KARITHOPASTA - GREEK WALNUT SYRUP CAKE

Steps:

• Grease a 22cm by 35 cm pan with butter or margarine. Do not line with baking paper or use non-stick sprays.
• Beat butter in a medium bowl until softened and add sugar beating until light and fluffy.
• In a separate bowl combine breadcrumbs, spices and baking powder.
• Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition and then the liqueur.
• Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and beat until combined.
• Finally add the walnuts and beat until just combined.
• Tip into baking pan and smooth evenly over bottom.
• Bake on the bottom rack of the oven at 200c for 30-35 minutes depending on how hot your oven is.
• Test cake by inserting skewer and allow to cool until room temperature.
• While cake is cooling add ingredients for syrup into a small saucepan, except for vanilla essence.
• Boil for 5 minutes at medium heat. Then take off heat and add the vanilla essence if desired.
• Pour hot syrup over cooled cake. Start by ladling slowly from one end to another and gently tip remaining syrup over cake trying to be as even as possible.
• Allow cake to soak syrup for a few hours. It is best if it soaks overnight.
• Cut cake into diamonds to serve with a swirl of whipped sweetened cream (I add a bit of vanilla essence or liqueur to the cream) and flaked chocolate.
• Note: It is beat to start with all ingredients at room temperature to avoid butter curdling when eggs are added.