Delicious Middle Eastern Pecan Cake Recipes

LEMON PECAN CAKE

Steps:

• Blend first 6 ingredients in blender until smooth.
• Pour blended mixture into a large bowl and add flour and baking powder. Mix well.
• In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, pecans and lemon peel.
• Pour maple syrup into the bottom of an oiled 8" x 8" cake pan.
• Sprinkle pecan mixture over maple syrup. Then spoon cake batter on top of pecans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Turn cake out of pan and let cool.

MIDDLE EASTERN COCONUT CAKE (HARISSAH)

Steps:

• First make syrup by boiling water and sugar for about 5 to 10 minutes depending on how heavy you may want it but it shouldn't be any thicker than pancake syrup in consistency.
• *You may also add a tsp of rose water or orange blossom to it to give more of a traditional middle eastern dessert taste (I personally can do without it so that's why my recipe doesn't call for it under the ingredients).
• When done with that process set syrup aside to cool.
• Start on the Harissa by combining sugar,eggs,oil,milk,vanilla,lemon juice and mix them together until blended.
• Then add flour and baking powder to mixture and blend well.
• Lastly you want to STIR coconut into batter.
• Then its time to add to greased and floured pan (never a bundt pan)-- an oblong pan will do.
• Bake for about 30 minutes at 350°F or more until a light/medium golden brown.
• When cake is done and still hot pour syrup all over cake in pan.
• You don't have to use all the syrup but at least 3/4 should be used on the cake.
• Let cool, then cut in slanted squares.
• Then remove each piece onto a tray.
• You can garnish with a little shredded coconut on top for presentation.