The Greek New Year’s cake traditionally baked with a hidden coin is called vasilopita.
Families cut vasilopita around New Year’s Day, often naming portions for religious figures, the household, family members, or visitors. A coin is hidden inside the cake before baking. The person who finds it is traditionally considered to have good luck for the coming year, and some families give a small gift along with the symbolic fortune.
The cake’s name means “Basil’s pie” and connects the custom with Saint Basil the Great, whose feast day is celebrated on January 1 in Greek tradition. Stories about Saint Basil and the coin differ, but the shared theme is charitable giving and a hidden valuable object returned to its owner.
Recipes vary by region and household. Vasilopita may resemble a sweet cake, bread, or citrus-flavored loaf, so it is not one rigid recipe. It is also different from tsoureki, the braided sweet bread commonly associated with Greek Easter.