Tsoureki-Flavored Cake

All of the aromas and flavors of tsoureki in a moist, delicious, easy-to-make cake!

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This Tsoureki flavored cake has all of the delicious flavors of tsoureki with a quarter of the work. I love tsoureki, a Greek Easter bread, but it takes a lot of time and effort to make. So, I turned it into an easy-to-make moist cake that I can serve all Spring long. The main flavors come from Mediterranean mahlepi spice and mastiha resin, and if you haven’t tried them before, it’s the perfect time!

Why you’ll make this all Spring

Moist tender cake

Distinct fruity mahlepi

Earthy mastiha

Sweet cream cheese icing

A quick and easy way to get your house smelling and a sweet treat tasting like tsoureki!

Everything you need

Wet Ingredients:

• Unsalted butter -soft and at room temp.
• Confectioner’s sugar
• Pure vanilla extract -the better the quality, the better the flavor
• Milk -or orange juice for more citrus flavor
• Large eggs -at room temperature
• Plain yogurt -at room temperature

Dry Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour
• Almond flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Zest of an orange -remember to zest before juicing
• Ground mahlepi
• Ground mastiha -eliminate or substitute 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom.

The Icing:

• Cream cheese -at room temperature
• Milk -or orange juice
• Confectioner’s sugar

What is mahlepi?

Mahlepi is a Greek spice made from the pits of Prunus mahaleb cherries. It tastes fruity with almond notes. You can buy them ground or whole. However, I recommend you buy them whole because freshly ground mahlepi has so much more flavor. It’s known in Arabic stores as mahlab, and there’s no substitute for it. There is nothing like the aroma of mahlepi.

What is Mastiha?

Mastiha, also known as mastic gum, is a tree resin with citrus and pine notes from the Mastiha tree. It comes in little crystals, and you can chew it as chewing gum or use it in sweet and savory dishes. Easter tsoureki is the most famous thing made with it. You can find mastic gum in Mediterranean or Middle Eastern grocery stores or order it on Amazon. For this recipe, you’ll have to crush it with sugar using a mortar and pestle or a small food processor. If you don’t care for the flavor, you can substitute ground cardamom or just leave it out and add a bit more vanilla.

How to make Tsoureki Flavored Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F, 180 °C.
2. Grease a 12-cup bundt pan with melted butter or with pan spray. 
3. Alternatively, grease the inside of a 10-inch cake pan and line it with parchment paper.
4. Add the mastiha and a teaspoon of granulated sugar to a mortar. 
5. Grind the mastiha and set aside.
6. Pulse the mahlepi seeds in a food processor until finely ground.
7. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, and almond extract on low speed until combined. 
8. Increase the speed to high and beat until thick, pale, and fluffy -about 3 minutes.
9. Beat the eggs into the butter mixture one at a time until fluffy. 
10. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat until smooth.
11. Add the yogurt and beat on high speed until incorporated.
12. Whisk together the flour, almond meal, salt, baking powder, mastiha, mahlepi, and orange zest until combined.
13. Add the flour mixture to the mixer in a few batches until just incorporated.
14. Then, transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan.
15. Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 45-55 minutes. It is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with some crumbs attached.
16. Run a knife around the edges of the cake to release it from the pan and set it aside to cool completely.
17. Invert the cake onto a cake platter and remove the parchment paper. 
18. Flip the cake back around and dust it with lots of confectioner’s sugar.

Make the Cream cheese icing: 

19. Beat together all of the icing ingredients until smooth. 
20. Transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip attachment. 
21. Decorate the cake with icing and serve. (see video)

Serve

If you don’t have a piping bag, you can transfer the icing to a large baggie and cut one of the corners for piping or just use a spoon. Once you’ve topped the cake with icing, you can sprinkle it with orange zest, sliced almonds, powdered sugar, or your favorite combination. Serve it with tea or Greek coffee, and enjoy the house smelling like tsoureki without all the work. Kali orexi!

More Greek Easter Bread (Tsoureki) Recipes:

• Tsoureki Danish Braid
• The Ultimate Tsoureki Baking Guide
• Mini Tsoureki Wreaths
• Cream-fulled Tsoureki Rolls