Sfouf- Lebanese Cake

ByRose
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This vibrant yellow Lebanese turmeric cake- sfouf is easy  to make. It is also egg- free, butter- free and made in one bowl!  Sfouf cake has a subtle earthy flavor and tastes as good as it looks.

sfouf cake

Turmeric Cake- Sfouf

People have given sfouf many pronunciations; Lebanese cake, turmeric cake, sfuf, semolina cake or yellow cake, but all these names do not do it  justice! You will love this golden cake, it’s also a great way to get more healthy turmeric into your diet. 

This delicious Lebanese sfuf or Sfouf recipe is so easy to make, colorful, and absolutely delicious, too. It is a no mixer required recipe that uses a handful of accessible ingredients and gives you the perfect tea cake.

If you’ve found yourself with a bunch of turmeric and wondering what to do with it, why not make this Lebanese Sfouf cake?

sfuf

SFOUF INGREDINESTS:

You can find the full printable recipe including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this turmeric cake recipe perfect every time.

  • Turmeric: The turmeric not only adds the beautiful color, but also a subtle earthy taste.
  • Semolina flour: This is a coarse purified wheat that’s usually used to make pasta. 
  • Baking spray: To avoid the cake from sticking to the baking dish. Some spread about 1 tablespoon of tahini paste to the bottom of the pan instead. I personally do not like the taste of Tahini paste in this recipe so I avoid it, but you can also give that a try!
  • All purpose flour. Half a cup. 
  • Sugar.
  • Vegetable oil.
  • Baking powder.
  • Milk. Plant based milk, or water works if your following a vegan diet. I start with one cup, and add a little more if needed. 

How to Make Sfouf – Lebanese Turmeric Cake Recipe:

(Full recipe with quantities in recipe card below)

  • Whisk dry ingredients together. 
  • Add in wet ingredients and whisk some until well combined. 
how to make semolina cake
  • Pour into a baking pan and top with nuts. 
sfuf topped with pine nuts
  • Bake.
  • Let cool completely.
  • Make yourself a cup of coffee or tea and, cut into squares like I did or diamond shape pieces and dig in this beautifully colored simple turmeric cake. You’ll love how delicious and light this Lebanese cake is and how easy and simple to make!
Lebanese cake- sfouf

Turmeric is Healthy:

Turmeric with its active ingredient curcumin, may have anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, and other benefits.

So if you’re looking for a healthy & sweet dessert with turmeric, that’s also delicious, you will love the and textures and flavors in this Sfouf recipe.

Sfouf is perfect for a sweet afternoon treat or a mid-morning brunch!

Frequently asked Questions: 

  • Can you make sfouf without semolina?  I personally have never tried Sfouf without semolina, you probably would not get the same nutty texture. I’d be happy to know how it turns out if you decide to try! 
  • Where do I find semolina flour?  You can find it at any Middle Eastern market, Amazon, supermarkets, Walmart or target.
  • Can you make vegan sfouf? YES! since this Lebanese cake is egg-free and butter-free, it is easy to make it vegan. Simply use any plant-based milk or just plain water will do the job as well. 
  • Can I leave out the turmeric? Yes! it won’t be sfouf anymore though 🙂 But try it before you knock it, you’ll barely taste the turmeric and the color is gorgeous (plus turmeric is so good for you!)
  • How to serve this Lebanese turmeric cake? Have it either warm or at room temperature, both are delicious. Definitely have a cup of tea or coffee on the side, or milk for the kids!
  • How long this Lebanese turmeric cake recipe Keep? Up to five days tightly wrapped or stored in a air tight container at room temperature. 
  • Sfouf Calories: 130 calories per bar!
sfouf cake

Why you should try to make this sfouf recipe?

  • It is vegan
  • It is moist
  • It is so easy to make
  • Turmeric gives this Lebanese cake both a beautiful, vibrant color and an anti-inflammatory boost.
  • Sfouf is a crowd-pleaser, just leave them on your kitchen’s countertop and they will disappear in no time
  • Kid friendly- pack these sfouf squares in lunch boxes

More Lebanese Desserts: 

Knafeh

Baklava

Milk Pudding- Mahalabia

Coconut Date Bars

Date Roll Cookies

Namoura- Lebanese Semolina Cake

Sweet, light, and fluffy. This Sfouf Turmeric Cake is the BEST and incredibly easy to make. Perfectly moist and flavorful, everyone will love how amazing this Lebanese cake is! Sfouf is silky, tender, melt-in-the mouth, but be warned: a slice simply won’t be enough.

If you like this easy Lebanese turmeric cake- Sfouf recipe or any other recipe on Salt & Sweet, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! You can also follow and tag me #thesaltandsweet on my Instagram page! 

How to Make Lebanese Sfuf- Sfouf

sfouf recipe- Lebanese semolina cake

Sfouf- Lebanese Cake

Yield: 16 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Sfouf- Lebanese Turmeric Cake. A delicious egg free, butter free cake that is made with simple ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cup fine semolina
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ cup canola oil or other neutral oil
  • 1 cup of milk or water
  • Baking spray to grease the pan
  • Handful of pine nuts or almonds- for garnishing 

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF and grease a 9×9" baking pan with baking oil.
  2. In a large bowl, add the flour, fine semolina, sugar, baking powder and turmeric and mix well using a whisk.
  3. Add the oil and milk and whisk well until fully combined. If after mixing the batter is too thick, you can add few more spoons of milk gradually.
  4. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the pine nuts, almonds or both combined.
  5. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the pine nuts are golden, mine was done at exactly 30 minutes.
  6. Let cook completely before cutting into squares.
  7. Serve with cup of tea and enjoy!

