Greek Orange Cake - Portokalopita

If you’ve ever tried portokalopita (po-rto-ka-lo-pi-ta) during a trip to Greece and fell in love with it, you’re in the right place! This traditional Greek orange cake may look intricate, but it’s surprisingly easy. No special baking skills are needed—just a bit of patience to complete three simple steps: making the syrup, drying the phyllo pastry, and preparing the batter.

Let’s be honest—this isn’t exactly a light dessert. But every now and then, it’s perfectly fine to indulge in something scrumptious, especially during special occasions or holidays.

Why you should try my recipe

• Easy steps to follow for a certain success.
• How to make the perfect syrup for drizzling over the orange cake.
• Perfect with your coffee or tea, or as a dessert after your meal.
• Big tray to serve a big family or friends or save some for the next day.

Ingredients & How-to

To make this Greek orange cake, we are going to need phyllo pastry, oranges, eggs, sugar, olive oil, baking powder, vanilla extract and Greek yogurt.

• I’m using one package of phyllo pastry no4, which is the thin one used for desserts. I have used different brands and most of them usually weigh 1lb (450gr).
• Make sure you choose good quality oranges as it will affect the flavor of the cake and without any marks as we’ll be using the zest and the juice.
• I’m using light olive oil for baking that doesn’t have a strong taste like extra virgin. You could also use a good quality vegetable oil of your choice.
• Greek yogurt has a thicker texture compared to other types of yogurt and it’s high in protein. That being said, you could also use a Greek style yogurt if that’s the only one you have at home without affecting the orange cake texture.

For the syrup, we are going to need water, sugar, orange juice and orange peel. I’m also adding some thin orange slices to the syrup for extra flavor and also to decorate the cake after. The orange slices will boil in the syrup and become softer but keep their shape.

For full quantities check the recipe down below.

01. When I’m making syrup soaked desserts, I always start with making the syrup first, as it needs to cool down before pouring over. I add the water, orange juice and sugar to a pot along with the orange peel. It takes around 5-10 minutes for the syrup to start boiling over medium heat. I also like to add some thinly sliced oranges to the pot that I will be using later to decorate the cake slices, but that’s optional and you could skip it.

02. When it starts boiling and you see lots of bubbles on the surface, I start counting the time. I leave it for 2 minutes to continue boiling and then turn off the heat and leave the pot aside to cool down completely.

03. Now for the next step, I need to dry the phyllo pastry. I take out the phyllo from the packaging and leave it in a roll. Then with a sharp knife, I cut it into strips about ½ inch (1 cm) wide- you don’t have to be precise.

04. Next, I unroll the phyllo sheet strips and arrange them in a large tray. You can either let them air dry for a few hours or bake them in the oven at a low temperature (around 220°F) for 15-20 minutes until they are dry but not browned.

05. In a bowl, I add the eggs, oil and sugar. I mix everything well with a whisk or a hand mixer until the sugar has dissolved. I’m using light olive oil but you could also use vegetable oil if you prefer.

06. Next, I add the remaining ingredients, the yogurt, vanilla extract, orange zest, orange juice and baking powder. I gently mix everything together. I’m using the zest of three oranges since we want the cake to have a strong orange flavor. For a more intense flavor and aroma, you could add a teaspoon of orange blossom instead of vanilla extract.

07. Before adding the phyllo strips, I add the zest of 3 oranges. Make sure you wash the oranges before zesting them and stop before riching the white flesh as that bit is bitter and will affect the orange cake flavor. I’m also adding a third cup of freshly squeezed orange juice.

08. Now it’s time for the phyllo pastry. I add a couple of handfuls at a time to the bowl with the batter. Then with a spatula, I incorporate the phyllo strips before adding more. As you add more phyllo strips, the batter will thicken more and more.

09. I transfer the mixture to a 10x13inches (25x33cm) baking tray and spread it around with the spatula to cover all the area. It might look a bit thick but we have added baking powder in it to rise and become more fluffy.

10. When the orange phyllo cake is ready, I take it out of the oven and prick it with a skewer or a pointy knife while it’s still hot. Then I add the cold syrup, one ladle spoon at a time, making sure all the tray is covered. The syrup might seem a lot but it will take 1-2 hours until it’s all soaked, so trust the process.

Tips

• Use a thin phyllo pastry for desserts. Usually there is a number on the package indicating the thickness of the phyllo. Look for phyllo pastry no4.
• Make sure you separate all the phyllo strips well to dry the phyllo pastry. Any big blobs will result in a thick textured cake and won’t soak well with syrup.
• When zesting oranges, be careful not to go too deep. Stop before reaching the white pith to prevent a bitter flavor.
• Poke the cake before pouring the syrup to ensure it seeps all the way to the bottom, creating a moist and flavorful orange cake.

Serving suggestions

This Greek orange phyllo cake is one of those desserts that you could enjoy all year round. We love it warm or cold with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top to balance the flavors.

Storage

If you have any leftovers of the orange phyllo cake, you could store it in the fridge for up to 7 days. If you don’t have enough time, you could make the syrup and dry the phyllo sheets one day, then prepare the cake and add the syrup the next day. Also, you could make the cake the night before, let it soak in the syrup overnight and enjoy it the next day.

FAQ

Can I leave out the syrup for portokalopita?

Why is my orange cake bland?

How can I make the orange cake vegan?