Greek Walnut Syrup Cake

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Karydopita is a beloved Greek celebration cake made with fragrant ground walnuts, warm spices, and soaked through with a fragrant honey-lemon syrup. The contrast between the crisp top, tender crumb, and syrupy sweetness makes it a classic alongside coffee or a glass of cold milk.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 395 kcalCalories
• 19 gFat
• 3 gSaturated Fat
• 52 gCarbs
• 2 gFiber
• 36 gSugar
• 6 gProtein
• 110 mgSodium
• 145 mgPotassium
• 55 mgCalcium
• 1.6 mgIron
• 2 mgVitamin C
• 55 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the cake

• 4 large eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (110 g) finely ground walnuts
• 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (55 g) plain dried breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) whole milk
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of fine sea salt

For the honey syrup

• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) honey
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 whole cloves
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 wide strip lemon peel

For finishing

• 1/3 cup (35 g) roughly chopped walnuts
• Ground cinnamon, for dusting

Directions

1. Make the syrup first: combine sugar, water, honey, cinnamon stick, cloves, and lemon peel in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and simmer 1 minute more. Remove from heat, discard the aromatics, and let cool completely.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan, line the base with parchment, and dust the sides lightly with breadcrumbs.
3. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar on medium-high speed until pale, thick, and ribbon-like, about 4-5 minutes. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while continuing to beat, then mix in the milk, vanilla, and lemon zest.
4. Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Add the dry mixture and the ground walnuts to the yolk batter in two additions, folding gently with a spatula until just combined.
5. In a clean, dry bowl, whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt to firm, glossy peaks. Fold the whites into the batter in three additions, taking care not to deflate the mixture.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and scatter the chopped walnuts evenly over the surface. Bake on the middle rack for 45-50 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is deeply golden.
7. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Poke holes all over the warm cake with a thin skewer, then slowly spoon the cold syrup over the hot cake, a little at a time, pausing to let each addition absorb before adding more.
8. Let the cake cool completely in the pan so it fully absorbs the syrup, then unmold. Dust generously with cinnamon just before slicing and serving.

Cook’s Notes

• The syrup must be cold while the cake is hot. This temperature contrast is the secret to a cake that drinks up syrup without turning mushy or sinking in the middle.
• Toast the ground walnuts lightly in a dry skillet for 2-3 minutes before adding to the batter to deepen their flavor.
• Karydopita actually improves after resting overnight, so consider baking it a day ahead and storing it covered at room temperature.
• If breadcrumbs are unavailable, finely crushed plain biscotti or melba toast work as an excellent substitute.
• Serve at room temperature with a small spoonful of Greek yogurt or a strong espresso.

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