I had a little interview at Food and Wine magazine this week, talking about my blog and food. Please do check it out!  My sweet and wonderful friend Alanna shares some of the fun moments she captured when we made Masala Chai this past weekend. Her photography and recipes are a treat, you won’t be disappointed! 

Here’s a little twist to one of my favorite coconut cakes, the Baath, it’s a delicious, rustic Goan coconut cake made with semolina that has a little bit of rose water. I’ve shared a lightened version of the regular Baath cake before but I’ve been aching to make it again and wanted to try something new this time. This version uses nutty tahini and toasty black sesame seeds, imagine all of that nestled in a semolina cake with the light fragrance of rose water and a gentle hint of vanilla. 

I cut back on the sugar in this version but you can certainly increase the amount of sugar (as suggested in the recipe instructions below). This cake would be perfect with that cup of masala chai or coffee.  Here are some of my tips for working with semolina cakes and this cake in particular,

The trick to a good moist and soft semolina cake, soak it in the batter for a few hours to overnight and then bake it.  I prefer to store this cake wrapped in the refrigerator (or freeze the excess in airtight bags). I’m always worried that the coconut could get rancid and the cake keeps well. Bring the cake to room temperature before serving. Refrigeration also helps to lock in the aromatic floral scents in this cake.

sesame tahini baath (Goan Coconut Cake) Cake yields: one 9 inch cake ingredients  1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature + a little more for greasing a 9 inch circular pan 1 1/2 cups brown sugar (if you like it sweeter, you can go up to 2 cups) 1 tablespoon tahini 4 large eggs 1 teaspoon madagascar bourbon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon coconut flavored rum (optional) 1/4 cup rose water 3 cups (1 lb + 1 2/4 ounces) semolina 1 cup (2 3/4 ounces) shredded unsweetened coconut (I used the Bob’s Red Mill brand, I was really pleased with its scent and taste) 1/4 teaspoon kosher sea salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 cups reduced fat coconut milk  1/4 cup black sesame seeds 

  1. Line the base of springform or regular circular 9 inch cake pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease the sides with butter and keep aside until ready to use.
  2. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and using the paddle attachment cream until light and fluffy on medium high speed for about 5 minutes. Add the tahini and beat for another minute until combined.
  3. Add one egg at a time to the creamed butter and sugar mixture and mix on medium-high speed until completely combined. 
  4. Add the vanilla extract and coconut rum (if using). Beat for 30 seconds until completely mixed. 
  5. In a large mixing bowl, lightly whisk, the semolina, coconut, salt, baking powder and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the black sesame seeds. Pour half of this mixture into the creamed butter-sugar-egg mixture and combine using the paddle attachment. Pour in the rose water and coconut milk. Add the rest of the semolina mixture and combine on medium speed until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the surface with an offset spatula (wet the spatula with a little cold water, to prevent the batter from sticking). Sprinkle the rest of the sesame seeds on the surface of the cake batter. Cover the cake with cling film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to overnight before baking.
  6. To bake the cake, place a wire rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350F. Remove the cling film and bake for 45-50 minutes turning the cake half way through baking. The cake is done with the top is slightly golden and the center is firm to touch or when a knife or skewer when passed through the center of the cake comes out clean from the center. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 30 minutes in the cake pan. Run a knife around the edges of the baked cake, remove and allow to cool to room temperature before serving. To store, I recommend refrigerating in an airtight container or freezing the extra (bring to room temperature before serving).  Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

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