Easy three-layers almond cake filled with jam

A really easy classic cake which can be served on any occasion or any time during the day thanks to the simple but delicious flavours of it!

Easy and fast mini cakes with fresh plums scented with vanilla and brandy

In Greece during the Spring and Summer months there is a stone fruit called "Vanillia". They are similar to the fresh plums in both taste and colour. This sweet and juicy fruit is the main ingredient for these cute mini cakes. The batter is light and airy, scented with brandy and vanilla and the result is a very tasty Summer dessert! The common fresh plums of course will replace the "Vanillia" ones perfectly but other Summer stone fruits can also be used depending on your preference

Moist and fluffy flourless almond cake with citrus flavour

Cakes... A delicious and easy (relatively speaking) sweet treat that it is sooo versatile! No matter the season or the day of the week or the hour of the day.... a generous slice of cake is always welcomed by most people and I don't blame them! The possibilities are countless regarding the shape, the size, the flavours... everything really! It is one of my favourite sweets and I like to try different flavours especially when citrus are involved which they "break" down nicely the sweetness of the cake. And today this is what this cake is about. Just a simple, sponge-like cake, fluffy and moist with an exciting but not overwhelming touch of lemon and orange flavour. Enjoy it with your coffee, tea or a snack anytime! And if you have the time and you are in the mood to take an extra step, then pass the cake with a nice jam glaze as the recipe indicates further down 

FESTIVE SEASON 2013-2014: St. Basil's pie "a la Polita" - Another version of the traditional New Year's cake

That special time is knocking at our doors again... The time to say "good bye" to the current year and "welcome" the New one full of hopes and expectations for us and our beloved. And in Greece, today on New Year's Eve, in most households the main star of the day is the "Vassilopita" cake (St. Basil's pie). That delicious cake (mainly sweet but also savoury in some regions) which is not just any cake. It is a special tradition and festivities would not be the same without it. I have told you in the past about St. Basil, his role and what he means to the Greeks and the significance behind the preparation of this cake. There are different versions of Vassilopita around the country but all of them have something in common. The coin we put in while preparing it and which, according to the tradition, brings luck and good health for the rest of the year to the person who might end up with the specific piece of the cake. One quite popular version of this cake is the one resembling the traditional Tsoureki sweet bread and which we call "Politiki Vassilopita" ("a la Polita") probably because its origin goes back to the Greeks from Asia Minor, whom we have to thank especially for all the delicious culinary treasures they brought with them years ago. Admittedly this is not the fastest or easiest version of Vassilopita. Like the Tsoureki bread it demands time and patience to rise properly and perhaps it is not the best choice for those who are not so experienced in home bread making. But for those who'd like to try it out I have to say that their time and effort will be fully rewarded! Full of taste and aromas thanks to the aromatic spices this fluffy cake/pie/bread could become a favourite and for the non-Greeks a year round sweet delicacy to enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea

Fragrant raisins and almonds cake with syrup

Classic but so hearty cake full of Winter flavours to treat family and friends any day of the week. It can be served plain or with clotted cream or even vanilla ice cream. The raisins, if you don't like them, they can be replaced by dried cranberries or finely chopped prunes. Each gives a different final taste but still delicious

Cake with orange-flavoured tea

Delicious, fluffy and elegant in taste this will become one of your favourite cakes to enjoy with your tea or coffee

Fragrant cinnamon and orange cake with buttery glaze

The whole house will smell of cinnamon while you'll be baking this fluffy cake! It is an ideal, not too sweet, snack for anytime to enjoy along with a cup of tea or coffee

Cake with white grapes

September, the month Greeks really enjoy grapes in their season! Not only are they great as a fruit but out of them we get products like the grape must (and out of it the grape molasses "petimezi") which we use in various sweets and desserts. This is a tasty and refreshing cake with fresh seedless grapes (the popular white "stafida" variety) which can be served plain or along with some ice cream

Lemon and poppy seeds cake with syrup

Easy, simple but always tasty and refreshing the lemon cake! Alternatively, instead of poppy seeds use 1 tsp of crushed cardamom seeds for a different flavour

Spiced cocoa, walnuts and orange cake

This is a delicious cake to enjoy with your coffee or tea. A recipe for everybody and all tastes! No eggs and no dairy in it so it is ideal for vegetarians and those who would like to fast during the Lent period

Orange flavoured Marbré Cake with cream cheese (or how another childhood cooking illusion was shattered...)

