The traditional Greek New Year's cake containing a hidden lucky coin is called vasilopita.
Vasilopita is served on New Year's Day in Greece and in Greek communities around the world. A coin, traditionally called a flouri, is hidden inside the cake before baking or placed in it afterward. The person who receives the slice containing the coin is considered especially fortunate for the coming year.
The name means “Saint Basil's pie.” The cake is associated with Saint Basil the Great, whose feast day is observed on January 1 in the Greek Orthodox tradition. A popular legend says that Basil asked citizens to reclaim valuables collected by an invading ruler, then baked the objects into loaves; each person supposedly received the correct item when the loaves were distributed.
Recipes vary by region and family. Some versions resemble a sweet bread, while others are more like a moist cake, often flavored with citrus or mahleb. Vasilopita is a New Year's Day custom rather than the Spanish twelve-grapes ritual or an ordinary Christmas dessert.