If you grew up anywhere near a stove stocked with semolina, you know this one. The semolina cake people call 'Mannik Minute' tastes like childhood and actually earns its name: batter in minutes, about a half hour in the oven, and you get a cloud-soft crumb that stays tender longer than a basic sponge.
What you need
- Semolina: 320 g (2 cups measured in 200 ml cups)
- Kefir: 400 ml (2 cups)
- Sugar: 180 g (about 3/4 to 1 cup)
- Eggs: 2
- Butter or margarine: 100 g
- Baking powder: 1 tsp
- Salt: a pinch
How to make it
Stir the semolina into the kefir and let it sit for 15 minutes so the grains plump and fully hydrate. That short rest is the difference between a silky crumb and sandy specks.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar and salt until the mixture looks pale and a little frothy. Melt the butter and let it cool slightly, then whisk it into the egg mixture so everything stays smooth.
Fold the baking powder into the soaked semolina, then pour in the egg-butter mixture. Stir until the batter is evenly combined.
Line a 22 to 24 cm round pan with parchment. Scrape in the batter and level the top. Bake at 180°C for about 35 minutes. Check doneness with a toothpick or slender knife; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes to let the crumb settle, then lift out. A dusting of powdered sugar suits it.
Kefir swaps
No kefir? Use soured milk, ryazhenka, plain natural yogurt, or sour cream thinned 1:1 with water. If your cultured dairy is richer than 3% fat, trim the butter by 20 to 30 g to keep the balance right.
Why it works without flour
Semolina is wheat, so once it hydrates it provides enough gluten and starch to bind the batter on its own. The result bakes up airy and tender rather than dense or rubbery as it cools.
Simple twists
Lemon mood: add the zest of one lemon and reduce the sugar by 20 to 30 g. Chocolate mood: whisk 2 tbsp cocoa powder into the dry semolina before you add the kefir; keep the rest of the proportions the same.