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 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 if it comes out clean. Let the vasilopita cool in the pan for 10 minutes and transfer onto a wire rack or plater.

12. Dust with the cacao and garnish with the icing sugar and/or coconut flakes on top before serving (optional).

Politiki Vasilopita (Tsoureki)

Ingredients:

For the yeast

60gr fresh yeast or 16g dry yeast

1 tbsp sugar

75mls lukewarm water

75gr strong bread flour

For Vasilopita Tsoureki dough:

750gr strong bread flour

200gr granulated sugar

180ml lukewarm milk

10ml sunflower oil

2 eggs

75ml orange juice (freshly squashed)

10gr mahlep

1 vanilla pod or 3-4 drops of vanilla extract

1 orange peel

For Vasilopita Tsoureki egg wash

1 egg (egg yolk)

1 tsp water

*additionally you can sprinkle 3 crystals of mastic for extra aroma

wash and wrap the lucky coin with aluminium foil

Method:

1. Add the yeast in a medium size bowl, followed by 1 tablespoon of sugar, 75mls lukewarm water and 75gr strong bread flour

2. Mix the ingredients for 2-3 minutes

3. Wrap the bowl with cling wrap and cover it with a kitchen towel. Leave the dough to rest for approximately 20 minutes near a radiator, in the sun or a warm stove. During this time the mixture will more than double in size.

4. In another large bowl add the sugar with the eggs and whisk them for a couple of minutes. Add the lukewarm milk, orange juice, orange peel, sunflower oil and vanilla. Whisk the ingredients for a couple of minutes. At this point, start adding the flour, mahlep and the yeast (risen dough/yeast). Leave the whisk aside and start mixing the ingredients by hand. Kneed the dough for approximately 7 minutes. You can also use an electric mixer.

5. Add 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil in the dough and cover the bowl sides with oil. Wrap the entire bowl with cling wrap and cover it with a kitchen towel. Let it rise for approximately 30-35 minutes

6. When the dough doubles in size, knead again for a couple of minutes and shape the dough into a round shape to fit into your cake tin. Do not forget your Lucky coin at this stage! Use a clean coin, wrap it in aluminum foil, and place it in the dough. I add the lucky coin from the base of the Tsoureki

7. Cut enough parchment paper or cookie sheet to cover the bottom of the cake tin and a separately piece for the sidewall of the cake tin. If you do not cover the cake tin with parchment paper the dough will stick into the cake and you will not be able to remove it from the cake tin. Wrap the cake tin with the dough with cling wrap, oil it and let it rest for another 20 minutes

8. Preheat the oven to 170C

9. When the dough has increased in size, brush the surface of the dough with a pastry brush with the beaten egg. Place it in the cake tin

10. Bake the for approximately 40-45 minutes. You can check whether your vasilopita tsoureki is ready with a toothpick .Simply prick the cake with the toothpick. If the toothpick still has dough residue on it when you pull it out, bake for another 10 minutes

11. Allow the vasilopita to cool and decorate as you wish. Sprinkle it with icing sugar or cover it with toasted almonds for garnish.