Portokalopita (Traditional Greek Orange Cake)

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and brush a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with olive oil.

Step 2

For the cake, put the eggs, olive oil, and sugar in a large bowl. Beat the mixture well with an electric mixer until the ingredients are well combined. Add the yogurt, orange zest, and baking powder, and beat to combine.

Step 3

Crush the phyllo sheets with your hands. Add the crushed phyllo to the cake batter and stir it in with a spatula. Evenly spread the batter in the prepared pan.

Step 4

Bake the cake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 5

Make the syrup while the cake is baking. In a medium saucepan, stir together the orange juice and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil then simmer it over medium heat for 20 minutes, until it thickens to the consistency of maple syrup, stirring often. Let the syrup cool.

Step 6

Slice the cake into 20 pieces and leave it to cool. When the cake and syrup are cool, pour all of the syrup on top of the cake; it will be absorbed.