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Greek Apple Cake with Honey and Cinnamon (Milopita)
There are many types of apple cakes, but Greek milopita is unique in that it often is made two very Mediterranean ingredients: olive oil and yogurt. It’s a homey, rustic treat, with a moist, dense crumb studded with chunks of fruit. Our take on milopita is an easy no-mixer affair. The spicing is simple but warm, balanced by the brightness of orange, and we amp up the apple flavor by reducing apple cider to a syrup that’s used in the batter as well as a lustrous glaze on the cooled cake. Heavy cream mixed with a little Greek yogurt, sweetened with a little honey and whipped to soft peaks is a perfect accompaniment. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
12 to 16
Servings
Tip
Don’t use an apple variety that breaks down when cooked. Choose one or two that are firm and crisp, with a flavor that’s sweet-tart rather than just sugary. Honeycrisp and Gala are two widely available varieties that work well in the cake. Don’t toss the apples with sugar too far in advance or the fruit will begin to soften and release juices.
1½ hours
plus cooling
Ingredients
-
1
cup apple cider
-
2
3-inch strips orange zest, plus ¼ cup orange juice
Directions
-
01In a small saucepan, combine the cider, orange zest and juice, 1 tablespoon of the honey and the cinnamon stick. Bring to a simmer over medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to ½ cup, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Remove and discard the orange zest and cinnamon stick. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of the syrup and the remaining 1 tablespoon honey; set aside for glazing the cake. Cool the syrup cool and glaze to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Reviews
June 2, 2025
Very nice
I made this recipe and it turned out just like in the video and in the photo above. Quite easy to make. The flavors are delicious. Not overly sweet.
April 14, 2025
Apple cake perfection
I've made a couple dozen apple cake recipes over the years and this is hands down the best. Reducing the apple cider for use both in the cake and as part of the glaze really concentrates the apple flavor (be sure to reduce it fully to a half-cup; this took longer than the stated time range, but of course that's because all stovetops are different). Orange, cinnamon and cardamom are perfect supporting flavors, and the combination of olive oil and yogurt in the cake keeps it incredibly moist. Absolutely delicious.
October 11, 2023
Perfect Fall Treat
We made this with freshly picked honeycrisps from Upstate NY - they were perfect. The texture is light and moist. I did add some cardamom to the syrup which gave a citrus-like complexity that everyone liked. It lasts for at least a few days.
November 17, 2022
Excellent!
Moist & delicious is right. Thanks to helpful commenters, I cut the sugar by 1/4 cup and used 1.5 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice to toss with the apples instead of nutmeg and cinnamon. Otherwise made as written. Thanks again, Ms. Hattabaugh and Milk Street team!
October 30, 2022
Amazingly moist and delicious!
Easy to make and perfect. I served with plain Greek yogurt and everyone went wild. The only things I changed was 1/4 less cup sugar and it was perfect, and I used way less than a teaspoon of freshly ground nutmeg. A teaspoon would overwhelm I believe. This one is a keeper!
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