“I tried this cake while vacationing in Greece years ago and haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.”

This Greek Orange Cake, also known as Portokalopita, is a wonderfully moist and aromatic dessert, featuring crinkled phyllo dough soaked in a sweet citrus syrup. The combination of fresh orange zest, tangy Greek yogurt, and a warm cinnamon-infused syrup creates a truly unforgettable and refreshing cake.

Ingredients:

For the Cake

For the Syrup

Instructions:

1. Preheat Oven & Prep Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Set aside.
2. Dry Phyllo Dough: Open the package of phyllo dough and unroll the sheets. Spread them out in a single layer on a large baking sheet or a clean, dry surface. Allow them to dry out for 20 minutes. This step helps them become crispy and absorb the batter better.
3. Prepare Cake Batter: As the phyllo is drying, prepare the cake batter. In a large bowl, combine the vegetable oil, 1 1/4 cups sugar, and 4 eggs. Whisk well until combined. Mix in the plain Greek yogurt, orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract until smooth. Finally, mix in the salt and baking powder until just combined. Do not overmix.
4. Assemble Cake Base: Tear or crumble the dried phyllo dough into small, irregular pieces and place them directly into the prepared 9×13-inch baking dish. Use both rolls of phyllo dough; it will seem like a lot, but it will compress during baking.
5. Combine & Bake Cake: Pour the prepared cake batter evenly over the crumbled phyllo dough in the baking dish. Gently mix with a spoon or spatula to ensure the phyllo pieces are mostly coated with batter. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Prepare Syrup: While the cake bakes, prepare the syrup. In a small saucepan, combine the 1 2/3 cups water, 1 2/3 cups sugar, zest of 1 orange, and 1 cinnamon stick. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, to bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 more minutes, or until the sugar is fully dissolved and the syrup begins to thicken slightly. Remove from heat and allow the syrup to cool.
7. Saturate Cake: Remove the hot cake from the oven. Immediately and slowly pour the cooled syrup evenly over the top of the hot cake. The cake will absorb the syrup.
8. Chill & Serve: Allow the cake to come close to room temperature, then place it in the refrigerator until the syrup has fully absorbed and the cake is chilled, about 1-2 hours. Serve chilled, optionally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.