Vasilopita: The Greek New Year's Cake That Brings Good Luck

The most festive baking season is on, with most homes in Greece and the diaspora setting out to prepare their vasilopita, the Greek good luck cake for New Years Eve.

The festive baking season is upon us, with most homes in Greece and the diaspora preparing their vasilopita, the Greek good luck cake for New Years Eve.

The sweet, often bread-like cake is only made for the new year celebrations and recipes for this cake differ depending on the region of Greece one is from. There are two dominant recipes for Vasilopita, one being a tsoureki-style bake with its origins in Asia Minor and the other a vanilla/lemon like cake (the recipe varies) sprinkled with with caster sugar and cinnamon or cacao, more commonly seen in Central Greece.

Dedicated to St. Basil (Vasili), Greek Orthodox Church’s version of Santa Claus, the cake is baked with a hidden coin, that is meant to bring fortune, love and health to the person that ends up eating the piece the coin landed in.

Before baking, the trinket is put into the dough. In most homes, a new year’s prayer is shared when the cake is being cut. The cake is then split into slices for each family member and guest, with the recipients queuing up from oldest to youngest. Until everyone has received their piece, no one is allowed to dig into their own slice. The head of the household cuts a cross into the vasilopita, usually when the clock strikes midnight, and then proceeds to cut a slice for the divine and each person present. The first piece is dedicated to Christ, the second to the Virgin Mary, and the third to the house or St. Basil. The one who gets the coin in their slice, is said to have good luck brought upon them for the next 12 months.

Why a coin?

Born in Caesarea, Cappadocia in 330 AD, St Basil was born into a wealthy family. He went on to study theology in Constantinople, and built the Basiliad church outside Caesarea of which he became Bishop. His philanthropic nature, led him to distribute his wealth among the poor.

One day however, a siege was brought upon the city. With no wealth to hand over to the enemy as ransom, St Basil had to call upon the community for their help. They jumped at the chance, handing over anything of value they had, including gold and jewels. The enemy was so touched by their generosity, he withdrew his threats.

Once the treasures had all been mixed, it was difficult to know who owned each piece of gold and jewels. So to make it fair, St Basil requested that his deacons bake small loaves of bread, placing a piece of treasure at the centre of each. Miraculously, the recipients each ended up with the treasures that were rightfully theirs.

Since then the tradition has evolved, with the treasure a coin placed in the centre followed across the Greek diaspora, and in many Balkan and Eastern European countries where it is not associated with St Basil.

Cake style Vasilopita

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, (save some to oil the pan with)

3 cups all-purpose flour, (set some aside to dust the pan with before pouring the batter in)

2 cups granulated sugar

6 large eggs

3 1/2 tablespoons brandy

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons finely grated orange zest

1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup orange juice

Cacao powder for decorating, coconut flakes & icing sugar, for serving (optional)

Method:

1. Turn on the oven to 180°C on fan or double resistance (top & bottom).

2. Butter and then sprinkle with flour a 10-inch round cake pan, then line the bottom with parchment.

3. You can either use an electric mixer on high speed if you have one or use a beater to hand beat the butter with the granulated sugar for 10 or 15 minutes respectively. Make sure that the butter is in room temperature and soft before mixing it to avoid clumping. Beat until the mix looks soft and fluffy and looks paler than the butter in colour.

4. Lowering the speed by a little start adding the eggs one at a time so that the batter rises. Make sure each egg is fully incorporating into the mixture before adding the next.

5. Once you are done with the eggs add the brandy and vanilla followed by the orange zest and lemon zest until everything is combined.

6. In a separate bowl stir the flour and baking powder to combine.

7. Start poring in the orange juice with mixing the original batter slowly taking breaks to also add the flour mixture gradually.

8. Once the batter feels homogenised pour it in the pan.

9. Wrap a coin in foil and drop it into the batter making sure the top of the pan is smoothed out with a spatula before you bake it.

10. Bake for 60 minutes.

11. Stick a toothpick or tester through the body of the cake to see