Namoura (نمورة) — Lebanese Semolina Cake with Orange Blossom Syrup
Namoura is a beloved Lebanese semolina cake soaked in fragrant syrup, often perfumed with orange blossom and lemon. It’s a staple in Levantine pastry shops and home gatherings, served in diamond cuts with a nut on top.
Printable Recipe Card
Servings: 12 · Total: 60 min · Difficulty: medium
Ingredients (quick list)
- 350 g fine semolina
- 180 g granulated sugar
- 10 g baking powder (about 2 tsp)
- 240 g plain yogurt (full-fat preferred)
- 120 g unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled)
- 20 g tahini (for greasing the pan)
- 12 blanched almonds (one per piece)
- 250 ml water
- 30 ml lemon juice (about 2 tbsp)
- 10 ml orange blossom water (about 2 tsp)
Steps (summary)
- Make the syrup first so it has time to cool. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-hi…
- Once boiling, reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 8 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in the lemon juice, simmer 1 minu…
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Grease a 33 x 23 cm baking pan with tahini, spreading it into a thin, even layer that reache…
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the semolina, sugar, and baking powder until uniform. Add the yogurt and melted butter, then m…
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan and level the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Let it rest for 10 min…
- Score the surface into 12 diamonds or squares using a sharp knife, cutting about halfway down so the pieces separate neatly aft…
+ 3 more steps in the full instructions section below.
Cultural Background
Namoura is a classic Levantine tray-bake found across Lebanon in bakeries and family kitchens, especially for guests and celebrations. Its signature is the contrast of golden semolina crumb with fragrant citrus-floral syrup.
Equipment
💡 Tips
- Use fine semolina for a tender crumb; coarse semolina will bake up noticeably gritty at the same hydration.
- For clean diamonds, score before baking and then cut again right after baking while the cake is hot and soft.
- Pour cooled syrup onto hot cake (not hot-on-hot) to prevent a soggy top and ensure even absorption.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Pouring hot syrup over hot cake
✅ Fix: Cool the syrup to room temperature before pouring so the cake absorbs evenly without turning mushy on top.
❌ Underbaking so the center stays pale and pasty
✅ Fix: Bake until the top is deeply golden and the edges slightly pull away; extend by 5 minutes if needed.
❌ Skipping the rest time before baking
✅ Fix: Rest the batter 10 minutes in the pan to hydrate the semolina and prevent a crumbly, uneven bake.
🧊 How to Store
Store namoura tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days for a firmer texture. Reheat individual pieces for 10–15 seconds in the microwave or 5 minutes in a 150°C oven to soften the syrupy crumb.
📅 Make Ahead
Cook the syrup up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it, then bring to room temperature before using. The baked cake improves after resting 4–12 hours, making it ideal to prepare the night before serving.
🍽️ Pairs Well With
- Arabic coffee
- mint tea
- fresh orange segments
- ashta
- pistachios.
Regional Variations
- Some Lebanese bakeries add 5 ml (1 tsp) rose water alongside orange blossom in the syrup for a layered floral note.
- In parts of the Levant, the topping is a pine nut or a pistachio instead of an almond, and the cuts are often diamonds.
- A richer home-style version replaces 30 g of butter with 30 g of ghee for a more pronounced buttery aroma.
Ingredients
- 350 gfine semolina
- 180 ggranulated sugar
- 10 gbaking powder (about 2 tsp)
- 240 gplain yogurt (full-fat preferred)
- 120 gunsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled)
- 20 gtahini (for greasing the pan)
- 12blanched almonds (one per piece)
- 250 mlwater
- 30 mllemon juice (about 2 tbsp)
- 10 mlorange blossom water (about 2 tsp)
🔄 Substitutions
- orange blossom water→ rose water
- plain yogurt→ buttermilk
- blanched almonds→ pine nuts
Instructions
- 1
Make the syrup first so it has time to cool. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring for 30 seconds to dissolve the sugar.
- 2
Once boiling, reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 8 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in the lemon juice, simmer 1 minute more, then remove from the heat and mix in the orange blossom water; cool to room temperature.
- 3
Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Grease a 33 x 23 cm baking pan with tahini, spreading it into a thin, even layer that reaches the corners.
- 4
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the semolina, sugar, and baking powder until uniform. Add the yogurt and melted butter, then mix until a thick, cohesive batter forms with no dry patches.
- 5
Spread the batter into the prepared pan and level the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Let it rest for 10 minutes so the semolina hydrates, which helps the cake bake evenly and slice cleanly.
- 6
Score the surface into 12 diamonds or squares using a sharp knife, cutting about halfway down so the pieces separate neatly after baking. Press one blanched almond into the center of each piece so it adheres and stays visible.
- 7
Bake for 35–40 minutes until deeply golden and the edges pull slightly from the pan. Rotate the pan at minute 25 for even color, and continue baking until the top is uniformly browned rather than pale.
- 8
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, re-cut along the scored lines all the way to the bottom while it is still hot. Immediately pour the cooled syrup evenly over the hot cake, pausing briefly so it absorbs rather than pooling.
- 9
Let the namoura stand for at least 2 hours at room temperature so the syrup fully penetrates and the crumb sets. Serve at room temperature, lifting pieces with a thin spatula to keep the edges intact.
🪪 Recipe Passport
Cultural Background
Namoura is a classic Levantine tray-bake found across Lebanon in bakeries and family kitchens, especially for guests and celebrations. Its signature is the contrast of golden semolina crumb with fragrant citrus-floral syrup.
Regional Variations
Researched from multiple sources and validated by the Zaffaron editorial team. Every recipe is tested for accuracy, measurements, and cultural authenticity.
Nutrition per serving
Pairs well with
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