Karidopita/Karithopita (Greek Walnut Cake with Syrup)
A mouthwatering Greek walnut cake recipe (karidopita), scented with the aromas and blends of cinnamon and grounded clove. Find out how to make the perfect walnut cake with this traditional Greek recipe.
- Prep time
- 25 min
- Cook time
- 35 min
- Yield
- 10 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 380g chopped walnut (13 ounces)
- 180g powdered Melba toast or breadcrumbs (6.5 ounces)
- 20g baking powder (4 tsps)
- 1 flat tsp powdered nutmeg
- 2 tsps powdered cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp grounded clove
- 200g butter (7 ounces)
- 165g sugar (6 ounces)
- 7 eggs (separated into whites and yolks)
- zest of 1 orange
- 75ml cognac (1/3 of a cup)
- 2 cups sugar
- 100 grams honey (3.5 oz)
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp orange juice
- 1/4 of a cup cognac
Instructions
- 1
Use an electric mixer to mix the sugar and butter; mix at medium-high speed for at least 5 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, whilst continue mixing; wait each time for each egg to be absorbed, before adding the next. Pour in the cognac and the orange zest and mix for 10 more seconds. Set aside.
- 2
Into a large bowl, add the chopped walnut, the powdered Melba toast, the cinnamon, the clove, the nutmeg, the baking powder and blend with a spoon. (Chop the walnut, using a blender, but be careful not to powder it; the authentic greek walnut cake calls for roughly chopped walnuts.)
- 3
Combine the two mixtures and blend, until smooth.
- 4
Place the egg whites into the bowl of the electric mixer, along with a pinch of salt. Make sure your egg whites, bowl and whisk attachments are clean and free of any water. Whisk the egg whites until the mixture is very thick and glossy and a long trailing peak forms when the whisk is lifted (meringues).
- 5
With a spatula add gradually the meringues into the mixture and blend with light circular movements from the bottom up.
- 6
Butter the bottom and the sides of a round baking tray, approx 30cm diameter and bake in a preheated oven at 170C, for about 35 minutes, until nicely colored on the outside and baked through.
- 7
Let the karidopita (greek walnut cake) to cool and then prepare the syrup. Add all the ingredients for the syrup into a pot, and boil, until the sugar has dissolved. Scar the cake into pieces, and slowly ladle the hot syrup over the cold cake, allowing time for each ladle of syrup to be absorbed.
- 8
Let it cool down for a while, before serving. This Greek walnut cake is ideally served cold with some vanilla ice-cream aside. Enjoy!!