Portokalopita (Greek Orange Phyllo Cake)

A plate of Greek orange cake known as portokalopita on a white background.

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Portokalopita (Greek Orange Phyllo Cake)

Portokalopita is a traditional Greek orange cake made with layers of crispy phyllo dough, infused with a bright citrus flavor from fresh oranges and a touch of warm cinnamon. After baking, the cake is soaked in a sweet orange syrup, making it moist and full of flavor.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 10

Total Time1 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Greek

Servings:

Author: Shadi HasanzadeNemati

Ingredients

Syrup

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
Zest of an orange
1 cinnamon stick

Cake

250 gr Phyllo dough
3 eggs room temperature
Zest of an orange
½ cup sugar
½ cup olive oil
⅓ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
¾ cup Greek yogurt
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp kosher salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To make the syrup:

Combine the sugar, water, orange juice, orange zest, and cinnamon stick in a pot.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

To make the cake:

Preheat the oven to 220°F (105°C). Scrunch up the phyllo dough into loose bundles and place them on a baking sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes until the dough is dry and crispy. You might need to flip the crunch up phyllo sheets halfway through to dry on both sides.
Let it cool completely, then crumble very finely it with your hands.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9-inch springform pan or square pan with parchment paper.
In a bowl, mix the eggs, orange zest, and sugar until light and frothy.
Add the olive oil and orange juice, then mix in the Greek yogurt, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until fully combined.
Gradually fold the crumbled phyllo dough into the wet mixture in two rounds, stirring with a spatula until everything is well combined.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared springform pan and bake for 40 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Once the cake is baked, poke holes all over it with a toothpick. Slowly ladle the cold syrup over the hot cake. Let the cake sit for at least two hours before serving.

Video

Notes

This cake is not made with flour, and it cannot be made gluten-free because the texture depends on the use of phyllo dough.
Always use fresh oranges to get the best flavor. The combination of orange zest and juice is key to its bright, citrusy taste.
You can prepare the syrup ahead of time and store it until ready to use.
The orange zest helps prevent crystallization of the syrup, so don't skip it.

Nutrition