This recipe is not Greek at all of course but it seems that it is with us since..... forever!!! Loooong before the average housewives started to discover all the fancy cooking magazines and books or cooking TV programmes or (even more) the Internet, in Greece this was one of the most popular type of cake!!! In a way, I think, responsible for this (and for other recipes that they are not native to Greece but still made mine and previous generations initially to believe they were), is a gentleman who was one of the first who published a complete cooking book in the country. Nikos Tselementes (1878-1958), born in Sifnos island, was French and Vienna-educated chef. When he returned in Greece he started becoming known through a cooking magazine of the time (1910) called "Cooking Guide". Later he left Greece for higher level of studies in cooking (he also worked as a chef in the most glamourous Hotels of the time) and he came back in 1932 where he opened a small cooking and baking school and it was then when he published his book which had, after the first printing, another 15 official reprints during the decades that followed!!! Obviously, influenced by the French cooking, he was the one who first introduced to the Greek housewives what "Béchamel Sauce" means or how the "Piroshki" are related to the Greeks or why a "Bouillabaisse" is "a must" instead of the humble traditional Greek fish soup... Still nowadays there are those who "swear on his name" and are loyal fans of his guidelines and recipes (my mother still has one of the reprints at home, it must be an antique by now...), but there are also those who accuse him for the "distortion of the Greek cuisine with unnecessary European influences"... and with this happening it took us afterwards a few decades to recover and "go back to basics and into the traditional way"... Imagine the impact his work had that in cooking books of the '30s, '50s and even '60s when referred to the "Moussaka" without the béchamel sauce, but sprinkled on top with fine breadcrumbs or beaten eggs with grated cheese, it was mentioned as a "Moussakas Imitation"!!! Well, I will agree with both sides because I can not deny that Tselementes tried his best and introduced us to a great amount of guidelines and knowledge and recipes which, maybe, could not find their way to our tables if things were different. And, between us, I'm not sure that I would prefer my "Moussaka", "Pastitsio" or "Aubergines Papoutsakia" without a luscious béchamel sauce on top:-)).... As for the "Marbré Cake" we have a different version of it here today with the addition of cream cheese which makes it fluffier and more moist. You could also use Mascarpone cheese for a richer taste and texture or the Greek unsalted Anthotyro cheese for a lighter and slightly sour taste

Warm orange cake with hazelnuts

A delicious cake for Winter time, easy to make and with a great orangy flavour! Normally it is served warm (along with some vanilla ice cream if you want) which makes it so luscious... It can be served, though, cold as well and if you accompany it with some glazed orange slices it will be even better

Easy olive oil and chocolate cake

A tasty and fluffy cake for every occasion and so easy to put together. Enjoy a slice (or two...) with your tea or coffee or as a snack at work or at school

Banana cake with orange frosting

An easy and so tasty cake for all hours! Great company to your tea or coffee but also a nice alternative for your breakfast or a snack during the day. The rich frosting and the bananas make it so irresistible

Rich bundt cake with walnuts, spices and ouzo

This is a healthy and nutritious cake with low calories at the same time. The wholemeal flour used in this recipe turns this cake into a source of fibres and as a result satisfies our need for something sweet and limits our appetite. Ideal too for those who fast

Lenten tahini pie

We call it a "pie" but it looks like and it has the texture of a cake. Still, it is a very delicious dessert which can be found in various areas of Greece with minor differences depending on the region. It is a traditional Lenten cake full of taste thanks to the tahini paste and full of aroma thanks to the rich spices. No need to be one of those who fast to try this recipe out. It is for everybody and for all seasons because it goes perfectly well with coffee or/and tea and it is ideal as a sweet snack

Almond cake with honey

A traditional recipe, which varies a bit from region to region and is one of my mother's favourite versions. Great to accompany your tea or Greek coffee

Olive oil cake with chestnuts

A delicious Winter time cake to accompany your tea or to have it plain any time of the day

Almond cake with figs and grapes

Figs and grapes grow almost everywhere in Greece and they are very popular fruits. Now that they have sneaked out in the open vegetable markets (in Greece anyway, where we try to have the right fruit in the right season) it is a good chance to use them for various sweets. An easy cake to put together and a very tasty one