Baking Dessert

Greek orange cake (Portokalopita)

Name: Greek orange cake (portokalopita) recipe
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 12 sheets (200g total) filo pastry; 150g caster sugar; 6 large eggs, at room temperature; 300g natural yoghurt; 100ml extra virgin olive oil; Finely grated zest of 2 oranges; 150ml orange juice; 1 tsp vanilla paste; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 1/4 tsp baking powder; Vanilla ice cream, to serve; 300g caster sugar; 20.00 ml runny honey; 3 cloves; Juice of 1 orange; 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped; 55g caster sugar; 1 orange, thinly sliced

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by Anna Polyviou

Jul 18, 2024

"I normally like to add extra fruit to the top of this cake, such as figs, when in season, along with a drizzle of honey." – Anna Polyviou. You’ll need a 20cm x 30cm slice pan for this recipe.

12 sheets (200g total) filo pastry
2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar
6 large eggs, at room temperature
300g natural yoghurt
100ml extra virgin olive oil
Finely grated zest of 2 oranges
150ml orange juice
1 tsp vanilla paste
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
Vanilla ice cream, to serve

Syrup

300g caster sugar
1 tbs runny honey
3 cloves
Juice of 1 orange
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped

Grilled oranges

1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
1 orange, thinly sliced

Method

1.

Lay pastry sheets on a workbench for 20 minutes, or until dried and crumbly.
2.

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 20cm x 30cm slice pan and line with baking paper, extending paper 2cm over long sides.
3.

Whisk caster sugar and eggs in a large bowl until well combined. Add yoghurt, oil, zest and juice, vanilla and cinnamon. Whisk until smooth. Tear pastry sheets into 4 equal quarters and scrunch up with your hands (it will flake into small pieces). Add a quarter at a time to batter, stirring before adding the next. Add baking powder and stir until just combined. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until golden and cooked through when a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean.
4.

Meanwhile, make the syrup. Place all ingredients in a small saucepan with 1 cup (250ml) water and bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 10 minutes, or until mixture thickens. Set aside to cool slightly. Strain into a jug, discarding solids.
5.

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, using a skewer, poke multiple holes into hot cake. Pour half the cooled syrup slowly over the hot cake, giving the cake time to absorb the syrup. Set aside to cool completely, reserving remaining syrup.
6.

For the grilled oranges, heat a medium frypan over medium-high heat. Place the sugar on a small plate and coat one side of the orange slices. Place orange slices, sugar-side down, in the hot pan and leave to caramelise for 3-5 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack over a tray, grilled-side up, to cool completely.
7.

Cut the cake and serve with orange slices, ice cream and a drizzle of the remaining reserved syrup.