Keik Basic Greek Cake Recipes

OUZO KEIK (CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan.
• Sprinkle walnuts evenly over the bottom of the pan.
• Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, oil, and Ouzo.
• Pour batter into pan, over the walnuts.
• Bake for 1 hour.
• Place on a rack and cool for 30 minutes.
• Invert onto a serving plate.
• Prick several times with a skewer and pour honey syrup over the top.
• To make honey syrup:.
• Combine honey, water, cinnamon sticks, and cloves in a pot.
• Bring to a boil and reduce heat.
• Cool for 30 minutes without stirring, or until mixture is syrupy (230 degrees on a candy thermometer.).
• Remove cinnamon sticks and cloves.
• Stir in honey.
• Stir in Ouzo.

VASILOPITA - GREEK SAINT BASIL'S NEW YEAR'S CAKE

Steps:

• Clean! Silver or gold coin wrapped in aluminum foil (a quarter works well).
• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 10 inch round cake pan with 1 Tbs butter.
• In a medium bowl, cream the cup of butter and 2 cups of sugar together until light in color. Stir in the flour and mix until the batter resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the eggs one at a time, blending each one in well.
• In a small bowl combine the baking powder and milk, add to the cake batter and mix well. Finally combine the lemon juice and baking soda in a small bowl, add to the cake batter and mix well. Pour the cake batter in to the greased cake pan, insert the foil wrapped coin, and bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove the cake from the oven, sprinkle the nuts and 2 Tbs sugar over the cake, then return the cake to the oven and bake for a further 20-30 minutes until the cake springs to the touch. Allow to cool on a rack for 10 minutes then invert the pan on to a cake plate.
• Ideally the cake should be served warm; each person gets a slice of the cake starting with the most senior member. Members of the Greek Orthodox Church believe that whoever gets the coin is blessed.

KEIK: BASIC GREEK CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F (180C).
• Whisk together dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder) to combine well.
• In a mixing bowl, combine orange peel, brandy, and softened butter.
• Beat until smooth. Continuing to beat, add milk slowly, and then eggs. Slowly beat in the flour mixture and continue to beat for 3 minutes at medium-high speed until the batter is smooth.
• Pour into two lightly buttered loaf pans (or equivalent) and bake at 350F (180C) for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.