Vasilopita is a traditional Greek New Year’s cake.  This is a recipe for the cake version of Vasilopita.  With hints of orange and vanilla, this light and fluffy cake is delicious, and there’s the possibility of getting the lucky coin for good luck and fortune all year! 

A coin is hidden inside the cake after it’s baked, and the person who gets the coin in their piece of vasilopita is said to have good luck for the upcoming year! 

Making the vasilopita is one of my favourite Greek holiday traditions. On New Year’s Day, our family gets together for dinner, and then we cut the vasilopita. You could also cut the vasilopita at midnight on New Year’s Eve or in the morning on New Year’s Day.  Vasilopita is pronounced as “vah-see-lo-pee-tah.”

The cake itself is relatively easy to make (I mean, as easy as making a cake can be, haha).  And it’s fun to be creative with the toppings and how you design the vasilopita.  My family usually writes the numbers of the new year on the cake with dried cranberries or uses a stencil to cut out the numbers, but you can do a different stencil design, write Happy New Year, or sprinkle the top of the cake with powdered sugar.

For this vasilopita recipe, you don’t need to worry about separating the eggs into yolks and whites and beating the egg whites on their own!

What Is The Meaning Of Vasilopita?

Vasilopita is made in Greek culture to celebrate the New Year and the life of Saint Basil (Vasilios in Greek).  A hidden coin is placed inside the vasilopita, and whoever gets the piece of cake with the lucky coin is said to have good luck for the New Year! 

RECIPE TIPS 

The coin will be noticeable when eating the vasilopita, but it’s a good idea to remind everyone that there is a coin inside the cake, especially when serving this cake to small children or elderly adults.  Here are a few tips so that you end up with a moist, flavourful, and light vasilopita that bakes properly! 

• Room temperature ingredients.  I almost wanted to write this in all caps because it’s so important! The butter, eggs, milk, and orange juice must be at room temperature.  I know it’s exciting to rush into the recipe (trust me, I’ve done that too many times, haha), but the ingredients need to be at room temperature so that the batter doesn’t curdle, mixes easily, and bakes properly. 
  
  

• If you’re short on time, you can gradually heat up the butter in the microwave in 5-second intervals. You want it soft enough where the butter indents if you press it, but not too soft where there is no structure to the butter or it’s melted.
  
  

• To quickly bring the eggs to room temperature, you can place the eggs in a bowl with warm water for 5 minutes. The water shouldn’t be hot. Otherwise, the eggs may start to cook.  The milk can be heated in the microwave so that it’s warm but not hot (you can dip your finger in the milk without pulling it away).
  
  

• The most common cause of curdled cake batter for vasilopita is cold eggs, milk, or orange juice. When cold ingredients are added to the room-temperature batter, they bring down the temperature of the entire mixture.  Also, the cold temperature causes the fat to solidify and turn into little chunks.  If the milk and orange juice are cold, you can put them in the microwave for 5 seconds at a time until they are at room temperature.
  
  

• Creaming the butter and sugar together helps to create a fluffy cake since this process beats air into the butter, and the sugar helps to trap little pockets of air.  You only need to cream the butter and sugar together for 2-3 minutes.  Most of the gas bubbles are created during this creaming process, creating texture and a cake that will rise beautifully.
  
  

• If you overcream the butter and sugar, the mixture will separate and become grainy. How do we know when butter and sugar are perfectly creamed?  The butter and sugar will become a pale yellow colour (not white), and you won’t notice the sugar granules as much.  The butter and sugar mixture will increase in volume and become light and fluffy when creamed together.
  
  

• Adding eggs to the creamed butter and sugar is called emulsifying because these ingredients normally don’t mix well together.  In this step, we’re emulsifying the ingredients, which means ingredients that normally don’t incorporate together. Going slowly gives a better chance of emulsifying the eggs with butter and sugar without the batter curdling. 
  
  

• If the batter does curdle, quickly add a few tablespoons of the flour mixture to the batter and then continue adding the eggs.  The important step here is to go slowly when adding the egg mixture.  Allow the butter and sugar to mix with the egg for 10 seconds before adding more of the egg mixture.  Patience really is the key here! 
  
  

• If the eggs are added too quickly, they will curdle with the fat in the butter. Allow 45-60 seconds between adding each egg to the creamed butter and sugar.
  
  

• We will alternate between the flour, milk, flour, and orange juice when adding the dry ingredients.  Lower the speed of your mixer once you start adding in the flour. Start with the flour and end with the flour. So dry, wet, dry, wet, dry.. etc.  Once all the flour is incorporated and you can no longer see any flour, turn off the mixer. You can do a couple of stirs with the spatula to ensure there aren’t any lumps in the batter.
  
