Portokalopita (Greek Orange Phyllo Cake)
Portokalopita is a Greek orange phyllo cake soaked with citrus syrup for a moist, fragrant dessert with soft phyllo layers.
Jump to recipe ↓
1 hr 40 mintotal
1 hr 10 min hands-on30 min hands-off
Prep 25 min · Cook 45 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- None
Ingredients
Quantities are for 4 servings.
You'll need: Oven, Stovetop.
Includes 30 minutes of resting time after syruping. Let the syrup soak in before slicing so the cake is moist throughout rather than wet on top.
Method
Spread the torn phyllo pieces on a tray and let them dry slightly while preparing the batter.
Whisk the eggs, curd, half the sugar, orange zest, half the orange juice, olive oil, baking powder, and vanilla essence until smooth.
Fold the phyllo pieces into the batter in small batches so they are evenly coated.
Pour the mixture into a greased baking dish and spread it evenly.
Bake at 180°C until the cake is golden, set, and a skewer comes out mostly clean.
While the cake bakes, simmer the remaining sugar, remaining orange juice, water, and cinnamon until slightly syrupy.
Pour the warm syrup evenly over the hot cake.
Rest for 30 minutes so the syrup soaks in before slicing.
30 min
How to tell it's done
The cake should be moist and syrup-soaked, with soft phyllo layers and a bright orange aroma.
Getting it right
Tip
Let the phyllo dry slightly before mixing; this helps it absorb the batter without turning gummy.
What to serve it with
Serve small slices at room temperature with tea, coffee, or a light fruit plate.
Common mistakes
- The cake turns gummy or the syrup sits on top.
- Let torn phyllo dry slightly, coat it evenly in batter, and rest the cake after pouring the warm syrup.
Substitutions
- Use Hung Curd instead of Curd for a richer cake texture.
- Use packaged Orange Juice only if fresh orange juice is unavailable.
- Keep the phyllo pieces loose while folding; clumps can create dense patches in the cake.
Storing and reheating
Store portokalopita covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature; freezing is not recommended after syruping.
More Greek recipes to cook
Spanakopita (Spinach and Feta Pie)
Spanakopita wraps a spinach, feta, dill, parsley, and egg filling in crisp brushed phyllo for a savory Greek pie.
Gemista (Greek Stuffed Tomatoes and Peppers)
Gemista fills tomatoes and peppers with herbed rice, tomato pulp, mint, parsley, oregano, garlic, and olive oil before baking.
Gigantes Plaki (Greek Baked Giant Beans)
Gigantes plaki bakes giant beans in tomato, carrot, celery, garlic, oregano, paprika, olive oil, and parsley until creamy and saucy.
Greek Baklava
Greek baklava stacks buttered phyllo with walnuts, pistachios, cinnamon, and honey syrup for crisp, sticky diamond-shaped pieces.
Greek Eggplant Moussaka
Greek moussaka layers roasted eggplant with spiced mince, tomato sauce, and creamy baked bechamel for a sliceable casserole.
Pastitsio (Greek Baked Pasta)
Pastitsio is a Greek baked pasta layered with macaroni, spiced mince tomato sauce, cinnamon, oregano, and creamy bechamel.