Greek Spice Cake Food

GREEK SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Grease 10-in. fluted tube pan with shortening; lightly coat with 2 tablespoons flour. Set aside., In a large bowl, beat the sugars, oil, buttermilk, eggs and extracts until well blended. Combine the remaining flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves and baking soda; gradually beat into the sugar mixture until blended. Stir in pecans., Transfer to prepared pan. Bake at 325° for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean., Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

BYZANTINE SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
• Beat oil and sugar together. Add eggs and half of the yogurt. Mix well.
• Mix baking soda into orange juice and add to batter.
• Sift dry ingredients together and add to oil mixture. Stir in remaining yogurt and mix well.
• Pour into prepared pan and bake 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
• For topping, boil all topping ingredients for about 15 minutes, covering pan the last 5 minutes (reduce heat if needed to keep it from boiling over).
• Pour hot syrup over the cake. Let soak in and cut into squares to serve.

GREEK SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Grease 10-in. fluted pan with shortening; lightly coat with 2 tablespoons flour. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat the sugars, oil, buttermilk, eggs and extracts until well blended. Combine the remaining flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves and baking soda; gradually beat into the sugar mixture until blended. Stir in pecans.
• Transfer to prepared pan. Bake at 325° for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

GREEK SEASONING BLEND

Steps:

• Mix salt, garlic powder, basil, oregano, cinnamon, black pepper, parsley, rosemary, dill, marjoram, cornstarch, thyme, and nutmeg in a bowl. Store in an airtight container. Alternately, blend spices in a spice grinder for a finer texture.

TAHINOPITA (A GREEK LENTEN CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F (180C).
• If this cake is to be Lenten, then grease a loaf pan with olive oil, otherwise, use butter, and dust pan with flour.
• Prepare all dry ingredients in a bowl to have on hand.
• Beat tahini, sugar and orange rind until fluffy and creamy (about 8 minutes on high).
• Gradually add orange juice alternately with dry ingredients.
• Stir in walnuts and sultana raisins.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for approximately 50-60 minutes (until tester comes out clean).

MILOPITA (GREEK APPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line an 11-inch round baking pan with parchment paper.
• Combine sliced apples, 1/2 cup white sugar, butter, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Mix together gently, being careful not to break apple slices. Pour sugary juice from the apple mixture into the prepared baking pan. Arrange sliced apples on top in a circle. Sprinkle raisins on top of apples and pour any remaining juice over all.
• Combine olive oil and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Add egg yolks, flour, grated apples, baking powder, and remaining white sugar. Stir well to combine. Beat egg whites to a light froth in a separate bowl and stir into the olive oil mixture carefully. Pour over the apples in the baking pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cover cake with foil if the top browns before the cake is done baking.
• Remove cake from oven and allow to cool, about 30 minutes. Invert cake onto a serving plate.

GREEK HONEY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch square pan. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and orange rind. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Stir in the walnuts.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 15 minutes, then cut into diamond shapes. Pour honey syrup over the cake.
• For the Honey Syrup: In a saucepan, combine honey, 1 cup sugar and water. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.

GREEK SEASONING

Steps:

• Combine oregano, thyme, basil, marjoram, onion, and garlic in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place up to 6 months.

GREEK HONEY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch square pan. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and orange rind. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Stir in the walnuts.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 15 minutes, then cut into diamond shapes. Pour honey syrup over the cake.
• For the Honey Syrup: In a saucepan, combine honey, 1 cup sugar and water. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.

DANNON LOW-FAT APPLE SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• In large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, salt and cloves.
• Add applesauce, yogurt, egg, and oil; mix well.
• Stir in raisins (note: I like to soften the raisins in hot water for a few minutes before adding them-they're plumper and softer that way).
• Pour into greased and floured 12-cup Bundt or 13 x 9 inch pan.
• Bake at 325 F.
• for 50- 60 mins, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool 15 mins.
• Serve with Quick Yogurt Glaze: Glaze: In small bowl, combine Dannon Plain Nonfat Yogurt, brown sugar and vanilla.
• Beat with fork or whisk until smooth.
• (This is also good with orange or lemon extract instead of vanilla).

KARITHOPITA (GREEK WALNUT CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F; butter and flour a 13 x 9 baking pan.
• In a bowl combine the walnuts, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, breadcrumbs, flour, and baking powder.
• In a small glass, dilute the soda with the cognac.
• Beat the egg whites in a bowl until stiff peaks form.
• In a large bowl mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar and then add the eggs yolks; mix in the soda with the cognac, and add the milk and the walnut mixture, beating until well combined; fold in 1/4 of the beaten egg whites to lighten batter, then carefully fold in the rest; it is ok if a few white streaks show in the batter; spread into the prepared baking pan.
• Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until the cake tests done. Cool cake completely (it is very important that the cake is cooled before pouring on hot syrup because otherwise it will turn mushy).
• For the syrup: Mix all the ingredients together in a medium saucepan; bring it to a boil and boil for 5-7 minutes; remove cinnamon stick and pour hot syrup over cooled cake; let the cake cool completely (from the addition of the hot syrup) before serving.