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Vassilopita grecque

Name: Vassilopita grecque
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: GR
Ingredients: 1 coin (any clean coin), wrapped tightly in foil; 250 g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for the pan; 250 g granulated sugar; 4 large eggs, at room temperature; 400 g all-purpose flour, plus extra for the pan; 2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp ground mahlepi (mahlab) or ground mastic, optional; 2 oranges, zest only; 180 ml fresh orange juice; 80 ml whole milk, at room temperature; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 30 g sliced or whole blanched almonds, for the top; 1 tbsp powdered sugar, for dusting

30m

Prépa

55m

Cuisson

Portions

Moyen

Difficulté

Gâteau moelleux à l'orange, cuit avec une pièce de monnaie cachée, coupé à minuit pour porter bonheur en janvier.

#greek#new-year#cake#orange#tradition#lucky-coin

Portions

12portions

Ingrédients

Nutrition

calories400

protein6g

carbs49g

fat20g

fiber1g

Par portion

Étapes

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

✅ C'est prêt quand : 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

✅ C'est prêt quand : 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

✅ C'est prêt quand : 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

✅ C'est prêt quand : 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

This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.

Cool and finish

This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.

History & Culture

The Story Behind the Dish

📍 Greece, nationwide📅 Named for a 4th-century saint, baked as a home tradition for generations🍰 GR

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.

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