Revani - Turkish Semolina Cake

5 from 4 votes

Revani (or Ravani) is a classic Turkish dessert made of semolina cake soaked with orange-flavored syrup and then cut into diamonds or squares.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Total Time45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Turkish

Diet: Low Salt, Vegetarian

Servings: pieces

Calories: 264kcal

Place the water and sugar in a pan and put on medium heat.
Heat the mixture stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture comes to a boil.
After it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and let the mixture simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Add a few drops of lemon juice, let it simmer for a few more minutes, and then remove the pan from heat.
Add the orange zest and juice, give it a good stir, and let it cool down while making the semolina cake.

Preheat the oven to 180° C (360° F) and grease a 23 cm (9") Ø oven dish or cake tin with oil, and set it aside.
Beat the eggs and the sugar in a stand mixer on medium speed until it doubles the size up and it is light & fluffy. (Make sure your eggs are at room temperature). Alternatively, you can use a hand-held mixer and a large bowl.
Add the orange juice, yogurt, and oil, and mix at low speed until combined.
Finally, add the semolina, flour, baking powder, coconut, and orange zest to the bowl and gently mix until all combined.
Pour the batter into the baking tray and bake it in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let the cake cool down for 5 minutes and pour the syrup slowly over the cake using a ladle.
When the cake cools down, cut it to desired shape and size, and garnish with more coconuts and pistachio nuts before serving.

Use high-quality medium-ground semolina flour to ensure a tender and moist cake.
Use room-temperature eggs for the cake batter as they mix more easily and smoothly with the other ingredients, resulting in a more evenly textured cake. Room-temperature eggs help the cake to rise more effectively during baking.
Start with making the syrup first. You want the syrup to be at room temperature before pouring it on the cake shortly after it comes out of the oven.
You should wait for the ravani to cool before cutting it into pieces, or else it will crumble. Ideally, serve this Turkish Semolina Cake cold from the fridge the following day.
Use the same amount of lemon zest and juice instead of orange if you want your Revani Cake with lemon flavor.
You can store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature, 7 days refrigerated, or 3 months in the freezer.