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Traditional Christmas Love Cake Recipe: Sri Lankan Semolina Cake

Traditional Christmas Love Cake

A rich Sri Lankan Christmas cake made with toasted semolina, cashews, candied pumpkin, honey, rosewater, and fragrant spices. It is dense, moist, slightly chewy, and best served in small squares or diamonds after resting overnight.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 4 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 250 g Fine semolina
  • 250 g Unsalted butter, softened
  • 250 g Caster or superfine sugar
  • 8 eggs Large eggs, separated
  • 250 g Raw cashews, finely chopped
  • 250 g Candied pumpkin or preserved winter melon, finely chopped
Flavorings
  • 100 g Honey
  • 2 tablespoons Rosewater
  • 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon Ground cardamom
  • 1 or 1/2 teaspoon Freshly grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground cloves
  • 1 lemon Finely grated zest of lemon
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
Optional Traditional Additions
  • 2 tablespoons Brandy or sweet sherry
  • 50–100 g Chopped dates or sultanas
  • A small amount Chopped orange or lemon peel

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 150°C conventional or 130°C fan. Grease and thoroughly line a 23 cm square cake tin with baking paper, making sure the base and sides are covered.
  2. Spread the semolina in a dry pan and toast it over low heat for several minutes, stirring often, until lightly fragrant but not brown. Transfer it to a bowl and let it cool completely.
  3. Beat the softened butter and caster sugar until pale and creamy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition, then mix in the honey, rosewater, vanilla, lemon zest, and optional brandy.
  4. Stir the cooled semolina into the butter mixture along with the cashews, candied pumpkin or preserved winter melon, spices, and salt. Mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
  5. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to firm peaks. Fold them gently into the semolina mixture in two or three additions so the batter remains airy but thick.
  6. Transfer the batter to the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes, until deeply golden and firm in the centre; a skewer should show a few moist crumbs rather than wet batter.
  7. Cool the cake completely in the tin before cutting. Wrap it and rest it overnight for the best texture and mature spice, honey, and rosewater flavor.

Notes

Do not overbake this cake, since a completely clean skewer can mean the centre has become dry. Store the cooled, wrapped cake at room temperature for several days and cut it into small squares or diamonds before serving.