Basboosa

This is a favorite dessert in many Middle Eastern and North African countries.

Ingredients

1 cup semolina flour
1 cup yogurt
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 beaten eggs (some recipe do not have eggs)

Syrup

3 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 lemon or lime
1 cinnamon stick

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix together flour, sugar, and baking powder very well in large bowl.
Melt butter, add into mixture.
Add yogurt into the mixture, mix well.
Add eggs, mix well again.
Beat mixture for 2 minutes until there are no lumps.
Pour into 9 x 13 inch baking pan brushed with very little oil.
Bake in middle rack of oven for 45 minutes.

While the cake bakes, prepare the syrup;
Mix 3 cups sugar & one cup water in a pot, put on stove on high heat.
Add in vanilla and cinnamon stick. Stir well.
Squeeze half lemon into mixture, drop the lemon itself in there after squeezing.
Mix well, let boil for 1 minute, remove from heat.
After basboosa is a golden color (about 40 mins), remove from oven, and let cool for about 5 minutes.

Pour syrup onto the whole cake, let cool. Cut into as many pieces as you like.