with a spoon.
Line the cake pan with parchment paper, pour in the batter, and level it (3).
Place the cake in a static oven at 356°F and bake for 50-55 minutes, until the surface is dry and lightly golden. Times may vary depending on your oven, keep in mind that the cake should remain somewhat moist and creamy inside.
The semolina and apple cake is ready, let it cool completely before cutting. If desired, you can sprinkle it with powdered sugar.
Tips and Notes
The cake keeps for 2-3 days, in the refrigerator or a very cool place.
You can omit the raisins if you don’t like them.
For this recipe, you should use the semolina typically used for gnocchi alla romana, be careful not to confuse it with re-milled semolina.
FAQ
No baking powder or flour needed?
No, you don’t need to use either flour or baking powder for this dessert.
