I want to use a substitute for alcohol

Can I use roasted semolina?

You could substitute apple juice or orange juice, or just about any other fruit juice you would like. The cake will not keep as long as one made with alcohol, unfortunately. You can hold one for about a month, well wrapped and refrigerated, but after that you will need to freeze it to keep it longer. If the problem is that you just don't care for the taste of brandy, you can also feel free to use other sorts of alcohol you do like. Cream sherry or spiced rum are my favorites.