Portokalopita Greek Orange Phyllo Cake (Printable)
Layers of crispy phyllo infused with orange zest and creamy yogurt, drenched in fragrant cinnamon-orange syrup for the ultimate Greek dessert experience.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Pie
01 - 1 lb phyllo sheets, thawed
02 - 4 large eggs
03 - 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
04 - 1 cup granulated sugar
05 - ½ cup light olive oil or sunflower oil
06 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
07 - Zest of 2 large oranges
08 - 2 tsp baking powder
→ For the Syrup
09 - 1 cup water
10 - 1 cup granulated sugar
11 - ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
12 - 1 cinnamon stick
13 - Zest of 1 orange
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray or a small amount of oil.
02 - Remove phyllo sheets from packaging and let them air-dry for 1 hour to become slightly crisp. Crumple the dried sheets into rough, irregular pieces by hand.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until pale and thick, about 3-4 minutes. Add yogurt, oil, vanilla extract, orange zest, and baking powder. Mix until fully combined and smooth.
04 - Gradually fold the crumpled phyllo pieces into the batter, ensuring all phyllo is evenly coated. The mixture will appear thick and chunky.
05 - Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spread evenly and smooth the top surface with a spatula.
06 - Bake for 40-45 minutes until the pie is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
07 - While the pie bakes, combine water, sugar, orange juice, cinnamon stick, and orange zest in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and orange zest. Let syrup cool completely.
08 - Remove the baked pie from the oven. While still hot, slowly pour the cooled syrup evenly over the entire surface. Let the pie soak for at least 2 hours before serving to absorb all the syrup.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The contrast between shatteringly crisp phyllo and that slow-absorbed orange syrup creates this incredible texture you just cant get from regular cakes
- Whole oranges go into this their zest their juice their entire fragrant soul making every bite taste like sunshine and Greek summers
02 -
- Never skip drying out the phyllo first I learned this the hard way when I tried to rush it and ended up with a dense gummy cake instead of layered perfection
- The syrup must be completely cooled before pouring over the hot pie this temperature difference is what creates that signature texture somewhere between cake and custard
03 -
- Use a ladle to pour the syrup slowly and evenly so it absorbs uniformly instead of pooling in spots
- Crumple the phyllo sheets over the batter bowl so any loose pieces fall right in nothing goes to waste