In Greece, a coin is traditionally baked into the vasilopita cake served around New Year’s Day.
Vasilopita is a Greek New Year cake named for Saint Basil, whose feast day is celebrated on 1 January in the Greek Orthodox tradition. A coin, called the flouri, is hidden inside before baking. The person who finds it in their slice is traditionally believed to receive good luck for the coming year.
Families commonly cut the cake in a set order, which can include portions for Christ, the household, and absent or symbolic recipients before slices are distributed to individuals. Customs vary between families and regions, as do the cake’s ingredients and decoration.
The coin is not meant to be eaten and should be handled carefully when the cake is served. Vasilopita is sometimes compared with other lucky cakes, but its defining hidden object is a coin rather than a ring or another token.