Don Signature Crab - Singapore Food Guide

Greek Walnut Cake

A Singapore-style, syrup-soaked Greek walnut cake (karidopita) — a spiced, baked walnut loaf finished with honey-lemon syrup for a moist, sticky dessert.

Greek Walnut Cake

About this dish

This Greek walnut cake (karidopita) is a warm, spiced dessert that sits nicely between a traditional Mediterranean teatime cake and the sticky, syrupy puds you might find at a kopitiam-style cafe in Tiong Bahru. In Singapore it works well for weekend high tea, potlucks at the community centre, or as a showstopper for festive tables during Hari Raya or family get-togethers in the heartlands.

Texture is the star: a dense, crumbly crumb studded with toasted walnuts and fragrant with cinnamon, clove and orange zest, then transformed into something luscious when cold honey-lemon syrup is poured over the hot bake. Think of the syrup soak used in local kuih like bahulu or apam balik — the idea is similar, just with Greek flavours (walnuts, warm spices, and a touch of honey).

Local twists for Singapore kitchens: swap some sugar for gula Melaka or dark palm sugar, add 1–2 tbsp of coconut milk for a richer mouthfeel familiar to Southeast palates, or fold in a bit of pandan essence for an East–meets–Mediterranean note. This cake travels well for potlucks and makes great leftovers — slice and toast, serve with thick Greek yoghurt or kopi – perfect for a CBD lunch crowd looking for something sweet and different.

Ingredients

  • 250 g plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 100 g fine semolina or fresh breadcrumbs (for texture)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 200 g caster sugar
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 120 ml vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter
  • 120 ml Greek-style plain yoghurt (or thick natural yoghurt)
  • Zest of 1 orange (or 1 tbsp orange juice)
  • 200 g walnuts, roughly chopped and lightly toasted
  • Pinch of salt
  • For the syrup: 200 g granulated sugar, 150 ml water, 2 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 cinnamon stick, 2–3 strips of orange peel
  • Optional: 1–2 tbsp pandan juice or 2 tbsp coconut milk (Singapore twist)
  • To finish: extra chopped walnuts and a thin lemon slice or grated orange zest

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 170°C). Grease and line a 23 cm round or square cake tin; set aside.
  2. Toast the walnuts in a dry pan on medium heat for 3–4 minutes until fragrant, then cool and chop roughly — this brings out the oil and flavour.
  3. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and caster sugar until pale and slightly thickened (about 2–3 minutes by hand, 1–2 minutes with a mixer).
  4. Stir in the oil (or melted butter), yoghurt, orange zest (and pandan or coconut milk if using) until combined.
  5. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, semolina/breadcrumbs, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and pinch of salt. Fold the dry mix gently into the wet batter.
  6. Fold in 150 g of the chopped walnuts, keeping some aside for the top; batter should be thick but scoopable — if too stiff add 1–2 tbsp milk.
  7. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin, level the top and scatter remaining walnuts. Bake at 180°C for 35–45 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs (not raw batter).
  8. Meanwhile make the syrup: combine sugar, water, honey, cinnamon stick and orange peel in a saucepan, simmer 6–8 minutes until slightly thickened then add lemon juice; remove peel and cinnamon and leave to cool (syrup should be cold or room temperature).
  9. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, prick the top lightly with a skewer in several places and slowly pour the COLD syrup evenly over the HOT cake — you should hear the sizzle and see the syrup absorb.
  10. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for at least 1 hour so the syrup fully soaks in (overnight in the fridge gives even better flavour and texture).
  11. Turn out, slice with a serrated knife, and serve at room temperature with a spoonful of Greek yoghurt or a cup of kopi/teh tarik for a Singapore-style twist.
  12. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge up to 5 days; reheat briefly in a toaster oven to revive the topping.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • Toast walnuts fresh in a dry pan or oven — this deepens the flavour and keeps the cake from tasting bland, ingredients available at NTUC or Sheng Siong.
  • If you can't find semolina, substitute with fresh breadcrumbs (use white bread crusts) for the traditional karidopita texture common in Greek recipes.
  • Pour cold syrup over the hot cake for proper absorption; if syrup is warm the cake can become soggy. Let it rest 1–2 hours (or overnight) to develop flavour.
  • Adjust sweetness to local taste: reduce syrup sugar by 20% if you prefer less sweet desserts like many Singaporeans do after kopi breaks.
  • For a local twist, replace 2 tbsp sugar in the syrup with grated gula Melaka (melt it first) to give a caramelised, Southeast Asian note.
  • Bake on the middle rack and avoid opening the oven in the first 30 minutes; a gentle jiggle and a skewer test at 35–40 minutes is the best doneness check.
  • Make-ahead friendly: this cake stores well — slice and pack for kueh-based potlucks or bring to a community makan; reheat lightly before serving.

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