Eleni's karidopita - walnut and macademia cake in syrup

This cake is originally made with walnuts. I thought to try an alternative nut, the macademia nut and it really turned out great :)

My mom's friend Eleni is famous for making this it is backed in 30 minutes and contains no butter or oil!

Eleni's karidopita - walnut and macademia cake in syrup

ingredients for the cake

• 5 eggs
• 150 gr sugar
• 50 gr all purpose flour
• 100 gr fine semolina
• 3 tea spoons backing powder
• 2 vanilla's
• 1,5 cup of cognac
• 50 gr walnuts  
• 50 gr macademia nuts 
• 2 tea spoons cinnamon

ingredients for the syrup

• 2,5 cups of sugar
• 2 cups  of water
• lemon juice

instructions for the cake

1. Beat the egg whites
2. Add the egg yolks
3. Add the sugar
4. Add the cognac
5. Add the semolina
6. Add the flour including the backing powder.
7. Add the grind nuts (keep some for serving).
8. Butter and flour the backing form.
9. Pour the mix into the form (24cm - ring form)
10. Bake at 170C for about half an hour.

instructions for the syrup

1. Put sugar, water and a bit of lemon juice in the pan
2. Cook for 8 minutes
3. Add to the cake that is already cold.
4. Let it soak overnight and serve with fine walnuts.

Grind the walnuts, but not too fine:

Make sure the egg whites are stiff:

Add the nuts to the mix last:

Do not over-bake!

Serve the soaked cake with walnuts on top.