Feeling a little nostalgic, I asked my mom to share her Karydopita recipe with me. Karydopita is a Greek walnut cake but the amazing thing about this dessert is that there’s no flour in it!
It’s not gluten free as there are some bread crumbs in the mix but it comes close!
Karydopita can found at a Greek bakeries and you might have even been lucky enough to try a piece over at your Greek friend’s house.
There are three components to this cake: wet ingredients, dry ingredients and the syrup. Stay organized, have each component ready and you’ve got this!
Karydopita
Course: Baking, Cake, Dessert, Eggs, Featured, Greek, How To, Spices, Syrup4
servings30
minutes40
minutesIngredients
- For the Syrup
3 cups of water
3 cups of sugar
1 cinnamon stick
6-8 whole cloves
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 shot of Cognac
- For the Cake Dry Ingredients
10 Tbsp. of pounded walnuts
10 Tbsp. of ground rusk (from Elite rusks or melba toast)
10 Tbsp. fine Semolina flour
10 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
4 tsp. baking powder
- Wet Ingredients
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temp.
10 Tbsp. sugar, divided in two
8 large eggs, separated
Directions
- A 13 x 11 inch deep pan
- For the syrup, to a pot medium pot add water, sugar, cinnamon stick, whole cloves and bring to a boil. Now simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice, brandy and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Take off heat and allow to cool.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 16.5″ X 12.5″ baking pan.
- Using your food processor, keep on pulsing your walnuts until you get a medium ground mixture of walnuts that are fine and some noticeable pieces of walnuts.
- Add to a large bowl along with the remaining dry ingredients. Mix and set aside.
- In large bowl, add egg whites whip to soft peaks. Add sugar one tablespoon at a time and whip to a consistency of stiff peaks. Transfer to another bowl.
- Using the same bowl, add your butter and remaining sugar and beat until creamy. Add egg yolks one at a time. With a spatula, fold in cake mixture.
- In increments, fold in whipped egg whites into cake mixture (DO NOT add all at once).
- Carefully pour the cake batter into the greased baking pan and place in your preheated oven (middle rack) for 45 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.
- Using a ladle, add cool syrup to just out of the oven cake and allow to cake to set set minimum 1 hour.
- Cut your Karydopita into diamond shaped pieces and serve at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, crumbled walnuts. Store in fridge up to a week.
50 Responses
My absolute favourite Greek cake ever! I love this and always will. I’m glad you showcased this.
Mmmmmm love this peter!! I have to make soon!!! looks so nice! xxxxxdon’t feel blue dear, we love you,Gloria I feeling so sometimes!!!
I’ve never heard of Karydopita before but it looks AMAZING!!! I want some of that walnut cake… mmmm
This looks absolutely wonderful. I will definitely make this soon. Maybe for our Monday cookout!
Peter, thanks for sharing another family recipe.
Hi Peter, fabulous cake … the dried rusk is not something I’m familiar with … would breadcrumbs work as well? IN which case, would I need to dry them out before using them, or would it be okay to use fresh breadcrumbs? OR would Matzo meal be a good substitute?
Sorry to fire so many questions at you, but this is too good to miss
Joanna
Beautiful, Peter!
Peter, another great offering! This is a pretty standard dessert around our house as well. Nicely done!
This cake is a new one for me. But it looks wonderful. Bring out more of Mama’s recipes!
Give me a big piece of that and nice tall glass of chocolate soy milk and it’s go time!
This is it. The one and only. My FAVORITE Greek dessert. You must have read my mind. I got my stepmom’s recipe when I was home for Easter and I plan on making it soon, too!
I like the sound of a walnut cake moistened with syrup. It looks really good! What is rusk or Zwieback toasts?
This is new to me, but it’s always great to have a few gluten-free desserts in the recipe box.
I’ve never heard of this cake before but it sounds absolutely delightful. It looks so moist and tender, beautiful!
This looks absolutely fab, Peter. Itis very similar to our Malva Pudding, but we use Pecan Nuts instead. I will definitely try this – we love this kind of puds for big family Sunday lunches!
This looks absolutely fab, Peter. Itis very similar to our Malva Pudding, but we use Pecan Nuts instead. I will definitely try this – we love this kind of puds for big family Sunday lunches!
This looks absolutely fab, Peter. Itis very similar to our Malva Pudding, but we use Pecan Nuts instead. I will definitely try this – we love this kind of puds for big family Sunday lunches!
This looks absolutely fab, Peter. Itis very similar to our Malva Pudding, but we use Pecan Nuts instead. I will definitely try this – we love this kind of puds for big family Sunday lunches!
This looks absolutely fab, Peter. Itis very similar to our Malva Pudding, but we use Pecan Nuts instead. I will definitely try this – we love this kind of puds for big family Sunday lunches!
This looks absolutely fab, Peter. Itis very similar to our Malva Pudding, but we use Pecan Nuts instead. I will definitely try this – we love this kind of puds for big family Sunday lunches!
