Zoumero literally translates to “juicy” in the Greek language and keik, well, that’s easy, just means cake. This is basically a juicy chocolate cake. In reality, it is a very moist and decadent chocolate cake that is perfect for any special occasion.
The first time I ever tried this Zoumero cake was on a family trip to Crete in 2013. We always make at least one stop to eat dessert at Koukouvagia café and we always go right before sunset. This café is on the side of a mountain and overlooks the city of Chania. The views are breathtaking, and the desserts are very good too. This dessert was served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I prefer a dollop of homemade whipped cream instead of the ice cream. The whipped cream is nice and light and pairs well with the rich chocolate cake. Some berries on top would be delicious too.
This chocolate cake is the perfect dessert when you’re entertaining because it can be made a day ahead and it feeds a crowd, effortlessly. Serve it on Christmas, New Years, Thanksgiving, and even to celebrate a birthday.
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Zoumero Keik: Greek Ultra-Moist Chocolate Cake
Zoumero Keik is an ultra-moist Greek chocolate cake soaked in a rich chocolate-milk syrup. “Zoumero” means juicy in Greek, which perfectly describes this decadent chocolate syrup cake. It is easy to prepare ahead, serves a crowd, and is perfect for birthdays, holidays, and special occasions.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Syrup:
- 2 cups milk
- 1 and ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon instant coffee granules
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Wet Ingredients:
- 8 ounces whole milk, at room temperature
- ¾ cup olive oil
- 1 and ½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the Dry Ingredients:
- 2 and ½ cups (315 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For Serving:
- Vanilla ice cream
- Homemade whipped cream
- Fresh berries
- Ground pistachios
Instructions
Prepare the Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
Make the Chocolate Syrup: Combine the milk, sugar, cocoa powder, and instant coffee granules in a saucepan.
Whisk constantly and bring the mixture to a boil.
Remove the syrup from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract.
Set the syrup aside to cool completely.
Combine the Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt to a mixing bowl. Whisk together.
Pass the dry ingredients through a sifter into another bowl and set aside.
Make the Cake Batter: Combine the milk, olive oil, sugar, eggs, instant coffee granules, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three or four batches. Whisk just until all the flour has been incorporated. Do not overmix so the cake remains light.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
Bake the Cake: Bake on the center rack for approximately 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Add the Chocolate Syrup: Remove the hot cake from the oven and immediately score it into serving pieces.
Poke holes all over the cake with a toothpick.
Slowly pour all the cooled chocolate syrup over the hot cake. Keep the cake in the baking pan while it absorbs the syrup.
Allow the cake to rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours so the syrup can be absorbed evenly. Serving it too soon may cause the syrup to pool at the bottom while leaving the top of the cake dry.
Serve: Serve the cake with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, fresh berries, or ground pistachios.
Notes
Syrup Temperature: Allow the chocolate syrup to cool completely before pouring it over the hot cake.
Absorbing the Syrup: Keep the cake in its baking pan and allow it to rest for at least 2 hours. The syrup may pool temporarily before the cake absorbs it.
Preparing the Pan: The baking pan only needs to be greased. It does not need to be floured.
Do Not Overmix: Add the dry ingredients in batches and mix only until incorporated so the cake remains light.
Make Ahead: The cake can be prepared 1 day before serving, making it ideal for entertaining.
Two Round Cakes: Divide the batter evenly between two greased 9-inch round cake pans. The thinner cakes may bake a few minutes faster, so begin checking them early.
Garnish: Ground pistachios are used as a garnish rather than added to the cake batter.
Serving Suggestions: Serve with homemade whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, fresh berries, or a combination of your favorite toppings.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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Hi Dimitra,
Could you kindly post the recipe for this chocolate cake please (ie. quantities for each ingredient)
My appreciated. It looks scrumptious!
Yes, thank you for letting me know that it was missing. We recently updated our website and some of the recipes were accidentally deleted. It’s here now 🙂 All the best, Dimitra
Thank you for posting this! I had this style of cake in Crete (in Kounoupidiana) but I didn’t know what it was called. Now I can make it!
This was delicious and so easy. I made it for New Year’s Day and my family loved it. We had never had this cake before but love Ravani and I thought this could be similar. Will definitely be making it again. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
The pistachios go into the batter or are the served as decoration?
They should be used as a garnish.
Prepared- greased or greased and floured
Greased is good enough for this recipe 🙂
I have also been to this Cafe! unfortunately the day we were there it was very overcast, so no view. Now I need to go to Chania again
Hi Dimitra, can I use coconut milk for lactose intolerant family members? If not, what would be the best substitute. Thank you!
Delicious recipe. Unfortunately my syrup didn’t soak up all into the cake overnight. Is there something I should have done better? Or was it too much syrup? I poked holes and cut the slices in the pan but it didn’t soak all up.
Hi there, do you leave cake in its tin
Whilst it’s soaking up the syrup?
Thanks ☺️
I made this cake for a celebration for a Greek friend. His mother-in-law has just asked me for the recipe. It must be good!
I love the idea of your chocolate cake (and I think it’s what we ate on holiday in Crete once). However, I’m finding the mix of units difficult to understand. I figured I’d look up on the web, to convert cups and ounces into grams. Then I got to almost the end and found that, although my conversion said half a cup of cocoa powder is about 63g, you have added the grams there as being 30g, so now I’m pretty sure I have the wrong weights for a large part of the recipe. I’ve only heard of Americans using “cups”, but now I’m wondering if Greek cups are a specific and different measurement? I’d really love to make this (I was going to take some to a family gathering tomorrow), but I need to sort this out! Any thoughts much appreciated. 🙂
Can I make this cake with two round cake pan
Yes, you can make it in two round cake pans. Use two 9-inch round pans and divide the batter evenly between them. Just keep an eye on the baking time because the layers will be a little thinner, so they may bake a few minutes faster. Everything else stays the same and it will still turn out wonderful.
Can I use a sugar substitute like monk fruit for the syrup?
Hi Elizabeth! 😊
You can certainly experiment with a monk fruit sweetener that’s designed for baking and measures cup for cup like sugar. Just keep in mind that the syrup may not have exactly the same texture or soak into the cake quite the same way as a traditional sugar syrup.
If you do try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out! The cake itself should still be delicious, but the final texture may be slightly different. Happy baking! 💕
Can I use a sugar substitute like monk fruit for the syrup?