Greek Placenta cake, also known as “plakous” in Greek, has a history dating back to ancient Greece and Rome. It was originally a layered dessert that combined pastry, honey, nuts, and cheese, made to celebrate harvests or special occasions. Unlike its modern day name sake, which can sound unusual, placenta cake bears no relation to what we might think. Instead, the word derives from the Latin word “placenta,” meaning flat cake, as it has a layered, flat appearance.
This Greek dessert is unique for its ingredients of filo pastry, honey, ricotta, and nuts, giving it a sweet, creamy, and crunchy texture. Placenta cake is quite popular with many other countries adopting their version into their different traditional sweets, such as baklava.
Today, it’s still enjoyed in Greece as a dessert or snack. The recipe is easy to follow, with just a few layers of ingredients that create a beautifully simple yet delicious cake. This cake recipe yields approximately 10-12 servings.
Greek Placenta Cake Tips
- Use fresh phyllo (or filo) pastry for the best texture, and keep it from drying out by covering it with a damp cloth while working. You can find fresh filo in most supermarkets, like Coles.
- Lightly toast the nuts before chopping to enhance their flavour and add depth to the cake.
- Slightly warm the honey for easy drizzling over the layers, helping it spread evenly.
- Brush each layer of phyllo with melted butter generously to ensure a golden, crispy finish.
- Let the cake rest before slicing to help the layers set and prevent crumbling when served.
Ingredients
- 1 pack phyllo/filo pastry (keep covered to prevent drying out)
- 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese (drained)
- 1 cup honey (plus extra for drizzling)
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped finely
- ½ cup almonds, chopped finely
- ½ cup melted butter
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
Directions
- Prepare the baking dish: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a rectangular baking dish with baking paper or grease it with melted butter.
- Mix the filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, ½ cup honey, chopped walnuts, chopped almonds, and cinnamon. Stir well until everything is mixed evenly.
- Layer the filo: Place a single sheet of phyllo pastry into the baking dish and brush it lightly with melted butter. Continue layering with 5 sheets of filo, brushing each one with butter as you go.
- Add filling layer: Spoon half of the ricotta mixture evenly over the filo layers. Smooth it out so it reaches all sides.
- Repeat filo layers: Add 5 more sheets of filo on top, brushing each with melted butter. Then, add the remaining ricotta filling over this second layer.
- Top layers: Add another 5 layers of filo pastry on top of the filling, brushing each layer with butter as before. Finish by brushing the top layer with a bit of extra butter.
- Bake: Place the dish in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and crispy.
- Add honey drizzle: Once out of the oven, pour the remaining honey over the top while it’s still warm. Allow it to soak in for a few minutes.
- Cool and slice: Let the cake cool for at least 20 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.
Greek placenta cake is delightful, perfect for sharing a simple yet flavourful cake that is sure to be a crowd pleaser. If you enjoyed Greek food or dessert, try one of these recipes!
Greek Lamb
Sweet Baklava Bites
For more information on buying the right cake tin for you, we recommend you review the following; Best Cake Tins.
