Greek Orange Phyllo Cake (Printable)

Crispy phyllo layers meet creamy yogurt and fresh orange zest, soaked in aromatic cinnamon-orange syrup for a delightful Mediterranean dessert experience.

# What You’ll Need:

→ For the Pie

01 - 1 lb phyllo sheets, thawed
02 - 4 large eggs
03 - 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
04 - 1 cup granulated sugar
05 - ½ cup light olive oil or sunflower oil
06 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
07 - Zest of 2 large oranges
08 - 2 tsp baking powder

→ For the Syrup

09 - 1 cup water
10 - 1 cup granulated sugar
11 - ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
12 - 1 cinnamon stick
13 - Zest of 1 orange

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with oil or cooking spray.
02 - Remove phyllo sheets from packaging and let them air-dry for 1 hour to lose excess moisture. Crumple the dried sheets into rough, irregular pieces.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until pale and thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Add yogurt, oil, vanilla extract, orange zest, and baking powder. Mix until fully incorporated.
04 - Gradually fold the crumpled phyllo pieces into the batter, ensuring each piece is evenly coated. The mixture will appear thick and chunky.
05 - Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
06 - While the pie bakes, combine water, sugar, orange juice, cinnamon stick, and orange zest in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and zest; allow syrup to cool completely.
07 - Remove the baked pie from the oven. While still hot, slowly pour the cooled syrup evenly over the entire surface. Let the pie stand for at least 2 hours to absorb the syrup completely before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast between crisp phyllo and syrup soaked layers is absolutely addictive
  • It comes together faster than most Greek desserts but tastes like you spent all day on it
  • The orange aroma fills your entire house while it bakes
02 -
  • The syrup MUST be completely cool before pouring it over the hot pie, or the phyllo will turn soggy instead of staying crisp tender
  • Letting the phyllo dry out is the secret to getting those shattery crispy layers that still soak up syrup
  • Real Greek yogurt makes a huge difference in texture compared to regular yogurt
03 -
  • Add a tablespoon of orange liqueur to your syrup if you want an adult version that feels extra special
  • Use room temperature eggs so they whip up properly and incorporate more air into the batter

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