Kyriaki very graciously sent along her recipe for Olive Oil Cake. I’ve included the original Greek version and the translated version. I made the cake at home, the flavor will always remind me of my new friends Maria and her mother Kyriaki.

Thank you to my cousin Teri who translated the recipe for me!

Κέικ

Τέσσερα ή πέντε αυγά (αν είναι μικρά)
Μια κούπα ελαιόλαδο
Μια κούπα μαύρη ζάχαρη
Μια κούπα ζωμό πορτοκαλιού
Δύο βανίλιες
Τρια κουταλάκια γλυκού μπευκιν παουντερ
Μισό κουταλάκι γλυκού σόδα
Ένα φλυτζάνι καφέ μικρό ρακί με κονιάκ, μισό-μισο.
Τρεις κουταλιές σούπας λιναρόσπορο  σπασμένο
Μια κουταλιά σούπας κινόα
Μια κουταλιά σούπας τσια
Μια κουταλιά σούπας παπαρουνόσπορο
Δύο κούπες αλεύρι 
Μια κούπα αλεύρι ολικής άλεσης
Στο τέλος αφού είναι έτοιμο το κέικ προσθέτω σχεδόν μια κούπα τρούφα σοκολάτας και ανακατεύω ελαφρά να πάει παντού.
Μοιράζω σε δύο φόρμες και ψήνω σε αεροθερμο φούρνο σε 160°-170°c, για 35′

Ingredients

4 or 5 eggs (if they’re small)
1 cup olive oil
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
A half Greek-coffee-sized (demitasse) cup of raki and cognac (50-50%)-ok to use all cognac, brandy, or whiskey since odds are you won’t have raki on hand.
3 tablespoons flax meal
1 tablespoon quinoa
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
2 cups flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Heat the oven to 350F

Brush two loaf pans with butter or olive oil.

In a large bowl combine the eggs, olive oil, brown sugar, orange juice, vanilla, and spirits, and whisk until smooth.

Add the baking powder, baking soda, flax meal, quinoa, poppyseeds, all purpose flour, and whole wheat flour and mix until smooth.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Divide the batter among the two pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

Store at room temperature for five days, or freeze for several months.

Makes 2 loaves

As mentioned, I have traveled to Crete many times and have frequently visited Knossos, Heraklion, The Archaeological Museum, and Chania. This trip was the first time I’ve been to the Pink Sand Beach in Elafonisi. It’s stunning! The whole trip, the journey and the beach. Most of it is small roads that zigzags through rugged terrain going through teeny tiny villages. Fortunately Jim did all the driving so I was able to enjoy the scenery. It was a beautiful day and as we rode through the mountains with wild flowers growing everywhere, including out of the sides of the mountains, passing through small villages it’s easy to feel like you’re living in a fairytale. It’s so beautiful. And at last you arrive at the beach and are rewarded with pale pink sand at the water’s edge and crystal clear turquoise water. It’s so peaceful and beautiful I can only think that to gaze upon it is to add years to your life. The pictures don’t do it justice.

Maria was a great source of information on places to eat in Crete. One of the places she recommended was Zyfyros in Rethymno, where she suggested the grilled calamari. It was delicious!

Another wonderful suggestion was Ali Vafi’s Garden.  Lovely garden in back, innovative food and cocktail menu’s (my cocktail had cheese in it!).  Pictured-Crispy Chicken, Cretan Salad (which I’ve made about 5 times since I’ve been home), and cocktails.  We were there for an early-ish dinner, but I have the feeling that place rocks into the evening.

Maria highly recommended a wonderful place to eat just around the corner form her house, Giampous Bakery – and for good reason, it’s fabulous!  It’s woman owned and it’s a perfect blending of contemporary baked goods and classic Greek and Cretan baked goods.  I love orange cake and often it’s dripping in syrup but theirs was just right, the cake was moist, with a buttery orange flavor. And the Cherry Turnover is delicious and big enough to eat over two days!  They gave me a lovely canvas bag with my purchases as a way to encourage customers to reuse the bag.

Pictured-Country Cretan Bread, Kataifi, and Kataifi with Custard, Cherry Turnover, and Orange Cake.

I’ve had a great time on the road in Crete, and I have to say that I think that one of the best places we ate was our own B&B. On our last night, Maria gifted us with Thiples.  Thiples (or Xerotigina) are typically a Cretan dessert and are made for special occasions like weddings.  They are strips of dough that are deep fried and drizzled with syrup and nuts or sesame seeds.  When made for weddings the shapes can be quite elaborate.  I have a special fondness for them since they were something my grandmother would make.  A woman who really didn’t like to cook, she had a few dishes she liked to make and they were somewhat time consuming. I was so thrilled with my package of Thiples that I stowed them away and brought them home.

The photo is a post trip breakfast of a waffle with strawberries and prosciutto with Thiples.

Don’t miss my final On the Road post from Athens…