This traditional Karidopita Greek walnut cake is a warm spiced cake flavoured with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves with an orange, vanilla and brandy syrup. We recommend you serve it warm or cold with ice-cream.
Cake
Syrup
Icecream
Karidopita is a traditional Greek dessert, the cake is made from walnuts and covered in a sweet syrup. The name Karidopita comes from the Greek word for walnut and pie combined. The syrup can be flavoured with different flavourings, common flavourings are orange zest, cloves, brown sugar and spiced rum or cognac.
Karidopita is unusual in that the sponge is made from breadcrumbs and walnuts blended together in place of flour, these are added to a whipped butter, sugar and egg yolk mix, air is added to the sponge using baking powder and whipped egg whites, once cooked it is drenched in a sweet orange syrup The syrup is made from orange juice, brandy, vanilla and caster sugar, the sauce is thickened and then poured over the cake as it cools.
Without a doubt the delicious orange, brandy and vanilla syrup that is added to this recipe after it is cooked, it is the secret ingredient that makes this absolutely delicious.
We think this dessert is more a winter than summer recipe, it is the perfect cake to add to your Christmas recipe repertoire, as it is full of the flavours of Christmas. You can serve this cake warm or cold, if serving it as a dessert we recommend warm with a dollop of ice-cream
This recipe is ideal for any Greek themed dinner party, or Christmas dinner party as an alternative to Christmas pudding. Take a look at our Greek themed menu and see if its perfect for your next party.
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