Vasilopita is the Greek New Year cake that may contain a hidden coin.
The name vasilopita means “Basil's pie” or “King's pie,” and the cake is traditionally served around New Year's Day in Greece and some Greek communities abroad. A coin is baked into the cake or inserted after baking. Whoever receives the slice containing it is considered especially fortunate for the coming year.
Families often cut the cake in a set order. A first slice may be dedicated to Christ, the household, or Saint Basil, followed by slices for family members and guests. The practice varies by region and family, and vasilopita can be a sweet cake, a brioche-like bread, or another local preparation.
The tradition is associated with Saint Basil the Great, whose feast day is January 1 in the Greek Orthodox calendar. Stories connect the hidden object with a charitable legend in which valuables were returned through loaves or baked goods. Vasilopita is not the same as baklava, which is a layered pastry commonly served throughout the eastern Mediterranean.