Karydopita – Greek Walnut Cake with Cinnamon Syrup Recipe
This moist cake packed with walnuts and soaked in a sweet cinnamon–lemon syrup often appears on Greek tables at family gatherings. It’s usually served after dinner with a cup of strong coffee. The flavor is reminiscent of a cross between a nutty gingerbread and baklava, but without filo pastry.
Karydopita combines a simple sponge-like base with a generous amount of walnuts and an aromatic syrup, giving a texture that is both moist and slightly crumbly. The warm notes of cinnamon, cloves and citrus make it perfect for festive occasions, yet it’s easy enough for an everyday dessert.
Chef's tips
Don’t grind the walnuts too finely – larger pieces give the cake a more interesting texture and a stronger nutty flavor. When soaking the cake, pour the syrup slowly and evenly so it can absorb without forming soggy patches. The cake tastes even better the next day, once the flavors have fully melded.
How to serve
Serve the cake at room temperature, cut into small squares or diamonds. It pairs beautifully with strong Greek coffee, espresso or black tea with lemon. For a more elaborate dessert plate, add a spoonful of Greek yogurt, a drizzle of honey and a few extra chopped walnuts on top.
Ingredients
- walnuts - 200 g
- wheat flour - 150 g
- breadcrumbs - 40 g
- sugar - 180 g
- eggs - 4 pieces
- oil - 120 ml
- baking powder - 2 teaspoons
- cinnamon ground - 1.5 teaspoons
- cloves ground - 0.25 teaspoons
- orange zest grated - 1 teaspoon
- water - 250 ml
- sugar - 200 g
- lemon - 0.5 pieces
- cinnamon stick - 1 piece
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat). Line a rectangular baking tin about 20×30 cm with baking paper.
- Roughly chop the walnuts – there should still be noticeable pieces. In a bowl, mix the flour, breadcrumbs, baking powder, ground cinnamon and ground cloves.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar (180 g) using a mixer for 4–5 minutes, until the mixture becomes paler and slightly fluffy.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the oil in a thin stream into the beaten eggs until combined. Add the grated orange zest and mix.
- Add the dry ingredients with the flour to the wet mixture and gently fold in with a spatula just until combined. Finally, add the chopped walnuts and gently fold again.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 30–35 minutes, until the top is golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out dry.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the syrup: pour the water into a saucepan, add the sugar (200 g), the cinnamon stick and lemon slices. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until the syrup thickens slightly. Remove the cinnamon stick and lemon slices.
- Take the baked cake out of the oven and leave it for 5 minutes. Then, while it is still warm, prick it all over with a toothpick or skewer.
- Slowly pour the hot (but not boiling) syrup evenly over the warm cake, allowing it to soak in. Leave the cake for at least 1–2 hours to absorb the syrup well and cool completely before slicing.
Storage
Ciasto przechowuj szczelnie przykryte, aby nie wysychało. W temperaturze pokojowej wytrzyma 2–3 dni, dłużej lepiej trzymać je w lodówce. Można mrozić pokrojone kawałki, dobrze owinięte folią.
