French Fridays with Dorie: Caramel-Topped Semolina Cake

November 26, 2010 at 10:27 pm | Posted in cakes & tortes, simple cakes, sweet things | 13 Comments

Oops– Friday almost passed me by. Too much leftover Thanksgiving turkey putting me to sleep, I guess. But I did make this Caramel-Topped Semolina Cake last week, so gosh darn-it, I’m making sure I get this up, stat!

What intrigued me about this cake is it can be made with Cream of Wheat. I always have a box of that stuff in the cupboard. I just love it. It makes me think of snow days when I was a kid. Waking up and finding out that school was cancelled because of snow was the best feeling ever. Going back to bed for another couple hours and later having a piping hot bowl of Cream of Wheat while watching “Classic Concentration,” “Scrabble” or “The Price is Right” on TV, then bundling up and going outside to horse around in the snow with my brother and our neighborhood BFFs, Shannon and Andrew…that, to me, equaled childhood bliss.

This cake turns Cream of Wheat (or semolina) into something almost flan-like. Caramel on the bottom of the cake pan becomes sauce when the baked semolina custard-cake is turned out. I think the result is supposed to be a bit more saucy than mine (all the caramel was absorbed into the cake), so next time I’ll double the caramel in the recipe. Very tasty, though. I’ll make this again and serve it with one thing I never ate my kiddie CoW with– rum whipped cream!

For the recipe, see Around my French Table by Dorie Greenspan (it’s also here on Martha Stewart’s site). Don’t forget to check out my fellow francophiles’ posts (not all of us are doing semolina cake this week)!

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I love how your cake is so golden! It looks so delicate. Great post!

Comment by yummychunklet— November 26, 2010 #

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My cake didn’t have the rich caramel topping either…but it sure tasted wonderful! Your cake looks so good!!

Comment by flourchild— November 26, 2010 #

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I made this too and loved it! Mine came out a little more flat than I thought it would..not sure where that went wrong!

Comment by MarocMama— November 27, 2010 #

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This looks so pretty. I just decided I was skipping both this and the pumpkin thing because we are just not all that fond of those ingredients and there are so many other things I want to make. Seeing your cake is making me think that perhaps I should try the cake. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving! I am thankful for all your lovely photos of all the TWD and FFwD food!

Comment by Kayte— November 27, 2010 #

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What a beautiful looking cake! I love your idea of the rum whipped cream.

Comment by a.w.— November 27, 2010 #

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Love your picture! Loved this cake too!!

Comment by Stephirey— November 27, 2010 #

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Great job! Your cake looks perfect…however, I would also bake double the caramel next time…just love that caramel!

Comment by Krissy— November 27, 2010 #

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OMG, this looks so appetizing. I love semolina and your description of an almost flan-like consistency has me convinced. I’ll have to try this recipe soon.

Comment by Arlene— November 27, 2010 #

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I think you cake, which is meant to be just as you made it, very custardy and flan-like, looks beautiful. I’m so glad you liked it.

Comment by dorie— November 27, 2010 #

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As a fellow Francophile, I must say Great job! Your cake looks gorgeous. My caramel burnt…hmmm will have to try again!

Comment by Allison— November 28, 2010 #

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Pretty cake. I love, love anything with caramel! It’s my weakness.

Comment by retro sweets— November 29, 2010 #

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beautiful lighting. i haven’t even had a chance to participate in FFwD yet but everything i have seen so far looks fantastic.

Comment by Jaime— December 5, 2010 #

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this cake looks so yummy!

Comment by betty— December 5, 2010 #

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