Greek Orange Phyllo Cake

Combine 2 cups of sugar, water, and a pinch of cinnamon in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Introduce the vibrant flavor of orange juice by squeezing it into the mixture and adding in the juice of 2 orange halves. Bring the concoction to a rolling boil and maintain its vigor for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow it to cool down while you prepare the cake.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Lightly anoint a 9x13-inch baking pan with some olive oil to prevent the phyllo from sticking.

Unpack the phyllo sheets and tear each one into rough, irregular pieces. Pile these shredded phyllo bits into the prepared baking pan and let them air-dry for a short while as you prepare the remaining ingredients. Cut 1 orange in half and slice one of those halves into very thin, delicate half-moons to use as a garnish for the cake. Extract the zest and juice of 2 1/2 oranges to add to the mix.

Combine the orange juice, zest, eggs, yogurt, olive oil, 1/2 cup of sugar, and baking powder in a blender or food processor. Blend the ingredients together on high speed until they're well combined and frothy, about 2 minutes. Pour the orange, egg, and yogurt mixture over the shredded phyllo in the baking pan. Gently stir everything together to ensure that the egg mixture is evenly distributed throughout. Top the cake with the orange slices.

Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden and the filling has set, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately pour the cooled syrup over the hot cake. Allow it to sit for at least 1 hour, until most of the syrup has been absorbed into the cake. Slice it into squares and serve.