Revani Semolina Cake (Ρεβανί)
A spongy semolina and yogurt cake, soaked in a sweet lemon syrup until moist all the way through, then finished with a scattering of almonds. A beloved village-bakery classic, best made a day ahead.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Whisk eggs and sugar
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together for 2–3 minutes until pale, thick and roughly doubled in volume. This beaten-in air is what makes the sponge light, so don't rush it.
- 4 eggs
- 200 g sugar
✅ Done when: the mixture is pale, airy and leaves a ribbon trail when you lift the whisk
Add oil, yogurt and flavour
Pour in the oil in a slow stream while whisking, then whisk in the yogurt, lemon zest and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
- 150 ml oil
- 200 g yogurt
- 1 lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
✅ Done when: the batter is uniform, smooth and no streaks of oil remain
Fold in dry ingredients
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Bake with almonds
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Make the syrup
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Soak and rest
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Whisk eggs and sugar
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together for 2–3 minutes until pale, thick and roughly doubled in volume. This beaten-in air is what makes the sponge light, so don't rush it.
- 4 eggs
- 200 g sugar
✅ Done when: the mixture is pale, airy and leaves a ribbon trail when you lift the whisk
Add oil, yogurt and flavour
Pour in the oil in a slow stream while whisking, then whisk in the yogurt, lemon zest and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
- 150 ml oil
- 200 g yogurt
- 1 lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
✅ Done when: the batter is uniform, smooth and no streaks of oil remain
Fold in dry ingredients
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Bake with almonds
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Make the syrup
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Soak and rest
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The Story Behind the Dish
Revani belongs to a wide family of syrup-soaked semolina cakes found across Greece, Turkey and the Balkans, a legacy of the shared Ottoman kitchen. In Greece it became a village and festival sweet, baked in big trays for weddings, name days and church gatherings, then cut into diamonds once the syrup had fully soaked in.
Every region and every grandmother has her own small variation: more lemon here, a touch of cinnamon there, almonds or coconut on top. What stays constant is the method, a light semolina sponge drenched in hot syrup while still warm from the oven.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It's loved for its soft, slightly grainy texture and the way the citrus syrup keeps it moist for days, making it one of the easiest Greek desserts to prepare ahead and share.
💡 Fun Fact
The name 'revani' and its syrup-cake relatives travel under similar names all around the former Ottoman world, from Turkish 'revani' to versions in the Balkans, a trace of a shared culinary history.
Greece, especially common in Thessaly, Macedonia and the islands
39.64°N, 22.42°E
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