  

• Don’t open the oven during baking, especially during the first 45 minutes, since the change in temperature may cause your cake to go flat. When the cake is almost done, you can remove the cake from the oven and insert a toothpick or small sharp knife into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean or with just a few little crumbs, the vasilopita cake is ready, and you can remove it from the oven. 

INGREDIENT NOTES

Unsalted butter: As mentioned above, the unsalted butter must be at room temperature.  When making this recipe, I usually leave the butter out overnight so that it has time to come to room temperature.  This is really important! Softened butter will cream more easily with sugar, resulting in a fluffier batter and a lighter cake.

Eggs: It’s important that the eggs are at room temperature to mix with the butter and sugar more easily. Cold eggs affect the temperature of the batter since they bring down the temperature of the cake batter.  Also, if the eggs are cold, they will curdle the cake batter since the butter (fat) will seize.

Metaxa brandy: Metaxa brandy is an amber-coloured Greek liqueur with a beautifully sweet and smooth taste. If you don’t have Metaxa brandy, you can use another type of brandy, cognac, or brandy extract instead.

If you use brandy extract, you’ll only need about 1/2 a tablespoon since the taste is much stronger than brandy. Then, add an additional 2 1/2 tablespoons of orange juice to the cake batter if using brandy extract. Or opt for no brandy and simply use three tablespoons extra of fresh orange juice in its place. 

Cake and pastry flour: I tested this recipe three times with all-purpose flour, and while the flavour was delicious, the cake was denser and not as light and fluffy. Then I tried the same recipe and ingredients with cake and pastry flour, and the cake was noticeably light and airy.  I use the cake and pastry flour from Robin Hood.  It’s made from soft wheat and has a lower gluten amount than all-purpose flour. 

Baking powder: Make sure the baking powder hasn’t expired. You can test a small amount in a glass. Add a teaspoon of baking powder and pour in about 1/4 cup of warm water. The baking powder should start to fizz. You’ll need to get some new baking powder if it doesn’t. From experience, testing it out beforehand is better than making a whole cake with expired baking powder.

Navel oranges: I find that navel oranges are great to use for baking recipes. Zest the orange first, then cut it in half to squeeze the juice. I like to strain the fresh orange juice so there’s no pulp. The orange juice will need to be at room temperature. If the oranges are stored in the fridge and the juice is cold, it will lower the temperature of the cake batter, which may result in the batter curdling and a longer bake time. 

Whole Milk: The milk will need to be at room temperature, or you can heat it up in the microwave so it’s slightly warm (but not hot). If the milk is cold, it may curdle the batter and will bring down the temperature of the cake batter, which will impact the baking time. Adding whole milk to the cake adds flavour, helps brown the cake, and adds protein, fat, sugar, and sweetness to the vasilopita!

Vegetable oil: You’ll want to use lighter vegetable oil that doesn’t have a strong flavour, but oil adds moisture and helps create a fluffy cake! 

RECOMMENDED KITCHEN TOOLS 

• Electric stand mixer and large mixing bowl with the whisk attachment
• 10″ x 2″ baking pan (light-coloured) 
• Measuring cup
• Citrus zester and juicer
• Large bowl 
• Spatula 

HOW TO MAKE VASILOPITA: STEP BY STEP 

STEP 1: Prepare the dry ingredients. Sift the flour into a large bowl.  Add the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt into the bowl with the flour.  Whisk well together and set aside. Zest and juice the oranges. Set aside.


Lightly grease the bottom and the sides of a 10″ baking pan with a little bit of unsalted butter and a dusting of flour.  You could also line the baking pan with parchment paper.  Too much butter in the greased pan will cause the outside of the cake to become crispy. Preheat the oven to 350°F on bake.
 

STEP 2: Prepare the wet ingredients. Add the softened unsalted butter and vegetable oil into a mixing bowl. Use the whisk attachment and cream the butter and oil on medium speed (#6 on a KitchenAid mixer) for 2 minutes.  Turn off the mixer and use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl and the whisk attachment. 

Turn on the mixer again to medium speed and slowly add all of the white sugar to the mixing bowl.  Cream the butter, oil, and sugar on medium speed (#4 on a KitchenAid mixer for 30 seconds).  Turn off the mixer and scrape the sides and the whisk.  Turn on the mixer, increase the speed to #6 on a KitchenAid mixer, and cream the butter, oil, and sugar on medium speed for 1 minute and 30 seconds.  Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides, and whisk.

