There are certain desserts that taste like home, and for us Greeks, Karydopita (Καρυδόπιτα) is one of them. This rich walnut cake, soaked in fragrant syrup, has been a staple at Sunday family gatherings, festive holidays, and coffee tables across Greece for generations.

What makes Karydopita special is its warm spices—cinnamon and cloves—blended with chopped walnuts and orange zest.

Once baked, the cake is bathed in syrup, making every bite moist, aromatic, and irresistibly flavorful. It’s a dessert that feels both rustic and elegant, perfect for sharing with guests or enjoying as an afternoon treat with a cup of Greek coffee.

Crockery & ingredients love using—find them all here: My Mediterranean Greek Pantry

250 g (2 cups) walnuts, finely chopped

200 g (1 cup) sugar

150 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened

5 large eggs, separated

200 g (1½ cups) all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground cloves

Zest of 1 orange

100 ml (½ cup) milk

For the syrup:

300 g (1½ cups) sugar

250 ml (1 cup) water

1 cinnamon stick

2–3 whole cloves

Peel of ½ orange

A squeeze of lemon juice

Directions

Prepare the syrup:

In a saucepan, combine sugar, water, cinnamon stick, cloves, and orange peel. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 6–7 minutes. Add a little lemon juice at the end.

Remove from heat and let it cool completely.

Prepare the cake batter:

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).

Grease a 30×20 cm (12×8 inch) baking dish.Beat the softened butter with sugar until fluffy.

Add egg yolks one by one, then mix in orange zest.In another bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, and cloves. Add dry ingredients gradually to the butter mixture, alternating with milk. Stir in the chopped walnuts.

Gently fold in the whipped egg whites to keep the mixture airy.

Bake: Pour the batter into the baking dish and smooth the top. Bake for 35–40 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.

Finish: As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, slowly pour the cooled syrup over the hot cake. Let it absorb fully before serving.

Serving: Cut into squares or diamonds.

Optionally, sprinkle with extra walnuts or a little ground cinnamon on top.

Best enjoyed with a dollop of Greek yogurt or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.