Karidopita

Back in the 70’s, this was one of our most popular selling items at our family restaurant.

Course Dessert

Preheat oven to 350 F and prepare a 9x13 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!