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Portokalopita
Orange-scented phyllo cake soaked in citrus syrup - a unique Greek dessert.
Portokalopita is one of Greece's most ingenious desserts - a cake made not from typical cake batter but from torn phyllo pastry mixed with yogurt, eggs, and orange. The result is unlike anything else: part cake, part pudding, with a texture that's simultaneously light and moist, soaked through with fragrant orange syrup.
Our portokalopita starts with phyllo sheets that we dry in the oven until crispy, then crumble into a custard-like mixture of Greek yogurt, eggs, sugar, and fresh orange juice and zest. This unusual batter bakes into a golden, puffy cake that's immediately drenched in a warm syrup made with even more fresh orange juice.
The cake absorbs the syrup beautifully, becoming intensely moist while the edges stay slightly crispy. It's best served at room temperature, topped with a dollop of thick Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of pistachios. Every bite bursts with sunny orange flavor.
Our portokalopita starts with phyllo sheets that we dry in the oven until crispy, then crumble into a custard-like mixture of Greek yogurt, eggs, sugar, and fresh orange juice and zest. This unusual batter bakes into a golden, puffy cake that's immediately drenched in a warm syrup made with even more fresh orange juice.
The cake absorbs the syrup beautifully, becoming intensely moist while the edges stay slightly crispy. It's best served at room temperature, topped with a dollop of thick Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of pistachios. Every bite bursts with sunny orange flavor.
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 1 hour
Serves: 12-16
Medium
Ingredients
For Cake:
500g phyllo dough
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
Zest of 2 oranges
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
For Syrup:
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 cup fresh orange juice
Zest of 1 orange
1 cinnamon stick
500g phyllo dough
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
Zest of 2 oranges
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
For Syrup:
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 cup fresh orange juice
Zest of 1 orange
1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
1. Spread phyllo sheets on baking trays. Bake at 180°C for 10-15 minutes until dry and crispy. Let cool, then crumble into small pieces.
2. Whisk together yogurt, sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice, zest, baking powder, and vanilla.
3. Fold in crumbled phyllo. Let sit 10 minutes to absorb liquid.
4. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 180°C for 40-45 minutes until golden and set.
5. Make syrup: Boil sugar, water, orange juice, zest, and cinnamon for 10 minutes. Remove cinnamon.
6. Pour hot syrup over hot cake. Let cool completely.
7. Serve at room temperature with Greek yogurt and chopped pistachios.
2. Whisk together yogurt, sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice, zest, baking powder, and vanilla.
3. Fold in crumbled phyllo. Let sit 10 minutes to absorb liquid.
4. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 180°C for 40-45 minutes until golden and set.
5. Make syrup: Boil sugar, water, orange juice, zest, and cinnamon for 10 minutes. Remove cinnamon.
6. Pour hot syrup over hot cake. Let cool completely.
7. Serve at room temperature with Greek yogurt and chopped pistachios.
