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Korean Syrup Cake

Serves 4 to 6 Dessert vegetarian, Desserts

Korean Syrup Cake

Korean Syrup Cake is a beloved classic in Korean households, often gracing the table during celebratory occasions or simply as a sweet treat to be shared amongst family and friends. Its creation in the home kitchen reflects the intuitive cooking style of Korean families, where each ingredient is measured by eye and adjusted to suit personal taste, ensuring a unique touch in every batch.

The cake itself is a delightful harmony of flavors and textures: the buttery richness of semolina mingles with the sweet, lush syrup that soaks every crumb, creating a tender, moist bite. This is not a dessert meant to be savored alone; its generous portions invite communal enjoyment, capturing the essence of shared culinary joy.

Ingredients

  • 200 gsemolina
  • 150 gsugar
  • 100 gbutter
  • 3eggs
  • syrupto soak

Method

  1. Start by bringing the 100 g of butter to room temperature. This will make it easier to cream with the sugar later. Also, take the 3 eggs out of the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature, which helps them incorporate more smoothly into the batter.
  2. In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and 150 g of sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This should take a few minutes of vigorous mixing with a wooden spoon or electric mixer. The mixture should be pale in color and have a smooth, airy texture.
  3. Add the room temperature eggs to the butter and sugar mixture, one at a time. Beat well after each addition to ensure the eggs are fully incorporated. The mixture may look slightly curdled after adding the eggs, but it will smooth out once the semolina is added.
  4. Gradually fold in the 200 g of semolina into the egg mixture. Use a spatula to gently incorporate the semolina, being careful not to overmix. The batter should be thick and slightly grainy in texture, with no visible dry semolina.
  5. Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F). Grease a baking pan with butter or line it with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula. The batter should fill the pan evenly without any peaks or valleys.
  6. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake until the cake is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake should have a firm top and a slightly springy texture when pressed lightly with a finger.
  7. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool slightly in the pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the syrup evenly over the top, allowing it to soak into the cake. The syrup should be absorbed, leaving the cake moist and fragrant.
  8. Let the cake cool completely before serving. This allows the syrup to fully penetrate and flavor the cake. Serve the Korean Syrup Cake at room temperature, ideally with a cup of tea or coffee, and enjoy its rich, buttery texture and sweet, syrupy finish.
Cover of Authentic Korean Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Korean Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Korean Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Korean volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

Available soon on Amazon…

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