Last Updated on December 14, 2020 by Chef Mireille
Baath – Goa Semolina Coconut Cake is a super soft and moist cake made with fresh coconut.
Continuing on to our discovery of the regional cuisines of the different Indian states, today we are traveling to the tropical paradise that is Goa, located on India’s southwestern coast. This was one of the hardest states for me to decide which recipe I would do to represent Goa. Part of the problem is that Goa is one of my favorite Indian cuisines with its fusion of Portuguese and Indian, therefore I’ve done so many dishes from Goa already like Ambotik, Goan Pulao, Bolinhas, Poee and Beveca, just to name a few.
I’d come across Baath many times before, but I did not understand the reason for leaving the batter out overnight and I especially did not want to do that in the middle of a New York summer. I figured winter was the perfect time to attempt this recipe, especially the frigid temperatures that continued to plague us in March. I investigated the reason for leaving the batter out overnight and discovered it was so that the semolina would absorb the liquid and swell, for a softer cake. I realized this made a lot of sense as both semolina and cornmeal cakes often have a very coarse and crumbly texture.
The recipes I found varied greatly. Some used vanilla for flavoring while others used rose water or cardamom. Some combined the eggs at one time, while others added the yolks and whites separately. Some versions also added a little all purpose flour and cornstarch to the recipe. Finally, I decided to come up with my own based on common factors and personal preference, after a little consultation with our resident BM Goan, Archana.
IN THE MAKING – HOW TO MAKE BAATH
This cake is very soft and moist.
It is very addictive and difficult to have just one slice.
Baath – Goa Semolina Coconut Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup semolina
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cups frozen grated coconut defrosted (or freshly grated coconut)
- 1/3 cup warm water
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter softened
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 tablespoon golden raisins
- 1 tablespoon sliced almonds
- edible flowers optional garnish
Instructions
- Grind the coconut with the water until you have a coarse coconut paste.
- Beat the eggs until very light and fluffy, about 10 minutes with an electric mixer. Add the butter and beat again for another 2 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the semolina, salt, baking powder and sugar. Add coconut to this and mix well.
- Add beaten eggs and ground cardamom. Mix well. Cover and leave to rest overnight or at least 6 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Spray a square baking dish with non stick spray.
- Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Garnish the top with the raisins and almonds.
- Bake for 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Garnish with edible flowers, if desired.
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…linking to Let’s Cook Sweet Treats for Easter & Bake Fest hosted by Nandoo
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
The cake has come out really good! So moist and soft 🙂
Sreevalli E
Mouth watering cake for sure & I just want to make it some for my sweet tooth.
Priya Srinivasan
I too bookmarked the cucumber cake from goa, but somehow settled with the mix veg curry. Cake looks fluffy!!
Suma Gandlur
Looks very yummy and addictive.
Padmajha PJ
Looks like many of us consulted our resident Goan! And the cake sounds delicious. Got to see if I can come up with an eggless version.
themadscientistskitchen@
You can PJ use curds
Chef Mireille
thanks for the info Archana!
Angela
Do I have to grind the sugar or is it ok?
Chef Mireille
No – you don’t have to grind the sugar.
Sonja
Hi, can I substitute semolina for almond meal? I have gluten insensitivity. Thanks 🙂
Sonja
* sensitivity
Chef Mireille
Almond meal usually needs more binding – I would say oat flour would probably be a better substitute
Isla Sodark
How many people does this recipe serve?
Chef Mireille
9 or more if you cut the slices smaller