Semolina, Coconut and Marmalade Cake

Although the recipe calls for fine-cut or marmalade without peel, any type of orange marmalade may be used. I prefer one with abundant peel, made with less sweet Seville oranges.

Read more: Foods of Jerusalem inspire a Rosh Hashanah menu

If possible, unsweetened coconut should be used, but sweetened coconut also resulted in a fine cake. Orange blossom water may be purchased inexpensively at Middle Eastern groceries and imparts a more flowery than orange taste and an incredible aroma.

The cake is delicious right away, but it tastes even better after sitting several hours or overnight to allow additional time for the syrup to be absorbed. Serve plain or with orange water-flavored yogurt. I added a touch of sugar to the yogurt.

Recipe tested by Florence Steinberger

Makes 9 generous servings

Cake:

• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• ½ cup orange marmalade
• 4 large eggs
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• 1/3 cup sugar
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup plus 1 ½ tablespoons semolina flour
• ¾ cup shredded, dried coconut
• 2 tablespoons ground almonds or almond meal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Syrup:

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup plus 1 ½ tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom water

For serving (optional):

• Thick, Greek yogurt, flavored with 1 to 2 drops orange blossom water and sugar (optional) to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking pan.

Make cake: Whisk together oil, orange juice, marmalade, eggs and orange zest until marmalade dissolves.

In a separate bowl, mix together all dry ingredients and add to wet ingredients. Mix until well-combined. Mixture will be runny.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven 40 minutes, rotating halfway through, until cake tester inserted into cake comes out clean and top turns golden.

Make syrup: During last few minutes of baking time, place syrup ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a boil, then remove from heat. As soon as cake is removed from oven, brush with hot syrup using a pastry brush. Wait a minute or two to allow syrup to soak in, and repeat until all syrup is used.

To serve: Cake may be cooled and served from pan or, when slightly cool, removed from pan to cool completely. Wrap tightly (whether in or out of pan) and let sit several hours or overnight to develop flavors. Cut into pieces and, if desired, serve with a dollop of yogurt.

To bake as loaves: Grease and line two 8 ½-by-4 ½-inch loaf pans with wax paper. Divide batter evenly between them. Bake 45 to 60 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean and the tops turn an orange brown.