Notes

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 7 days at room temperature or about 10 days in the fridge.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 131Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 48mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 1gSugar: 13gProtein: 3g

Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients you use.

Did you make this recipe?

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© Rose- The Salt and Sweet Kitchen
Cuisine: Lebanese / Category: Desserts

58 Comments

  1. I loved making this Sfouf recipe. My mom in law used to make it, but add sesame seeds on top. I loved the pinenuts addition. Thankful for your Lebanese food section 🙂

    Reply

  2. I am in love with this recipe. I enjoy the flavor of turmeric and have always wanted to integrate it into my cooking more. Your recipe tasted fantastic, and with a few ingredients, we had a great sfouf cake that was rich in flavor and so tasty. Thank you, and will be making it again this weekend.

    Reply

    2. I tried this sfouf in cupcakes, I like to pack them in lunch boxes for my kids. They’re turned out delicious!

      Reply

  4. My nutritionist suggested I add more turmeric to my diet and I was looking for sweet recipes with turmeric when I saw your Lebanese cake! I love Lebanese recipes so much and I love the name of this cake- Sfouf. I whipped it up and was so simple to make and tasted amazing! Loved the texture of this sfouf recipe and subtle flavors. I’ll make it again and again.

    Reply

    1. Hello Deborah! Making more recipes with turmeric is always a good idea! I’m happy to hear you like to try Lebanese dishes and that you’ve enjoyed my sfouf recipe! It is a family favorite in my house!

      Reply

    1. Hello Lyla, you can but you won’t get the same texture. I suggest you grind your coarse semolina in your food processor, if that’s all you have on hand. Hope you enjoy this sfouf recipe!

      Reply

  6. I always thought of this cake as an aniseed cake. My mother called it Sfouf. I didn’t realise turmeric was an essential ingredient, I just thought mum added it for something healthy. Aniseed has always been added to all the Sfouf cakes I’ve eaten no matter what city or town those making it came from in Lebanon. Mum always adds rosé & blossom water saying it helps to calm the stomach.
    Thank you for sharing this recipe. It is one of my favourites

    Reply

    1. I’m so happy to hear that you’ve been enjoyed my Sfouf recipe. I’ve never tried it with Aniseed before, sounds like a great addition!

      Reply

  7. I made this sfouf recipe, but topped it with sesame seeds instead! It was so so delicious! Gone in less than 2 days! Sfouf has always been one of my favorite Lebanese sweets, so glad i found the perfect recipe!

    Reply

    2. The recipe for Palestinian bracelet cookies requests olive oil mixed to flour and semolina.. the end result is delicious. Based on that, I would try making the Sfouf with olive oil . The taste of anis was dominating in the recipe of Sfouf my grand’ma used to prepare. Most of the Sfouf recipes I find online do not mention anis?! They add milk and rose water and these are new Ingradients to the Sfouf as we grew up eating it. My sister in law grew up in Beirut and never used semolina in her Sfouf recipe she got from her mom. Why not adding milk and eggs, it is fine, we will have a new exotic delicious version of the pound cake.

      Reply

      1. I think it’s amazing to hear how every culture has its own twist to recipes. I’d love to try sfouf with olive oil, the healthier, the better 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.

        Reply

  9. First I must say, The Salt and Sweet Kitchen recipes are simply amazing, the images are so well taken and super appealing. I want to try all your recipes! And this Lebanese Cake is over the top! I love that no mixer is needed, it’s vegan and contains healthy turmeric. Thank you for the recipe! Love, xx

    Reply

  10. I love recipes that include healthy turmeric in them! I have never tried it in sweets until today. I can’t recommend this this sfouf cake enough! Healthy, vegan, not too sweet. The perfect treat with coffee.

    Reply

    1. Hello Anna, you can leave out the turmeric, however this Lebanese cake won’t be the same. I use only 1 tablespoon of turmeric in my sfouf recipe, so you will barely notice the taste. I suggest you give it a go! 🙂

      Reply

  18. By far, the best sfouf I made! I followed the recipe step by step and it was so simple and delicious!

    Reply

  19. I am a sfouf lover and I can tell a good sfouf from how they look; and the ones you made and pictured look super good and I bet they are super delicious!

    Thanks for sharing the recipe 🙂

    Reply

  20. Oh sfouf!! My favorite easy and fast dessert! I like it with milk, tea or coffee. It works with all. Light, fluffy and tasty!!! Thanks for the instructions. It made it a lot easier!

    Reply

  21. This sfouf recipe is one of the very first recipes I have prepared from Rose’s website!
    Easy to find ingredients, easy to prepare and tastes sooo good.
    Everytime i prepare this saltandsweetkitchen sfouf, it doesnt last 24 hours in our house!! Yummy!

    Reply

    1. Aww thank you, Adele! So glad you’ve been enjoying my sfouf recipe! It’s a favorite in my house as well 🙂

      Reply

  25. Made this tonight, it was exceptionally delicious. I highly recommend you give this sfouf recipe by the salt and sweet kitchen a try!

    Reply

    1. Hello Mona,

      Thank you so much, glad you like my sfouf recipe 🙂 I buy semolina from a near by Middle Eastern store. But you can also find it at Walmart or any grocery store if you live in the US. I love Bobs red mill semolina flour. Hope this helps!

      Reply

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