Greek chef Giorgos Tsoulis shares his recipe for Revani (or Ravani) Veroias, a beloved syrup-soaked cake from the city of Veria in northern Greece. Unlike many revani recipes that use semolina, this traditional regional version is made with flour, resulting in a light, fluffy texture that beautifully absorbs the fragrant orange syrup.
Bursting with fresh citrus flavor and wonderfully moist from the syrup, this classic Greek dessert is a true delight for orange lovers.
Revani Veroias: Traditional Greek Orange Syrup Cake
Giorgos Tsoulis
Revani is one of Greece's most beloved syrup cakes, and this traditional version comes from the city of Veria in northern Greece. Made with flour and infused with fresh orange juice, the cake is light and fluffy before being drenched in a fragrant orange syrup. The result is a wonderfully moist dessert that's packed with bright citrus flavor.
Place a pot over medium heat. Add the water, sugar, and orange juice. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. When ready, set the syrup aside to cool completely.
For the revani cake:
Put the butter and sugar in a blender bowl and blend for about 1 minute on medium speed using the whisk attachment. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
While blending, slowly add the egg and orange juice. Blend for 1 minute and then add the flour in batches. Blend until completely combined.
Grease a 25 x 33 cm (10 x 12 – inch) rectangular baking pan with butter and dust with flour. Add the batter and gently tap on a counter to spread it evenly.
Bake for 30 minutes, until golden.
When ready, remove from oven and poke a few holes in the cake with a straight edged knife. Using a ladle, immediately pour the cooled syrup over the cake.
Allow the cake to soak up the syrup for about 10 minutes. Then cut into pieces and serve.
Notes
Chef’s tip: You can use lemon instead of orange as an aromatic.
Celebrity Chef Giorgos Tsoulis specializes in modern Mediterranean cuisine and his recipes are widely appreciated not just in Greece and Cyprus but also around the world.
He has been the executive chef of numerous successful Greek restaurants, while at the same time hosting many popular culinary TV shows in Greece and Cyprus. Giorgos Tsoulis is passionate about educating his fans in more sustainable and healthy cooking and eating while making the most of the flavors of the ingredients.
As sustainable cuisine ambassador for WWF Hellas, he plays a key role in cooking activations that relate to the European #Eat4Change program, as well as the #Farm2Fork program.
Thanks for your comment! While many versions of revani are made with semolina, this particular recipe is based on the traditional Revani Veroias (Revani from Veria, Greece), which uses all-purpose flour instead. That’s why you don’t see semolina in the ingredient list. We can see how the title might be confusing, though, and we’ll look at clarifying it. Thanks for bringing it to our attention!
Should I not use semolina? It is called a semolina cake, but the recipe says all purpose flour?
Hi Tanja,
Thanks for your comment! While many versions of revani are made with semolina, this particular recipe is based on the traditional Revani Veroias (Revani from Veria, Greece), which uses all-purpose flour instead. That’s why you don’t see semolina in the ingredient list. We can see how the title might be confusing, though, and we’ll look at clarifying it. Thanks for bringing it to our attention!
Best,
Chef’s Pencil Team
Great wintry dessert, the orange syrup was good!