Karidopita is the ultimate Greek Walnut Cake, once you’ve tried it you’ll never want another walnut cake recipe again.
Karidopita or Karithdopita is a seriously indulgent Greek walnut cake recipe made with cognac, a hint of spice and breadcrumbs which create an uber moist and sexy eating experience 🙂
As featured on Nick Coffer’s Weekend Kitchen Radio show on BBC 3CR (listen here).
The spices give a subtle warmth to the walnut and is slightly reminiscent of Christmas spices. You could make this particular walnut cake recipe as a good alternative to the traditional Christmas pudding.
In saying all that – Karidopita is too good to have only once a year..
Got a sweet-tooth? Check out my other desserts!
Known locally as Karidopita or Karithdopita, I’ve said below that my Greek walnut cake recipe serves between 6 to 10 people.
I should clarify, I mean it serves 10 disciplined, self controlled people and 5 totally self indulgent people.
Like most Greek desserts this is very much a two-stage cake. You make and bake the cake and while that’s cooking you make a cognac syrup.
The syrup is then poured over the cake and slowly seeps through until fully soaked up by the cake creating a very moist and aromatic finish. I’m actually salivating just writing about this walnut cake recipe!
Karidopita - Greek Walnut Cake
15th July 2015
: 6-10
: 20 min
: 40 min
: 1 hr
: medium
Karidopita is a delicious melt in the mouth cake using breadcrumbs instead of flour to keep it super light and moist. This cake will be, as the ancient Greeks would have said; 'awesome'. Preheat oven to 170c FAN Baking tray about 12x8 inches - you want the mixture to be about 3inches deep.
Ingredients
- Karidopita - Cake:
- 3 eggs
- 150 ml vegetable oil
- 100 ml milk
- 250g sugar
- 4g ground cinnamon
- 0.5g ground nutmeg (or half a teaspoon)
- 1 ground clove
- 150g brown breadcrumbs
- 7g baking powder
- 150g course ground walnuts
- Zest of half lemon
- Karidopita - Syrup:
- 200g sugar
- 200 ml water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 drops vanilla essence
- 50ml brandy or cognac
Directions
- Step 1 Karidopita – Method:
- Step 2 Whisk together the eggs, vegetable oil, milk, sugar and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove).
- Step 3 In a separate bowl combine the breadcrumbs, most of the walnuts (save some for garnish), baking powder and lemon zest together.
- Step 4 Combine the dry ingredients into the batter and mix.
- Step 5 Pour into a baking dish and put into the oven for 40 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
- Step 6 Syrup:
- Step 7 While the cake is baking make the syrup – combine all the syrup ingredients together in a saucepan and gently bring to the boil and then turn off the heat.
- Step 8 Remove the cake from the oven and let cool slightly (about 30 mins) then score the top of the cake into diamonds to help the syrup soak in.
- Step 9 Reheat the syrup and ladle over the top until fully soaked in.
- Step 10 At this point you will think you’ve made too much syrup, you haven’t. So just man-up and pour it on.
- Step 11 Leave to rest for a couple of hours, but ideally overnight.
- Step 12 Garnish with a scattering of lemon zest and chopped nuts on top.
- Step 13 Goes well with a spoonful of Greek yogurt and a cup of Greek coffee on the side.
Karidopita - Greek Walnut Cake
Karidopita is a delicious melt in the mouth cake using breadcrumbs instead of flour to keep it super light and moist. This cake will be, as the ancient Greeks would have said; 'awesome'. Preheat oven to 170c FAN Baking tray about 12x8 inches - you want the mixture to be about 3inches deep.
Ingredients
- Karidopita - Cake:
- 3 eggs
- 150 ml vegetable oil
- 100 ml milk
- 250g sugar
- 4g ground cinnamon
- 0.5g ground nutmeg (or half a teaspoon)
- 1 ground clove
- 150g brown breadcrumbs
- 7g baking powder
- 150g course ground walnuts
- Zest of half lemon
- Karidopita - Syrup:
- 200g sugar
- 200 ml water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 drops vanilla essence
- 50ml brandy or cognac
Directions
- Step 1 Karidopita – Method:
- Step 2 Whisk together the eggs, vegetable oil, milk, sugar and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove).
- Step 3 In a separate bowl combine the breadcrumbs, most of the walnuts (save some for garnish), baking powder and lemon zest together.
- Step 4 Combine the dry ingredients into the batter and mix.
- Step 5 Pour into a baking dish and put into the oven for 40 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
- Step 6 Syrup:
- Step 7 While the cake is baking make the syrup – combine all the syrup ingredients together in a saucepan and gently bring to the boil and then turn off the heat.
- Step 8 Remove the cake from the oven and let cool slightly (about 30 mins) then score the top of the cake into diamonds to help the syrup soak in.
- Step 9 Reheat the syrup and ladle over the top until fully soaked in.
- Step 10 At this point you will think you’ve made too much syrup, you haven’t. So just man-up and pour it on.
- Step 11 Leave to rest for a couple of hours, but ideally overnight.
- Step 12 Garnish with a scattering of lemon zest and chopped nuts on top.
- Step 13 Goes well with a spoonful of Greek yogurt and a cup of Greek coffee on the side.
I tried your recipe because it looked a lot like my mom’s. I had it in my recipe binder but somehow it fell and the culprit tried to put it together before I noticed and this recipe was missing. I tried yours. This was close enough and turned out great. Thank you
Hi I wish to make this for a wedding buffet but am making other sweet cakes too, how many days ahead can I make this. I found all your recipes fantastic but would of liked if you can write if it freezes or how many days it can be made ahead. Thanks
You’ll get three days minimum (covered in the fridge). I haven’t tried it frozen before, but suspect it should be OK (but you might want to test that first), I imagine you’ll need a little more syrup when it comes out to make it moist again after freezing. Let me know how you get on!
I have celiac disease and I used gluten free breadcrumbs and almond milk
Thanks for the receipt ❤️
Great workaround!
Can I use anything other than alcohol in the syrup I don’t use alcohol. What can I substitute.
Just use water, and that should be fine!
At my home in Crete I’ve eaten plenty of karidopita from local patisseries or homemade. This is a delicious recipe with a perfect balance of spices and sweetness. As I didn’t have the required size tin I increased the recipe to 4 eggs and all ingredients accordingly, the resulting cake was excellent. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Claire, that’s really love to hear! It’s one of my favourites and so pleased you enjoyed it! Tx
May I substitute farina or semolina for the breadcrumbs? Also what size pan did you use? Thank you
Hi, you can substitute semolina for the breadcrumbs but you might need to add a little more liquid; and I’ll have to double check the size of the tin but from memory it was a 9inch one. Hope that helps!
Did you forget the flour?
No, actually I didn’t! No flour in this one just breadcrumbs which makes it incredibly moist and moreish! Give it a try!
Hi my friend! I think I am going to try out your recipe soon. I love karidopita, and I make a good one but this looks amazing too!
My dear friend Krystina! I’d love you to try it out! I’m sure you’re one is even better! xx