Holiday Indulgences · Kid-Approved
Vasilopita (Greek New Year's Cake with Hidden Coin)
The Greek New Year's cake baked with a coin hidden inside for good luck: a fluffy orange-scented cake with a hint of mahlepi, dusted with powdered sugar and the new year's numbers. Whoever finds the coin is lucky all year!
Diet swaps
- Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free flour blend (or cornstarch to thicken).
- Dairy-free: Use olive oil or dairy-free butter instead of butter. Use unsweetened dairy-free yogurt.
Check labels on packaged foods if you have an allergy or celiac disease.
Ingredients
- 3 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1/2 cup Butter, softened
- 3 Eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Oranges (zest and 1/2 cup juice)
- 1 tsp Ground mahlepi (mahleb), optional
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1 pinch Salt
- 2 tbsp Sliced almonds
- 2 tbsp Powdered sugar (for dusting)
- 1 Coin, washed and wrapped in foil
Directions
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 10-inch round pan.
- Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the yogurt, orange zest and vanilla.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, mahlepi and salt. Add to the batter in two parts, alternating with the orange juice, mixing just until smooth.
- Spread in the pan, push the foil-wrapped coin into the batter and smooth the top. Scatter with almonds.
- Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Cool, dust with powdered sugar and stencil the new year's numbers on top. Cut at midnight or on New Year's Day, with the first slices for Christ, the house and the family.
Calorie breakdown
Flour 85 · butter 51 · sugar 48 · eggs 14 · Greek yogurt 11 · powdered sugar 4 · almonds 4 · orange 3 · vanilla 1 · mahlepi 1
💡 Lighter tip: Cut a paper stencil of the year's numbers and dust powdered sugar over it for that classic look. Mahlepi is sold at Greek and Middle Eastern markets.
Helpful for this recipe
10-inch round cake panShop on Amazon →Mahlepi spiceShop on Amazon →How to choose real extra virgin olive oilRead the guide →Our guide to safe, non-toxic cookwareSee picks →