Greek Walnut Cake "Karidopita"

Cake

• 2 ½ oz unsalted butter plus extra to grease
• 6 oz all-purpose flour plus extra to dust
• 2 oz stale bread broken into pieces
• 9 oz walnut pieces
• 3 whole cloves
• 3 large eggs
• 4 ½ oz sugar
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp brandy
• 4 ½ oz milk

Syrup

• 18 oz sugar divided
• ½ organic lemon thin peel only, no pith
• 12 ½ oz water
• 1 vanilla bean pod