STEP 3: Add in the eggs.  Turn the mixer on medium speed and add one egg at a time. Allow the egg to incorporate into the mixture for 45-60 seconds before adding in the next egg. Repeat this process until all four eggs are added.  Then add in the vanilla extract and brandy.  If you add the eggs too fast, there is a risk that the emulsion never properly forms. 

If the eggs are too cold when added to the creamed butter, oil and sugar, the butter will harden, little lumps will form, and the mixture will curdle.  To prevent curdling, it’s important not to add all of the eggs at once.  If the batter is curdled, then the emulsion has split. If this happens, quickly add 2-3 tablespoons of the flour mixture to the creamed butter and continue adding eggs.

 

STEP 4: Combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients. Add the orange zest to the flour mixture once all of the eggs are incorporated into the butter and sugar mixture.  Mix together.  Next, we’re going to alternate between the dry and wet ingredients. Lower the speed of the electric mixer to #2 on a KitchenAid mixer when you add the flour. Now time to alternate: start with flour, milk, flour, orange juice, flour, milk, flour, etc. and end with flour. Repeat this process until everything is incorporated.

Once you can no longer see any more flour, turn off the mixer.  Use a spatula to mix the batter one final time, and then pour the cake batter into the greased pan. Lightly tap the cake pan against a kitchen counter a few times and swirl the cake pan so that the batter can spread evenly and any excess air pockets are removed.

 

STEP 5:  Bake the vasilopita. Place the cake in the second to the bottom rack of your preheated oven. Slowly close the oven door. Bake the vasilopita for 55-60 minutes.  To test if the vasilopita is done, insert a sharp knife or toothpick in the center of the cake. If it comes out mostly clean, then the cake is done. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 25-30 minutes before transferring the cake to a cooling rack.

STEP 6: Clean the lucky coin. Wash a small coin with soap and pat dry. Wrap the coin tightly with tinfoil or aluminum foil. Now, for the fun part, carefully insert the coin into the bottom of the baked cake. You can use a quarter, loonie, toonie, or another small coin of your choice.  Try not to place the coin directly in the centre of the cake, or it may be hard to tell which slice the coin ends up in when the cake is sliced. You won’t be able to tell where the coin was inserted once you flip the cake over again.

STEP 7: Sprinkle the vasilopita with icing sugar. Dust the top of the vasilopita with a generous amount of icing sugar. You can create a cutout stencil design with the year, write the numbers of the year with dried cranberries or chocolate chips or leave it plain with icing sugar.  Traditionally, the numbers of the upcoming year are written on top of the cake. 

STEP 8: Cut the vasilopita.  The family’s eldest member will usually slice the pieces of the vasilopita. Normally, the order of the cake pieces starts with God, the house, the business/work, and then the family members from oldest to youngest. If you have more space, you can add relatives or friends if they’re celebrating the New Year with you. Whoever gets the lucky coin is said to have good luck for the new year!

STORING & SERVING 

Vasilopita is best served at room temperature. You could serve vasilopita with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream for a more indulgent dessert, but traditionally, it’s enjoyed on its own with icing sugar. Vasilopita is often enjoyed with fresh coffee or tea on New Year’s Day.

Vasilopita can last at room temperature for 3-4 days, covered tightly with plastic wrap or in an airtight container. 

Wishing you a very Happy New Year!

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Print Recipe

4.72 from 7 votes

Greek New Year’s Cake (Vasilopita Recipe)

Lucky Greek New Year's Cake! A delicious cake with hints of vanilla extract and fresh orange and sprinkled with a generous amount of icing sugar. A coin is hidden inside the vasilopita and the lucky person who finds the coin in their piece of vasilopita is said to have good luck for the upcoming year!

Prep Time40 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Additional Time40 minutes mins

Total Time2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: Greek

Keyword: greek holiday desserts, greek new years cake, vasilopita

Servings: 8 pieces

Calories: 893kcal

Author: Ria Mavrikos

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• Electric stand mixer and large mixing bowl with the whisk attachment
• 10" x 2" baking pan (light-coloured)
• Citrus zester and juicer

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature – softened
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs room temperature
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 oz Metaxa brandy 2 tablespoons
• 3 cups of cake and pastry flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder level
• 1/2 teaspoon salt level
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon level
• 1 tablespoon orange zest about two navel oranges
• 1 cup whole or homogenized milk room temperature
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice room temperature
• 1/2 cup icing sugar to dust on top of the vasilopita adjust to taste
• one small coin washed and wrapped in aluminum foil

