This walnut cake is one of the most delicious, Greek cakes which is based on the traditional recipe for Karydopita.
I have already posted two “Karydopita” recipes (see links below) but this new twist of mine is my all times favourite. This time I made it with semolina flour, olive oil, orange syrup and added a chocolate ganache made with orange fruit preserve syrup. I decorated it with orange fruit preserve, which of course paired with chocolate is a killer combination.
I did not make it overly sweet but if you like yours on the sweet side, you just double the amount of the syrup. Also, if you want it more spicy you can add more cinnamon and cloves and if you want it darker you can remove a couple tablespoons of flour and replace them with cocoa. Unfortunately, I was out of cocoa powder.
The chocolate glazing is optional but it’s an amazing addition. If you do not add the orange preserves on top, you can add the walnuts as part of the decoration.
Today is my second son’s Birthday. Unfortunately I am not in Athens to make a cake for him.
Happy 29th birthday Kyriacos, with continued health and happiness for a long time to come!
Enjoy this virtual sweet today until I come to Athens next week! We Love you!
Walnut Cake with Chocolate and Orange
This walnut cake is one of the most delicious, Greek cakes which is based on the traditional recipe for Karydopita.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 125 grams (about 3/4 cup) sugar
- 5 eggs
- 450 grams fine semolina
- 150 grams walnuts, crushed
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp vanilla sugar
- A pinch of salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 25 grams halved walnuts, for decoration
- Butter to grease the baking dish
Syrup:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 piece cinnamon stick
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Chocolate glazing:
- 125 grams couverture chocolate
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup leftover orange spoon sweet syrup
For decoration:
- 4 slices orange spoon sweet
Instructions
- Prepare the syrup. Put all the ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes and set aside to cool.
- Beat the olive oil with sugar on high speed for about 10 minutes. Add the eggs and beat until creamy and smooth.
- Combine all the dry ingredients.
- Lower mixer speed to minimum and add all the dry ingredients.
- Grease a 25 x 18 cm (10 x 7 inches) baking dish with olive oil or butter and sprinkle some flour.
- Preheat the oven to 180o C / 350o F.
- Pour in the batter and decorate with the walnuts.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Spoon the cooled syrup over the hot cake and wait until it is absorbed.
- Meanwhile melt the chocolate with the butter in a double boiler and mix in the orange syrup.
- Spread it over the cake and decorate with the orange spoon sweet (fruit preserve).
Notes
- If your mixer is not very powerful, whisk the egg whites separately with a pinch of salt until peak form and then gently fold into the batter.
- If you do not have an orange fruit preserve, peel a fresh orange, remove seeds, if any, cut it into slices and add it on top of the cake before baking it.
Nutrition Information
Yield 16 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 392Total Fat 20gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 14gCholesterol 66mgSodium 120mgCarbohydrates 46gFiber 2gSugar 21gProtein 8g
You can find many more Greek recipes in my cookbook “More Than A Greek Salad”, and “Mint, Cinnamon & Blossom Water, Flavours of Cyprus, Kopiaste!” both available on all Amazon stores.
Other relevant recipes:
Karydopita (Traditional Walnut Cake)
Olive oil, Beetroot and Chocolate Karydopita
Kopiaste and Kali Orexi,
Angie (
Wednesday 30th of April 2014
I love love baked goods made with nuts! This looks fantastic. Happy belated Birthday to your son! Angie
Nadji
Wednesday 30th of April 2014
Un mélange de saveurs des plus délicieux. J'aime beaucoup. A bientôt
Rosa
Tuesday 29th of April 2014
Delicious! A great combination of flavors.
Cheers,
Rosa