Charoupopita: Greek Carob Cake
Grdir Editorial — 25 August 2026
Charoupopita is a traditional Greek cake built around carob flour, a naturally sweet and caffeine-free ingredient long milled on the island of Crete. In this version of the recipe, carob flour partially replaces regular wheat flour within a standard butter-and-oil cake structure, producing a deep, chocolate-like color and flavor without the use of refined cocoa. The cake is often finished with walnuts, a common addition in Greek baking that contributes a pleasant crunch.
Carob-based baking has a firm place in the domestic kitchen traditions of Crete, where the pods are abundant and have historically been ground into flour for everyday use. Charoupopita appears as a simple, home-style cake with a moist crumb and a mild sweetness, suitable for a modest dessert.
Ingredients
- 250g (2 cups) carob flour
- 100g (3/4 cup) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 3 large eggs
- 200g (1 cup) sugar
- 120ml (1/2 cup) olive oil or vegetable oil
- 240ml (1 cup) milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 100g (1 cup) walnuts, roughly chopped
- Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease and flour a 23cm (9-inch) round cake pan.
- In a bowl, whisk together the carob flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together until pale and slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
- Whisk in the oil, milk, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined, then fold in the chopped walnuts.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.