Instructions

• Prepare the dry ingredients. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt into the bowl with the flour. Whisk together and set aside. Zest and juice the oranges. Set aside. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 10" baking pan with a little bit of unsalted butter and a dusting of flour. You could also line the baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350°F on bake.
• Prepare the wet ingredients. Add the softened unsalted butter and oil into a mixing bowl. Use the whisk attachment and cream the butter and oil on medium speed (#6 on a KitchenAid mixer) for 2 minutes. Turn off the mixer and use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl and the whisk attachment. Turn on the mixer again to medium speed and slowly add all of the white sugar to the mixing bowl. Cream the butter, oil, and sugar together on medium speed (#6 on a KitchenAid mixer for 2 minutes). The butter and sugar will become light in colour and fluffy. Turn off the mixer and scrape the sides of the mixing bowl and the whisk attachment.
• Add in the eggs. Turn the mixer on medium speed (#6 on KitchenAid mixer) and add one egg at a time. Allow the egg to incorporate into the mixture for 45-60 seconds before adding in the next egg. Repeat this process until all four eggs are added. Then add in the vanilla extract and brandy. If you add the eggs too fast, there is a risk that the emulsion never properly forms. If the eggs are too cold when added to the creamed butter and sugar, the butter will harden, little lumps will form, and the mixture will curdle. To prevent curdling, it's important not to add all the eggs at once. If the batter is curdled, then the emulsion has split. If this happens, quickly add 2-3 tablespoons of the flour mixture to the creamed butter and then continue to add in the eggs.
• Combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients. Once all of the eggs are incorporated into the butter, oil, and sugar mixture, add the orange zest to the flour mixture. Mix together. Next, we're going to alternate between the dry and wet ingredients. Lower the speed of the electric mixer to #2 on a KitchenAid mixer once you add the flour. Mix in dry, wet, dry, wet, dry, etc. Add some of the flour mixture, milk, flour, orange juice, and then flour, and repeat this process until everything is incorporated. Once you can no longer see any more flour, turn off the mixer. Use a spatula to mix the batter one final time and scrape down the whisk attachment. Pour the cake batter into the greased pan. Lightly tap the cake pan against a kitchen counter a few times and swirl the cake pan so that the batter is spread evenly and to remove any air pockets.
• Bake the vasilopita. Place the cake in the second to the bottom rack of your preheated oven. Slowly close the oven door. Bake the cake for 55-60 minutes. To test if the vasilopita is done, insert a sharp knife or toothpick in the center of the cake. If it comes out mostly clean, then the cake is done. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 25-30 minutes before transferring the cake to a cooling rack.
• Clean the lucky coin. Wash a small coin with soap and pat dry. Wrap the coin tightly with tinfoil or aluminum foil. Carefully insert the coin into the bottom of the baked cake. You can use a quarter, loonie, toonie or another small coin of your choice. Try not to place the coin directly in the centre of the cake, or it may be hard to tell which slice the coin ends up in when the cake is sliced. You won't be able to tell where the coin was inserted once you flip the cake over again.
• Sprinkle the vasilopita with icing sugar. Dust the top of the vasilopita with a generous amount of icing sugar. You can create a cutout stencil design with the year, write the numbers of the year with dried cranberries or chocolate chips or leave the top of the vasilopita plain with icing sugar. Traditionally, the numbers of the upcoming year are written on top of the cake.
• Cut the vasilopita. The family's eldest member will usually slice the pieces of the vasilopita. Normally, the order of the cake pieces starts with God, the house, the business/work, and then the family members from oldest to youngest. If you have more space, you can add relatives or friends if they're celebrating the New Year with you. Whoever gets the lucky coin is said to have good luck for the new year!

Notes

• Room temperature ingredients. The butter, eggs, milk, and orange juice must be at room temperature, so the batter doesn't curdle, mixes easily, and bakes properly.
• Cream the butter, oil, and sugar together. This process helps to create a fluffy cake since air is beaten into the butter, and the sugar helps to trap little pockets of air. You only need to cream the butter and sugar together for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the eggs slowly to the creamed butter, oil, and sugar. Add one egg at a time to the creamed butter and sugar. Allow each egg to incorporate with the creamed butter, oil, and sugar before adding another egg to the mixture. If the eggs are added too quickly, they will curdle with the fat in the butter. Allow about 30-45 seconds in between adding each egg.
• When adding the dry ingredients, we will alternate between flour, milk, flour, orange juice, flour, milk, flour, etc. Start with the flour (dry) and end with the flour (dry).
• Don't open the oven during baking. Especially during the first 45 minutes, since the change in temperature may cause your cake to go flat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 893kcal | Carbohydrates: 112g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 30g | Cholesterol: 195mg | Sodium: 602mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 84g