This looks absolutely fab, Peter. Itis very similar to our Malva Pudding, but we use Pecan Nuts instead. I will definitely try this – we love this kind of puds for big family Sunday lunches!
This looks absolutely fab, Peter. Itis very similar to our Malva Pudding, but we use Pecan Nuts instead. I will definitely try this – we love this kind of puds for big family Sunday lunches!
This looks absolutely fab, Peter. Itis very similar to our Malva Pudding, but we use Pecan Nuts instead. I will definitely try this – we love this kind of puds for big family Sunday lunches!
This looks absolutely gorgeous! A really attractive cake! So moist.
Aw, only one shot of Cognac?
Lovely looking cake Peter!
Like Kevin, I don’t know about rusk or Zwieback toasts?
Love the walnuts and cinnamon and the syrup sounds good to me with Cognac!
that may be the most moist creation i’ve ever seen. i’m ashamed–i claim to be a lover of greek food, yet i’ve never heard of this. thanks for bringing it to my attention, because it has the potential to replace baklava as my favorite greek dessert!
Yum! I have never heard of this cake before, but it looks and sounds devine. I love syrupy Greek desserts, of which I tried a few at the annual Panyiri festival in Brisbane.
Here in the shops i have seen this cake.
It looks mouthwattering.
Rusk is it breadcrumbs?
silly me i just clicked on to your rusk and now i know the info :-)
Now doesn’t this just smack of totally delicious. I appreciated the tip about how to change the proportions dependent on quick consumption vs. having it for a week.
When we’re talking your “sweet side” are we referring to personality or culinary genius?
WOW… with only 10 tablespoons of semolina, it’s a wonder this stays together. but i bet it’s delicious.
Peter,Peter, How are you today??? Im blue too!!! I hope you are better dear!! xxxGloria
Now you’ve completely stolen my heart with this sweet side of you :)
No flour, I was septic but when I saw the pictures it looks so delicious and moist.
Pete, it’s one of my faves too and I was long overdue to eat it.
Gloria, thanks…it’s hard to keep me down.;)
Lina, I just had a piece again today, moist as can be.
Jen, I look forward to seeing your result.
Sylvie, it’s my pleasure.
Joanna, as long as they are coarse bread crumbs and dry, not fresh.
Efharisto, Lulu.
Sam, eating this brought back lots of memories.
Glam, mom’s a treasure trove.
Erik, I like this cake with coffee.
Elly, yes…Karydopitia rocks!
Kevin, rusks are like melba toast, see link in ingredients.
Lydia, I never thought this cake being gluten-free but hey, that’s cool!
Lyb, very moist indeed.
Nina, no pecans in Greece…it’s walnuts for us.
Farida, it also smells amazing.
Heather, the rest of the Cognac is for drinking, sheesh!
Jan…and no vinegar either (inside joke)!
Grace, no worries…I’m still discovering new Greek dishes…YES!
Cake, it’s not as syrupy as baklava but still moist.
Happy, glad you caught the link.
Giz, I’m just relaying good dishes…don’t act like I created them or something. I’m just sweet! lol
Never Full, plus the walnuts and rusk too!
Gloria, in good spirits…live it up!
Cynthia, I knew the spices in this cake would appeal to you.
Helene, lots of air from the eggs being beaten.
That looks absolutely divine. Looks almost like a gingerbread. Cannot wait to make this.
Peter, your karydopita looks perfect. You are right – it is one of the most common greek cakes – easy to prepare and very tasty.
Ask your mom for fanouropita – it taste as tasty as karydopita – but with different nuts. And show us your “sweet side”…
This is my kind of cake! I must make it soon.
It looks so moist and flavorful.
I am honored to be shown your sweet side
I can only imagine how happy you make Mom, by featuring her wonderful recipes!
hi peter, i think karidopita is my favorite syrupy dessert (maybe after galaktoboureko).
karidopita is excellent with vanilla ice-cream.
i’m intrigued that this recipe doesn’t use oil or butter, as i do in my own recipe.
I love this stuff. Love it, love it, love it.
Oh, ok. I’ll stop dribbling now.
Fascinating recipe, Peter. I love sugar so am enjoying your sweeter side.
That looks fabulous Peter! I had a friend that used to make a delicious cake that was moist and seemed to be soaked in a syrup of some kind with a delicious creamy topping. She called it Greek Cake. (they were a greek family) Do you know what I am talking about? Would love a recipe for that!
Mary, nothing like gingerbread, light yet syrupy & spicy from the cloves & such.
Janulka, we never made fanouropita in our household.
Awww thanks Brittany, more of “sweet Pete” to come!
Marie, she should have her own blog…now I have to teach her around a PC!
Kiwi, many different approaches to karydopita.
Forkful, this dribbling business…LOL
Aimee, thanks…more desserts abound!
Marie, nothing comes to mind…I’ll be on the lookout, though.
YUM YUM YUM, i will definitely be trying this recipe.
Fiona
Perth, Western Australia
This cake looks awesome! I love walnuts and this must’ve tasted like heaven:) kind of similar to “Basbousa“, a mid-eastern cake that’s made with semolina and syrup:)