Vasilopita New Year's Cake (Βασιλόπιτα)
A buttery, orange-scented sponge cake topped with almonds, baked with a coin hidden inside and cut at the stroke of midnight — whoever finds the coin gets good luck for the year.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Prepare pan and coin
Butter and flour a 26 cm round cake pan and line the base with a circle of parchment paper. Wrap the coin tightly in a double layer of foil so it stays sealed and clean inside the batter.
- 1 coin, wrapped
- a little butter, for the pan
- a little flour, for the pan
✅ Done when: the pan is fully coated and the coin is sealed with no sharp edges poking through the foil
Mix the dry ingredients
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and mahlepi if using. Setting this aside now means it folds in smoothly later without lumps of baking powder.
- 400 g flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp mahlepi, optional
✅ Done when: the dry ingredients look evenly pale and combined, with no streaks
Cream butter and sugar
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Fold in flour and liquids
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Hide the coin and bake
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Cool and finish
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Prepare pan and coin
Butter and flour a 26 cm round cake pan and line the base with a circle of parchment paper. Wrap the coin tightly in a double layer of foil so it stays sealed and clean inside the batter.
- 1 coin, wrapped
- a little butter, for the pan
- a little flour, for the pan
✅ Done when: the pan is fully coated and the coin is sealed with no sharp edges poking through the foil
Mix the dry ingredients
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and mahlepi if using. Setting this aside now means it folds in smoothly later without lumps of baking powder.
- 400 g flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp mahlepi, optional
✅ Done when: the dry ingredients look evenly pale and combined, with no streaks
Cream butter and sugar
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Fold in flour and liquids
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Hide the coin and bake
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Cool and finish
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The Story Behind the Dish
Vasilopita honors Saint Basil the Great, a bishop from Caesarea known for his generosity to the poor; his feast day, January 1st, became tied to New Year celebrations across the Greek-speaking world. Families bake the cake with a coin hidden inside, then cut it after midnight: a slice for Christ, a slice for the house, and a slice for each family member, from oldest to youngest.
Every region has its own version, from this buttery orange sponge to yeasted, bread-like loaves scented with mastic and mahlepi. Whoever finds the coin in their slice is said to carry good luck through the coming year.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It turns the first cut of the new year into a shared ritual of hope, luck and togetherness, found on nearly every Greek table on January 1st.
💡 Fun Fact
Beyond home kitchens, workplaces, clubs and even ships' crews cut their own vasilopita together, often slicing one extra piece for absent members or the poor.
Greece, nationwide
39.07°N, 21.82°E
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