Back in the 70’s, this was one of our most popular selling items at our family restaurant. We could hardly keep in the fridge, and I remember making this a few times a week. Of course, making it that often, I didn’t really need the recipe, but after opening another restaurant and moving homes, it got lost. Decades later, I so desperately missed the flavours of that famous walnut cake that I used to make for our customers, and I wanted to make it again. I searched online and found that none compared to the light and airy cake that I remembered. After frantically searching though my house, I finally found the old piece of scrap paper with the recipe on it, and I am so excited to share it with you! Enjoy!
Karidopita
Ingredients
Cake
- 8 eggs, separated
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 3 cup crushed walnuts
- 1½ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ salt salt
- 2 oz brandy
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cloves
Syrup
- 3 cup sugar
- 2 cup water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F and prepare a 9×13 baking pan by greasing it and adding a sparse layer of breadcrumbs.
- Make the syrup by adding all the ingredients except the butter in a medium saucepan.
- Bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
- While the syrup is cooking, make the meringue by adding the egg whites and salt to a stand mixer with the paddle or whisk attachment.
- Beat until stiff peaks form.
- Transfer the meringue to a large mixing bowl, and add the egg yolks and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on low speed to combine.
- Check the syrup by removing it from the heat and stirring in the butter.
- Set it in the fridge to cool.
- Add all the ingredients to the meringue mixture then add the yolk/sugar mixture to the top.
- Begin to fold it gently with a spatula.
- Folding the meringue instead of mixing it here is crucial for a fluffy cake!
- Once the cake is cooked through, remove from the oven and add the cold syrup to the hot cake.
- Let it sit refrigerated for 18-24 hours before you cut into it! This will allow the syrup to soak it without leaving it mushy as well as allow the rich flavours to marry.
- Enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or with a dollop of whipped cream!
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @yiamaswithyiayia on Instagram and hashtag it #yiamaswithyiayia.
