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dpappas87

Active member
My friend gave me a recipe for her karidopita without instructions. Do the ingredients look right? She explained the situation verbally:

For the Cake:​

  • 2 cups finely chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup semolina (or use an additional 1/2 cup of flour)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • Zest of 1 orange

For the Syrup:​

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2-3 whole cloves

What do you guys think?
 
Your friend’s recipe looks pretty solid! The ingredient list aligns well with traditional karidopita (Greek walnut cake). A few thoughts:
  • The flour and semolina combo is correct! Semolina gives the cake a slightly coarser texture, which is authentic. If you substitute with more flour, the cake will be softer.
  • The walnut quantity is good—karidopita is all about that rich walnut flavor. Make sure they’re finely chopped but not ground into a powder.
  • The spice blend (cinnamon and cloves) is on point, adding the signature warm aroma but feel free to add a little more cinnamon if you want!
  • For the syrup, the sugar-to-water ratio looks right, and the orange juice, cinnamon stick, and cloves will give it great depth.
One tip: When pouring the syrup, make sure the cake is warm and the syrup is hot, or vice versa, to absorb properly.
 

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