In New Year's Eve celebrations in Greece, vasilopita traditionally contains a hidden coin for luck.
Vasilopita is a Greek New Year cake or sweet bread named after Saint Basil. A coin called the flouri is baked inside before the cake is served. The person who receives the slice containing the coin is traditionally believed to have good fortune for the year.
The cake is commonly cut around New Year’s Day, with slices sometimes assigned first to religious figures or the household, followed by family members and guests. Recipes vary substantially: some versions resemble a sweet yeast bread, while others are more like a citrus-flavored cake.
Vasilopita is not the same as baklava, which is a layered pastry made with filo, nuts, and syrup. The hidden coin is the defining feature of the New Year cake, although families take care to warn diners before eating.