What coin-containing New Year's cake is traditionally served in Greece?

Vasilopita is the Greek New Year's cake traditionally baked with a hidden coin.

The cake is named for Saint Basil, or Agios Vasilios, whose feast day is celebrated in Greece on January 1. Families cut the vasilopita at New Year, often making ceremonial portions for religious figures, the household, and each family member. The person who receives the slice containing the coin is traditionally considered lucky for the coming year.

Recipes vary by region and family. Some vasilopites resemble a sweet bread or enriched cake, while others are flavored with citrus, spices, or nuts. A powdered-sugar topping or decorative year is also common, but neither is required for the cake to count as vasilopita.

The coin is carefully enclosed before baking, which means celebrants must eat attentively. Vasilopita is sometimes confused with ordinary Greek holiday pastries, but its defining New Year's feature is the concealed coin and the associated luck ritual.