In Greece, vasilopita is the New Year's cake traditionally baked with a hidden coin for luck.
The cake is cut and served around New Year's Day. A coin, often called a flouri, is concealed inside before baking or inserted afterward. The person who receives the slice containing it is traditionally expected to have good fortune during the coming year.
The name vasilopita means “Basil's pie” or “King's pie” and is associated with Saint Basil the Great, whose feast day is celebrated on January 1 in the Greek tradition. Families may cut ceremonial slices for Christ, the household, or absent relatives before distributing slices to individuals.
Recipes vary widely by region and family. Vasilopita may resemble a sweet bread, cake, or citrus-flavored loaf, and the top is often marked with the year. It is distinct from the French galette des rois, another festive cake involving a hidden object but associated mainly with Epiphany.