{"id":6529,"date":"2023-04-24T22:02:54","date_gmt":"2023-04-24T22:02:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hadiaslebanesecuisine.com\/blog\/?p=6529"},"modified":"2026-09-27T17:25:05","modified_gmt":"2026-09-27T17:25:05","slug":"sfouf-lebanese-turmeric-cake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hadiaslebanesecuisine.com\/blog\/sfouf-lebanese-turmeric-cake\/","title":{"rendered":"Sfouf, Lebanese Turmeric Cake"},"content":{"rendered":"

To say that sfouf is my favorite food of all time would be one of the least exaggerated things I\u2019ve ever said\u2014because it\u2019s true. I enjoy all kinds of sweets, but this is the one that wraps up comfort and nostalgia for me in every bite. There\u2019s nothing that screams childhood more than sfouf!<\/p>\n

This Lebanese yellow sheet cake was always a major part of any family gathering. Some of my favorite memories are tied to those afternoons at my granny\u2019s house, chatting, laughing, and eating with my sisters and cousins.<\/p>\n

Granny, or Teta Roro as we used to call her, would place the sfouf bars on her vintage china plate, patterned with Romeo and Juliet, which she reserved for special occasions. It was part of an extensive set that included an assortment of serving dishes and delicate teacups. She would often branch out with other desserts, too, such as rice pudding<\/strong><\/a>, meghli<\/strong><\/a>, namoura<\/strong><\/a>, mouhalabieh<\/strong><\/a>, and many other sweets she made so often.<\/p>\n

It amazes me how deeply food can become embedded in our happiest memories. I hope this sfouf recipe brings you and your loved ones the same joy with every bite.<\/p>\n

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Any occasion feels more celebratory with this yellow Lebanese sheet cake, called sfouf. It\u2019s the kind typically brought to gatherings in Lebanon and served with a cup of coffee or tea\u2014flavorful and fragrant enough to enjoy plain.<\/p>\n

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Ratio of Flour to Semolina!<\/h2>\n

One of my first arguments with my husband, thirty years ago, was about sfouf. \u201cThese are not the typical sfouf sold in sweet shops in Lebanon,\u201d he said, pointing disdainfully at the sfouf I had made back then. \u201cThey should be a bit dense and have a yellow color, rather than that striking orange interior.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even today, there is an ongoing debate in Lebanon about the ideal ratio of flour to semolina when making sfouf. If your goal is a fluffy sfouf, you can use equal amounts of flour and semolina. But, to tell the truth, my husband was right: authentic sfouf should be tender but slightly dense, with a firm, cakey texture, just like the ones we grew up eating in Beirut. You shouldn\u2019t end up with a fluffy cake.<\/p>\n

Through trial and error, I came up with two favorite versions that I\u2019ve held on to because both work beautifully. One appears in my cookbook, and the other I\u2019m graciously sharing with you in today\u2019s post!<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a one-bowl recipe that comes together quickly, requires just a few ingredients, and takes less than an hour from start to finish. It\u2019s also pretty foolproof: simply mix all the ingredients together, pour the batter into a cake pan, and bake.<\/p>\n

I make it often\u2014for fancy dinner parties or afternoon snacking, birthdays or brunches.<\/p>\n

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Grease Your Cake Pan with Tahini<\/h3>\n

Greasing your cake pan with tahini not only prevents the sfouf from sticking while it bakes, but also adds a delicious flavor. Brush tahini all over the surface of the pan, making sure no part of the inside is left ungreased.<\/p>\n

If tahini isn\u2019t available, you can simply grease the pan with a little butter!<\/p>\n

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Ingredients Needed to Make Sfouf<\/h2>\n