Shomolly and Farina Cake Recipes

Traditional, Syrup-Laden Cakes for the Middle Eastern Dessert Table

© Debbie Kwiatoski

Oct 11, 2007

Both of these cakes are so familiar on Middle Eastern tables that they are almost ubiquitous to the cuisines of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Both are best if served warm and with a bit less syrup than the traditional recipes call for (typically, they use about 5 cups!). Also, pieces are generally kept on the small side, as these cakes are incredible rich and filling. Terrific with Turkish Coffee!

Farina Cake

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 quart of plain yogurt
• ½ pound of butter
• 1 cup of flour
• 2 cups of farina (or Cream of Wheat)
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• ¼ cup brandy (optional – but it really does give the cake a wonderful flavor. In lieu of brandy, try orange or cherry liquor or even about 2 tablespoons of vanilla or almond flavor)
• "Simple Syrup" (to make Simple Syrup, take equal parts of sugar and water and boil together until liquid has a "syrupy" consistency. For this recipe, use about 3 cups of each – to taste).

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F
2. Melt the butter
3. Mix together the eggs, sugar, yogurt and brandy of other flavoring.
4. Add the melted butter and beat until thoroughly blended.
5. Stir in the flour, farina, baking soda and baking powder and mix all ingredients well.
6. Grease a shallow baking pan ( 9 or 12 inch loaf cake pan works very well)
7. Bake for about 30 minutes – or until you can insert a knife into the center and have it come out clean.
8. Boil down the Simple Syrup and keep it very hot.
9. Take out of the oven and cut into diamond shapes (lattice-style) in the pan
10. Pour the Simple Syrup even over the hot, cut, cake in the pan – to taste.
11. Put the cake back into the oven (now turned off) until all the syrup has absorbed
12. Cut and serve warm.

Shommolly

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of flour
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup butter
• 1 ¾ cups of milk
• 4 teaspoons of baking powder
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts or pistachio)
• ¼ cup brandy or liqueur, as above, or 2 tablespoons vanilla or almond flavoring
• Simple Syrup (see above recipe – for this one, use about 2 cups each of sugar and water)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F
2. Melt the butter
3. Beat together the eggs and milk and flavoring
4. Slowly add the melted butter and mix thoroughly
5. Gradual stir in the flour, baking soda, chopped nuts, and salt.
6. Pour into a shallow greased cake pan (9 or 12 inch)
7. Bake for 30 – 50 minutes, or until a knife can be inserted into the center and pulled out clean.
8. While the cake is baking, boil the simple syrup and keep hot.
9. As above, cut the baked, hot cake into diamond or long narrow-shaped pieces
10. Pour the hot syrup evenly over the hot cake and replace it in the (turned-off) oven until all the syrup has been absorbed.
11. Serve warm.

Farina Cake

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