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A traditional syrup cake full of walnuts and spices
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4.94 from 15 votes

Karydopita, Walnut cake

A traditional syrup cake full of walnuts and spices.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Greek
Keyword: Cake, greek walnut cake, walnuts
Servings: 0
Author: Mia Kouppa

Equipment

  • 10 inch baking pan

Ingredients

For the syrup:

  • 2 cups (500 mL) water
  • 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 slice lemon
  • 1 cinnamon stick

For the cake:

  • 2 1/2 cups (350 grams) coarsely crushed walnuts
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves optional
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/4 cups (310 mL) milk
  • 2 cups (400 grams) granulated white sugar
  • 1 cup (250 mL) vegetable oil
  • 2 1/2 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour

Instructions

  • Prepare your syrup by combining all of the ingredients in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and when the sugar has dissolved, reduce heat to medium.  Allow to cook for approximately 5 minutes and then remove syrup from heat.  Allow to cool.  Note: we don’t like this cake overly syrupy, however, if you do, please feel free to increase the quantities for the syrup above.
  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • In a large bowl combine all of the cake ingredients.  The order is not particularly important.  Stir until very well combined with a rubber spatula or large plastic or wooden spoon.  Mix very well until the entire batter is uniform.
  • Grease your baking pan ( we used a 10 inch round cake pan) with vegetable oil, being sure to cover the bottom and sides.
  • Pour in your batter.  Spread it around so that it is evenly distributed.  Bake in center of oven for approximately 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • When your cake is done, remove it from the oven and gently poke holes in it, using a skewer or a sharp knife. Pour the cooled syrup all over the cake, about 1/2 cup (125 ml) at a time.  The syrup will be absorbed by the cake.
  • Allow your cake to cool and serve it directly from your baking pan.
  • Enjoy!