Walnut Cake Karithopeta Food

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.

KARITHOPITA - OLYMPIC WALNUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F Grease an 8- or 9-inch round pan.
• Beat egg yolks with sugar until pale yellow.
• Stir in orange juice, brandy and vanilla.
• Combine semolina and baking powder and fold into egg yolks.
• In separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff.
• Fold in walnuts, nutmeg and orange zest.
• Fold 1/2 of whites into yolk mixture, then fold in remaining whites.
• Spread in pan and bake for 30 minutes.
• Cool on rack.
• While cake is baking, combine water, sugar, lemon rind and cinnamon in a small saucepan.
• Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook until sugar is melted.
• Set aside to cool slightly.
• Pour hot syrup on cake, place 8 walnut halves around the top outside edge and 1 in the center and serve.

KARYTHOPITTA: WALNUT CAKE

Steps:

• For the syrup: Heat the sugar, honey, water, and brandy over medium-high heat until the sugar has dissolved. Turn heat to low and add in cloves, cinnamon stick, and orange rind. Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes and remove from the heat. Remove the orange, cloves and cinnamon stick and cool.
• Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
• For the Cake: In a medium bowl mix together walnuts, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and clove.
• In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, whip together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Slowly add in the egg yolks and continue whipping. Add in the walnut mixture slowly, and mix until well blended.
• In a very clean bowl, with an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter until the mixture is completely incorporated.
• Grease a 12 by 9-inch baking pan. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the cake is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour the syrup over the cake, until it is drenched in syrup. Cover with a kitchen towel and let cool. Cut into diamonds and serve.

KARYTHOPITA (WALNUT SPICE CAKE)

Steps:

• Make the syrup: In a saucepan, add all syrup ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring well. Reduce heat and allow to boil gently for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Beat egg whites, salt, and water to the firm peak stage.
• Preheat oven to 340°F
• In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks, sugar, cinnamon, and ground cloves very well until creamy and smooth.
• In a separate bowl, mix the baking soda, baking powder, and flour, and stir in to the mixture.
• Add grated orange peel and juice, brandy, breadcrumbs, and walnuts.
• Finally, and carefully, fold in the beaten egg whites.
• Lightly grease a 13x9 inch baking pan (or equivalent) with butter, pour in the batter, and bake at 340F for 40 minutes.
• Cake is done when a knife inserted into the middle comes out dry.
• Spoon the cooled syrup evenly over the hot cake. Sprinkle with walnuts mixed with a little cinnamon. Allow to cool before serving.
• Make sure the syrup is completely cooled before adding to cake. If necessary, refrigerate for a few minutes.

KARITHOPASTA - GREEK WALNUT SYRUP CAKE

Steps:

• Grease a 22cm by 35 cm pan with butter or margarine. Do not line with baking paper or use non-stick sprays.
• Beat butter in a medium bowl until softened and add sugar beating until light and fluffy.
• In a separate bowl combine breadcrumbs, spices and baking powder.
• Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition and then the liqueur.
• Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and beat until combined.
• Finally add the walnuts and beat until just combined.
• Tip into baking pan and smooth evenly over bottom.
• Bake on the bottom rack of the oven at 200c for 30-35 minutes depending on how hot your oven is.
• Test cake by inserting skewer and allow to cool until room temperature.
• While cake is cooling add ingredients for syrup into a small saucepan, except for vanilla essence.
• Boil for 5 minutes at medium heat. Then take off heat and add the vanilla essence if desired.
• Pour hot syrup over cooled cake. Start by ladling slowly from one end to another and gently tip remaining syrup over cake trying to be as even as possible.
• Allow cake to soak syrup for a few hours. It is best if it soaks overnight.
• Cut cake into diamonds to serve with a swirl of whipped sweetened cream (I add a bit of vanilla essence or liqueur to the cream) and flaked chocolate.
• Note: It is beat to start with all ingredients at room temperature to avoid butter curdling when eggs are added.

KARITHOPETA (GREEK WALNUT CAKE) T-R-L

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• 9x13 inch buttered pan.
• Make syrup first by combining syrup ingredients in a saucepan.
• Boil 10 minutes.
• Stir every few minutes.
• Set aside to cool.
• Cream butter and sugar until light, add eggs, one at a time, beating constantly.
• Add flour, farina, baking powder, cinnamon, and orange peel and beat well.
• Then add walnuts.
• Bake for 30 minutes.
• Pour cooled syrup over cake while cake is HOT.
• Allow to cool, cut into diamond shapes.

WALNUT CAKE (KARITHOPETA)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
• Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and lemon zest together.
• Add oil and blend.
• Mix in remaining ingredients, one at a time, until well blended.
• Spread batter into prepared baking pan.
• Bake 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar and cinnamon if desired. Cut into squares and serve.