Vasilopita is the Greek New Year's cake that traditionally contains a hidden lucky coin.
The cake is cut on or around January 1, often after midnight or during a New Year's Day gathering. A coin called a flouri is baked into the cake before it is served. The person who receives the slice containing the coin is traditionally believed to have good luck for the coming year.
The name means “Saint Basil's pie” or “Saint Basil's cake,” linking the custom with Saint Basil the Great, whose feast day is celebrated on January 1 in the Greek Orthodox tradition. Families commonly cut ceremonial slices for Christ, the household, and family members before serving individual portions.
Recipes differ widely. Vasilopita may be a sweet bread, a citrus-flavored cake, or another regional baked preparation. It should not be confused with melomakarona and kourabiedes, which are Greek Christmas sweets but do not define this coin-in-cake New Year's ritual.