Vasilopita is the traditional Greek New Year’s cake containing a hidden coin.
Families serve vasilopita around New Year’s Day and cut it ceremonially. A coin, called a flouri, is concealed in the cake before baking. The person who finds it is traditionally said to receive good luck for the coming year. In many households, slices are assigned in a set order, such as for the household, religious figures, family members, and visitors.
The name means “Saint Basil’s pie” or “Saint Basil’s cake,” linking the custom with Saint Basil the Great. Saint Basil’s feast day is January 1 in the Greek Orthodox calendar, so the cake’s religious association is especially strong in Greece and Greek communities abroad.
Recipes vary by region and family. Some versions resemble a sweet bread, while others are closer to a citrus-flavored cake. Vasilopita should not be confused with tsoureki, the braided Easter bread, or with baklava, the layered pastry made with filo, nuts, and syrup. The defining feature for this New Year tradition is the hidden coin.