Make your own delicious lucky Greek New Year’s Eve Cake called Vasilopita. This traditional Greek cake is moist and aromatic and infused with orange and vanilla. Try this traditional and easy vasilopita recipe and get all info on the lucky coin and how you are supposed to cut it.

New year’s eve is approaching and apart from the food and drink, the Vasilopita is the center of attention. Vasilopita pronounced vah-see-LO-pee-tah, is the Greek lucky new year’s cake that has a coin hidden in it and is cut at midnight. It is tradition for each family to have their own vasilopita and a piece is cut for each family member. If the coin is in your piece you supposedly have good luck for the rest of the year.

I remember all the kids were so excited when vasilopita time came, we all wanted to get the lucky coin. Once we had our piece we would break it up to see if we had the coin, if not we still got to enjoy the tasty cake. Nowadays, I enjoy it much more the next day with a cup of coffee.

The Vasilopita Tradition

Vasilopita is a special cake that’s only made for New Year’s. It’s usually made with basic ingredients including flour, eggs, butter, and sugar, and topped with powdered sugar. The special part? There’s a coin baked inside, bringing luck for the year ahead to whoever gets it in their piece.

“Vasilopita” means “Bread of Basil,” and cutting is an important part of the tradition, as you will see below. The vasilopita cutting is an important part of Greek life not only as a family tradition but also in business and society.

Clubs, sports teams, companies and other groups also cut Vasilopita between New Year’s and Lent. Whether it’s a gold coin or just spare change, finding it means good luck for the year!

How to Cut a Vasilopita

On New Year’s Eve when the clock strikes 12, after everyone wishes each other a new year it is time for cutting the vasilopita. Traditionally there is a religious aspect, so the host of the house is the one who cuts the cake. The first piece is for Christ, the second for the virgin Mary, the third for the house and then follows a piece for the hosts, following by the oldest relatives and moving to the youngest. If a family member is away on a trip they are also included. We also included our pets.

If you are celebrating New Years’ s with friends and you are cutting a vasilopita, they all should get pieces. Anyone who is present at the gathering should get a piece.

Vasilopita is not only cut in families, but also businesses, clubs, associations and ministries. All have vasilopites that they cut during the first few weeks of the year. The concept of the coin applies to all the employees and members and is attached to a larger gift such as a television.

The Vasilopita Coin

Typically a gold plated coin or a silver coin will be inserted in the Vasilopita, there are coins made and sold just for that reason. Whoever gets the coin, not only gets to enjoy good luck for the whole year, but they also get some sort of gift such as money and/or a charm.

Vasilopita Ingredients

Vasilopita is a moist cake made with ingredients everyone has at home: sugar, flour, eggs, milk and orange. There is another more bread-like version made with yeast, which is a bit, more time consuming, but in our family we make and like the cake version. Now obviously this is not a particularly healthy recipe, what with the butter, but you usually enjoy only one small piece and if you have leftovers you can enjoy it over the next few days with coffee or tea.

This vasilopita recipe is slightly lighter than the traditional Vasilopita, and is the one my mom has been making since I was a little girl. It is a slightly modified version of the one in the Hrysa Paradisi cookbook. So while it contains the basic components sugar-flour-butter, it uses orange juice instead milk, it contains less eggs than the typical vasilopita with only 3 eggs as opposed to 6 eggs in other recipes. I also have modified it a bit more by reducing the sugar by ¼ cup, and you could probably reduce it by another ¼ cup without affecting the texture too much.

How To Make Vasilopita

• To start preheat the oven at about 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
• Line the base of a 9-10 inch springform pan with wax paper and grease the sides well. If you use a larger diameter pan you will have a thinner cake that will take less time to bake.
• Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl (flour and baking powder) and set aside.
• In another bowl cream the sugar and the butter.
• Then you add the orange juice, vanilla and orange zest to the butter mixture and mix well for about 2 minutes.
• Whip the eggs in a small bowl and add to the butter mixture and mix for another 2 minutes.
• Now add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix at low speed until everything is combined-do not over mix. At this point you may put a coin that is wrapped in aluminum foil in the mixture or do it later (see next steps).
• Empty batter (it will be thick) in the pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
• Bake for about 45-60 minutes. Don’t open the oven before it is ready. Test with a toothpick or knife all the way to the bottom of the cake to make sure it is done.
• If not bake for additional time.
• Remove from oven and let cool completely.
• Once it is cool release the pan and turn cake upside-down on another plate. You can put the coin in now, wrap in foil and push it through the cake carefully.
• Turn cake back on top and sprinkle with powdered sugar, you can also even out the top of the cake slicing with a long knife.
• You can make a design using paper cut outs or using almonds or raisins or you can ice the cake with a simple icing made with powdered sugar and water.
• Make sure you have a lucky charm for the person who will get the coin in their piece.

You May Also Like These Recipes

• Authentic Lemon Olive Oil Cake
• Greek Custard Pie – Galatopita
• Vasilopita – Greek Lucky New Year’s Cake Made with Olive Oil

Jump to Recipe

Vasilopita –The Greek Lucky New Year’s Cake

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Greek New Year's Eve Cake – Vasilopita. This traditional, delicious Greek cake is moist and aromatic and infused with orange and vanilla.

Course: Dessert, holiday

Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean

Keyword: Vasilopita Greek New Year’s Cake

Servings: 16

1x2x3x

Calories: 290kcal

Author: Elena Paravantes, MS, RD

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Ingredients

• 4 cups (480 g) flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 ¾ cup (350 g) sugar
• 1 cup (227 g) butter, softened
• 1 ½ cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 eggs
• Powdered Sugar

Instructions

• Preheat the oven at at about 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
• Line the base of a 9-10 inch springform pan with wax paper and grease the sides.(You can use an even wider pan for a thinner cake-it will take less time to bake)
• In a bowl mix the flour and baking powder and set aside.
• In a bowl, cream the sugar and butter.
• Add the orange juice, vanilla and orange zest- mix with a mixer about 2 minutes.
• Whip the eggs in a small bowl and add to the butter mixture and mix for another 2 minutes.
• Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix for 2 minutes at low speed-do not over mix. If you are adding the coin in the batter, add it now.
• Pour batter (it will be thick) in the pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
• Bake for about 45-60 minutes. Check with a thin sharp knife in the center, it should come out clean. If not bake for additional time.
• Remove from oven and let cool completely.
• Release the pan and turn cake upside-down on another plate. If putting the coin in now, wrap in foil and push it through the cake. Turn cake back on top and sprinkle with powdered sugar, you can also even out the top of the cake slicing with a long knife.

Notes

TIPS

• You can make a design using paper cut outs or using almonds or raisins or you can ice the cake with a simple icing made with powdered sugar and water.
• Make sure you have a lucky charm for the person who will get the coin in their piece.
• Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition Facts

Vasilopita –The Greek Lucky New Year’s Cake

Serving Size

 

1 1/16 of thecake

Amount per Serving

Calories

290

% Daily Value*

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Photos by Elena Paravantes All Rights Reserved