On New Year’s Eve, cut this cake into equal pieces and serve it to your guests or family members…whoever happens to get the slice with the coin is set for a year of good fortune!
“I share with you my great-grandmother’s New Year’s Eve sweet bread (cake), which has been passed down several generations. It is my pleasure to share it with all of you. May you win the hidden coin and have a wonderful new year!”
- ALEXANDRA PAPADOPOULOU, AMBASSADOR OF GREECE
🇬🇷 Greece: Vasilopita
Ingredients
- 1 Cup unsalted butter
- 8 Eggs separated
- 2 ½ Cups Sugar
- 1 Cup Milk
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Zest from 2 oranges
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 5 Cups All purpose flour (you might need a little less to assure the dough is not too dense)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Melt butter and whip until whitish in color.
- In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar.
- In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff like meringue.
- Combine all of the above into a single bowl.
- While stirring, add milk, lemon juice, orange zest, baking soda and baking powder.
- Finally, add the flour gradually, making sure you use enough to make a soft mixture, not too thick.
- Pour the mixture into a round pan that is buttered and floured.
- Wrap a coin in aluminum foil and insert anywhere into the mixture, shaking the pan slightly.
- Bake approximately 1 to 1-1/2 hours, depending on oven; check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center, making sure the batter is not too moist.
- Remove from oven and let cool; then sprinkle with powdered sugar.
- [ON NEW YEARS EVE]: Slice the vasilopita into equal pieces and serve to your guests or family members. Whoever happens to get the slice with the coin is set for a year of good fortune. Good luck!