Greek Coconut Cake Recipe (Indokaridopita)

Make this intensely delicious Greek coconut cake (Indokaridopita) with the most perfect coconut and lemon flavour. This ultra-moist, rich, and buttery cake is steeped in syrup. You will fall in love with its coconut-laden crumb texture and how so-darn simple it is to whip up.

If you love this Greek coconut cake, you might want to try my Lemonopita recipe next. Or check out my sokolatopita for a rich and simple chocolate version. And if you're after something a little extra, my pasta sokolatina has three layers of sponge, chocolate cream, and ganache. It's a real showstopper!

Jump to:

• Why You Will Love This Cake
• How to make this cake - Short Video
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Top Tips
• Equipment
• Variations
• Storage
• FAQs
• 📖 Recipe

Why You Will Love This Cake

• Moist and deeply flavoured: The combination of coconut and syrup makes sure every bite is moist and melting delicious. It’s what makes this cake so irresistible.
• Simple ingredients: You probably already have the ingredients in your kitchen! 
• Looks beautiful: Topped with a sprinkle of coconut flakes and a drizzle of syrup, this cake tastes amazing and looks incredible, too.
• Versatile: It’s great as a dessert, a sweet snack, or even a special breakfast treat. It goes wonderfully with coffee or tea.

How to make this cake - Short Video

Ingredients

This recipe uses simple, yet flavourful ingredients to create this delicious cake.

• Unsalted butter: Adds moisture to the cake – you can also use a good quality plant-based butter if you prefer.
• Greek yogurt: Gives the cake a slightly tangy flavour and keeps it moist. 
• Eggs: Use room temperature, large eggs.
• Lemon zest: Adds a beautiful lemony taste, perfect with the coconut flavour.
• Desiccated coconut: For the best-tasting cake, make sure your coconut is as fresh as possible. You want to use fine or desiccated coconut, not the chunkier kind.
• Sugar: Sweetens the cake and helps in creating the syrup. Granulated or caster are both great.
• Vanilla extract: This gives the cake a dessert-like quality.
• Cinnamon stick and cloves: Infuse the syrup with warm, aromatic spices. So good!

See the recipe card below for precise quantities.

Instructions

Preparing the Syrup

• In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Bring to a boil and let it boil for a few minutes.

• Remove from heat and set aside to cool down while you prepare the cake.
  
  Hint: Let the syrup cool completely before pouring it over the hot cake for the best absorption.

Preparing the Cake Batter

• Separate the egg whites from the yolks, placing them in two different bowls.
  
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, egg yolks, and lemon zest. Mix until well combined.

• Sift the plain flour and baking powder into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Add the salt and desiccated coconut. Use a spatula to mix everything until fully incorporated.

• In a separate bowl, add the sugar to the egg whites. Beat until peaks form.

• Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter mixture. Ensure it is well combined well.

Cooking and Garnishing

Butter and flour a 32 x 22 cm rectangular baking pan.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly.

Preheat your oven to 160°C (fan-forced). Bake the cake for 30- 40 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Keep an eye on the cake to prevent overbaking.

Once baked and still hot, use a stick to poke holes all through the cake so that the syrup evenly distributes.

Pour the cooled syrup evenly over the hot cake, allowing it to soak in.

Let the cake sit for at least 30 minutes to fully absorb the syrup.

Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves from the cake.

Once the syrup is fully absorbed, sprinkle the desiccated coconut garnish on top.

Serve and enjoy your Indokaridopita!

Top Tips

• Light and fluffy batter: Fold the fluffy egg white and sugar mixture into the coconut and butter batter. This is what lightens the mixture.
• Don’t overmix: Gently fold the ingredients together. Overmixing can lead to a dense cake, so mix until combined for the perfect crumb.

Equipment

For this recipe, I used a 32 cm x 22 cm baking dish. If you use a different size, adjust the baking time accordingly.

Variations

Want to play around with this recipe? No problem; here are a few ways to have fun with it:

• Lemon and orange: Combine the zest of orange with the lemon zest into the batter. Enhance the syrup with the juice of the same citrus fruit to complement the zest.
• Spiced version: Add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of ground cloves, and a pinch of nutmeg to the batter for a warm, spiced flavour. Infuse the syrup with a cinnamon stick and a few whole cloves while the syrup cooks.
• Honey Iaced: Replace half of the sugar in the syrup with honey.
• Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free flour blend suitable for baking to replace regular flour. Add ½ teaspoon of xanthan gum or guar gum to help bind the ingredients.
• Love syrup-soaked Greek cakes? You should also try my karidopita recipe (Greek walnut cake with syrup). It’s packed with walnuts, warm spices, and sweet syrup, perfect for coffee or dessert.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. This helps retain moisture and keeps the cake fresh. When stored this way, the cake will stay moist and delicious for 3 days. Its taste often gets even better after the first day as the syrup continues to soak in.

If you want to keep it longer, store it in the fridge by covering it with plastic wrap or store again in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out. This cake will keep for around 5 days in the fridge.

Freezing

To freeze Indokaridopita, wrap the cake tightly in plastic to protect it from freezer burn. Wrap it again in aluminium foil or place it in a freezer-safe plastic bag for added protection.

The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months and still be ultra-delicious when defrosted.

FAQs

Can I use sweetened coconut instead of unsweetened?

Yes, but reduce the sugar in the batter slightly to balance the sweetness.

Can I prepare the syrup in advance?

Absolutely. You can make the syrup a day ahead and store it in the fridge.

Can I make Indokaridopita ahead of time?

Yes, Indokaridopita can be made a day or two in advance. The cake often tastes better after the syrup has had time to soak in and meld with the flavours fully.

How do I know when the cake is done?

The cake is done when it turns golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Why is my cake dense?

Overmixing the batter or using too much flour can result in a dense cake. Mix the ingredients just until combined, and ensure you measure the flour correctly.

What's the difference between desiccated and shredded coconut?

Desiccated coconut is finely ground and dried, while shredded coconut is larger, coarser, and may retain more moisture.

Is this similar to a revani coconut cake?

Yes, this is a similar recipe to a Revani cake, except Revani uses semolina.

📖 Recipe