How To Make Karithopita (Greek Walnut Cake)
Represent joy and abundance this holiday season with this karithopita (Greek walnut cake) recipe. A fluffy and moist cake topped with walnuts and drizzled with sweet syrup. Make it even more special with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Prep:
25 mins
Cook:
35 mins
Total:
1 hr
Ingredients
For the Greek walnut cake:
- 13 oz walnut, chopped
- 6.5 oz Melba toast, powdered or breadcrumbs
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp nutmeg, powdered
- 2 tsp cinnamon, powdered
- 1⁄2 tsp clove, grounded
- 7 oz butter
- 6 oz sugar
- 7 egg yolks
- 7 egg whites
- orange zest, from 1 orange
- ⅓ cup cognac
For the syrup:
- 2 cups sugar
- 3.5 oz honey
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp orange juice
- 1⁄4 cup cognac
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 338 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of an 11 inch diameter baking tray.
- With an electric mixer, cream together sugar and butter at medium high speed for 5 minutes. Add egg yolks one at a time while mixing. wait for each egg to be combined before adding the next. Pour in cognac and orange zest and mix for 10 more seconds. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add chopped walnuts, melba toast, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and baking powder. Mix with a whisk or spoon.
- Use the mixer to combine both mixtures.
- In a separate bowl, add egg whites and a pinch of salt to make meringue. Making sure attachments are clean and free of water, whisk until whites are thick and stiff peaks form. With a spatula, gently fold meringue into the egg mixture with light circular movements.
- Pour mixture into the buttered baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes until nicely colored on the outside and baked through.
- Take out from the oven and let cool on the tray.
- In a small pot, add sugar, honey, water, vanilla, orange juice, and cognac. Bring to a boil and simmer until sugar is dissolved.
- Using a knife, score cake and slowly ladle hot syrup over the top. Allow each ladle to be absorbed before adding more.
- Let cool to room temperature or chill in the fridge. Best served cold with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
Nutrition
- Sugar: 67g
- :
- Calcium: 168mg
- Calories: 1550kcal
- Carbohydrates: 86g
- Cholesterol: 115mg
- Fat: 44g
- Fiber: 4g
- Iron: 2mg
- Monounsaturated Fat: 12g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 22g
- Potassium: 246mg
- Protein: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Sodium: 543mg
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Vitamin A: 890IU
- Vitamin C: 1mg
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