Popular Greek Dessert Cakes Doused in Honey and Syrup that range from fluffy to dense

A lot of cakes have religious significance in Greece, that are baked on and around certain dates to honour Christian (dominant religion) Orthodox figures. The Greeks love their citrus, nuts and grapes that also not so surprisingly have found their way into the dessert cakes of the country. Semolina, cheese and also sweet syrups are typical in some cakes of Greek origin.

1. Portokalopita

Made with shredded phyllo dough, drenched in syrup, Portokalopita is a Greek orange cake that can be traced back to the Byzantine era (330 AD), when oranges were introduced to Greece. Over the next hundred years, oranges became an inseparable part of Greek cuisine, especially its desserts. The phyllo sheets are mixed with orange yoghurt custard and baked after which a sweet orange syrup is added to the cake, turning it into a sticky and sweeter cake. It is best eaten cold and sometimes might even use semolina, or dried fruits in the cake.

2. Fanouropita

This cake is also quite old and is dedicated to Saint Fanourius who was lost for centuries in church ruins until he was discovered in 1500 AD. A prayer to this saint is said to help find people their lost things which is why this cake is also called the cake of lost things. It is typically baked on 27 August, when he is commemorated during feasting. The cake is dense and uses spices with a dough made from flour, olive oil, orange juice and zest, spices – cinnamon and cloves, along with dry fruits and nuts. It is dusted with powdered sugar and eaten after cutting it into smaller pieces.

3. Zoumero

a rich chocolate cake from the Southern region of Greece, Chania, the cake is made with flour, baking powder, eggs, cocoa powder, and vanilla. Like most of the Greek cakes, Zoumero also uses a sweet syrup that is made from the primary flavour of the cake – chocolate. The syrup is made with milk, sugar, butter, and cocoa powder, it is drizzled and on the cake when it's cold, on the freshly baked Zoumero, making the cake super moist, and lives up to its name meaning “juicy”. The cake is a staple in most Greek restaurants and you will find it being eaten with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A similar cake is also made with chocolate that is doused in cold chocolate syrup called Sokolatopita.

4. Melopita Sifnou

This is a local cheesecake or honey cake that comes from the island of Sifnos. It's made using fresh cheese (Mizithra cheese), honey, eggs, flour, lemon juice, and cinnamon. The cheesecake is baked and similar to the Spanish Basque cake, it's crustless and develops a browned top. The cake is creamy and sweet because of the honey used in it. Though documentation is scarce this cake is said to have been enjoyed in Greece for several centuries. You will find this cake mostly on the island where it's from but behind the place, some restaurants or bakeries might serve this honey cake.

5. Petimezopita

Grapes are one of the most common fruits in the country and black grapes in particular are used in desserts as well. Petimezopita in particular uses grape molasses (petimezi) combined with flour, olive oil, baking soda and cinnamon. It might also have a little spice in it and use ornate juice and zest along with liquor and dried fruits and nuts. The sweeter the molasses are, the less sugar is needed for the cake. The cake is baked in round baking pans and is usually dense and dark brown. It's often adorned with sesame seeds, sugar dusting, chocolate sauce, grape molasses or crushed walnuts.

6. Karythopita

A spicy walnut cake, Karythopita is another rich cake that is drenched in sweet syrup flavoured with lemon. It is fragrant and is made from toasted ground walnuts and usually prepared during Christmas. Like common fruitcakes, it might also use liquor and a blend of spices. The cake is best eaten chilled with a topping of walnuts, whole or finely chopped.

7. Samali

A semolina cake, like most of the Greek cakes, is doused in syrup that is flavoured with mastic. Perhaps its a stretch, but you can put it under suji cake recipe, semolina is suji after all. It's quite similar to the Basbousa or Revani and comes from Turkey and is prepared in trays and baked. It's typically prepared during winter and is quite easy to fix think of it as a solidified halwa with nuts pressed into it. It is dense because it uses semolina not wheat and is quite sweet.