In Greece's New Year's Eve tradition, vasilopita is cut to reveal a hidden coin for good luck.
Vasilopita is a New Year's cake or bread named after Saint Basil, whose feast day is celebrated on January 1 in the Greek Orthodox tradition. A coin, called a flouri, is baked into the loaf before it is served. The person who receives the slice containing the coin is traditionally thought to receive special luck for the year.
Families commonly cut the cake after midnight or during a New Year's Day meal. The first slices may be dedicated to Christ, Saint Basil, the household, or absent family members before individual portions are distributed. Practices differ by region and family, including whether the coin is wrapped and where the ceremonial slices go.
Vasilopita is not the same as tsoureki, the braided sweet bread associated mainly with Easter, or baklava, a layered pastry with nuts and syrup. Recipes for vasilopita vary widely: some resemble a dense cake, while others are yeast-raised breads.