Here is the recipe for my Karithopita, my Greek walnut cake! I have been making this cake for years and it never fails me! It’s loved by young and old and is very popular throughout Greece and Cyprus.
They are different recipes for making Karithopita, some don’t use flour, only breadcrumbs, but it’s always steeped in syrup. Sometimes it is decorated with chopped walnuts or is covered with chocolate – both ways are good. I am giving you both methods.
Ingredients (serves 8-10):
175g (6oz) butter, softened
175g (6oz) caster sugar
5 medium eggs, room temperature
2 tbsp grated orange zest
2-3 tbsp brandy
200g Greek yogurt or 200ml full fat milk
175g (6oz) plain flour
100g (4oz) toasted breadcrumbs (Paximathia)
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
225g (8oz) walnuts, coarsely chopped
To decorate:
25g (2oz) walnuts, coarsely chopped or half
For the syrup:
350g (12oz) caster sugar
570ml (1 pint) water
Juice of ½ a lemon
4 tbsp honey
You will also need a 23cm square baking tin, 5cm deep, greased and lightly dusted with flour
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180c / 350f / gas 4.
Beat butter and sugar with electric whisk until light and fluffy, adding the eggs one at a time and whisking for a few minutes. Mix in the cinnamon, cloves, orange zest, brandy and yoghurt or milk. Sift in the flour with the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and whisk until well blended. Using a wooden spoon, mix the breadcrumbs until well combined and the coarsely chopped walnuts.
Pour the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin and sprinkle with the chopped walnuts. If you are going to cover the cake with chocolate glaze, do not sprinkle chopped nuts on top because you want the top to be smooth.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the cake is a chestnut colour and firm in the centre.
While the cake is baking, prepare the syrup: Combine the water, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the honey and allow syrup to cool a little.
Remove the cake from the oven and spoon half of the cooled syrup all over the hot cake. After 5-10 minutes add the rest of the syrup.
When cake is completely cold, cut into squares or diamond shaped pieces. Serve the cake with vanilla ice cream or fresh cream. The walnut cake will stay moist for 3-4 days. If you can resist it, cover it to prevent drying out.
If you are using the chocolate glaze, cover the cake with the chocolate or icing and then decorate with halved walnuts.
For Chocolate Frosting:
125g butter, melted
100g icing sugar
100g 70% chocolate, melted
Method:
Place all the ingredients in a saucepan over low heat, keep stirring until you have a smooth paste, allow the mixture too cool and thicken a little. Spread on top of the cake and decorate with walnut halves.
