Revani

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180°C conventional / 160°C fan. Lightly grease a small baking tin or loaf tin (about 12 x 18 cm or similar) with the butter. This small tin size is important so the cake stays thick enough to absorb syrup without drying out.

2. 2

   Make the syrup first so it has time to cool slightly: combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir just until the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and lemon zest. Set aside; warm cake absorbs warm syrup best, but the syrup should not be boiling hot.

3. 3

   In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes until paler and slightly thickened. This helps give the small cake a lighter crumb despite the semolina.

4. 4

   Whisk in the yogurt, melted butter, lemon zest, and salt until smooth.

5. 5

   Add the flour, semolina, and baking powder. Fold gently just until no dry patches remain; do not overmix or the cake can become dense. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes so the semolina can begin to hydrate.

6. 6

   Pour the batter into the prepared tin and level the top. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. The surface should feel springy when lightly pressed.

7. 7

   Remove the cake from the oven. While it is still hot, cut it into 2 serving pieces in the tin, then slowly spoon the warm lemon syrup over the entire surface in 3 to 4 additions, allowing each addition to soak in before adding more. You may not need every last spoonful if the cake is fully saturated.

8. 8

   Rest the revani for 10 minutes so the syrup distributes evenly through the crumb. Sprinkle with desiccated coconut, then serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •If you prefer a more traditional finish, garnish with a few crushed pistachios instead of coconut, but this will change the allergen profile.
• •Do not pour cold syrup onto a cold cake; one of them should be warm for proper absorption. In this version, both are warm, which works well for a quick small-batch revani.
• •A metal tin gives the most even browning and fastest bake time for this 2-serving version.

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