Eurasian Sugee Cake (Semolina and Almond Cake)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cakes cupcakes Vanilla: Extract Medium

Eurasian Sugee Cake (Semolina and Almond Cake)

Melted butter is soaked into semolina, then combined with whipped yolks, ground almonds and whipped whites for a moist, golden crumb with a brandy aroma. Makes 16 slices in about 4 hr 15 min.

Prep 35 min

Cook 70 min

Cooling 2 hr 30 min

Total 4 hr 15 min

Yield 16 slices

Ingredients

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slices

1 cup (250 g)unsalted butter, melted
7 oz (200 g)fine semolina
1 ¼ cups (250 g)granulated sugar
7 (126 g)egg yolks
6 (198 g)egg whites, whipped to stiff peaks
2 cups (200 g)ground almonds
1 tbsp (12 g)baking powder
1 pinchfine salt
2 tsp (10 ml)vanilla extract
3 tbsp (45 ml)brandy

Fresh ingredient guides

AlmondsHow to pick, season & nutrition · 188 kcal per 30 g

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Instructions

Stir the semolina into the melted butter, cover and let it stand at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Heat the oven to 340 F (170 C). Grease and line a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan.
Beat the yolks with the sugar 5 minutes until very pale and thick. Mix in the vanilla and brandy, then the semolina-butter.
Stir the baking powder and salt into the almonds, then fold into the batter.
Whip the whites to stiff peaks and fold into the batter in three additions.
Pour into the pan and bake 60 to 70 minutes, until deep golden and a skewer in the center comes out clean.
Cool in the pan about 1 hour, then turn out and cool completely before slicing.

Tips

Fold the whites gently to keep the cake light.
Cover loosely with foil if the top browns before the center is done.
The cake tastes better the next day.
Good with strong tea.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make eurasian sugee cake (semolina and almond cake)?

Plan on 35 minutes of prep and 1 hour 10 minutes of cooking, plus 2 hours 30 minutes to chill. The recipe makes 16 slices.

How should I store eurasian sugee cake (semolina and almond cake)?

Keep wrapped at room temperature up to 4 days; the cake keeps well and can be frozen up to 2 months.

Can I make eurasian sugee cake (semolina and almond cake) ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 2 tsp vanilla extract (10 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Sugee cake is a rich semolina and almond butter cake made by the Eurasian community of Singapore and Malaysia for Christmas and weddings. Serve it with strong tea.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 16 servings this recipe makes.

329 Calories / serving

21.2g Fat

28.2g Carbs

7.0g Protein

16.6g Sugar

Whole recipe (16 servings): ~5264 cal · 339g fat · 451g carbs · 112g protein · 266g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.