Print

Vasilopita – New Year’s Cake Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.4 from 55 reviews

Vasilopita is a traditional Greek New Year’s cake flavored with warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. This moist and aromatic cake is baked in a spring-form tin and often includes a hidden coin, symbolizing good luck for the year ahead. It is decorated with powdered sugar or icing and traditionally served to celebrate the new year.

Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

  • 150 g Butter (⅔ Cup), melted
  • 300 ml Sugar (1½ cup + 2 tbsp)
  • 3 Eggs
  • 275 ml Buttermilk (1 cup + 1 tbsp) or sour milk

Dry Ingredients

  • 3 tsp Ginger powder
  • 3 tsp Cloves powder
  • 4 tsp Cinnamon
  • 270 g Wheat Flour plain (2 cups)
  • 3 tsp Baking powder

Instructions

  1. Preheat: Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) to prepare for baking the cake.
  2. Melt Butter: Melt the butter in a saucepan and allow it to cool completely to avoid cooking the eggs when combined.
  3. Prepare Tin: Grease a 25 cm (10 in) spring-form cake tin and coat it evenly with bread crumbs to prevent sticking.
  4. Beat Eggs and Sugar: Using a mixer or whisk, beat the eggs together with the sugar until the mixture becomes fluffy and light in color.
  5. Add Wet and Dry Ingredients: Incorporate the buttermilk (or sour milk), cooled melted butter, and spices (ginger, cloves, cinnamon) into the beaten eggs and sugar. Then gently fold in the flour combined with baking powder.
  6. Mix Batter: Stir the batter thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined and smooth.
  7. Pour Batter: Pour the prepared batter into the greased and bread-crumb coated spring-form cake tin, spreading it evenly.
  8. Bake: Place the tin in the preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes until the cake is golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
  9. Test Doneness: Use a long wooden skewer or toothpick to check doneness—if it comes out clean, the cake is ready; otherwise, bake a few more minutes.
  10. Cool: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the tin to set.
  11. Insert Coin: Wrap a coin securely in aluminum foil and carefully insert it on the top side of the cooled cake as a traditional good luck charm.
  12. Decorate: Turn the cake upside down, then decorate the surface with powdered sugar or icing glaze. Optionally, write a New Year message on top for celebration.

Notes

  • Ensure the butter is fully cooled before adding to prevent curdling the batter.
  • You can substitute sour milk with buttermilk for a similar tangy flavor.
  • Greasing and coating the cake tin with bread crumbs helps in easy removal of the cake.
  • The coin included in the cake is a traditional element symbolizing luck and prosperity—ensure it is well wrapped.
  • Allow the cake to cool completely before decorating to ensure icing or powdered sugar adheres properly.
  • If desired, you can add a dusting of ground nuts or dried fruits for texture.

Keywords: Vasilopita, Greek New Year's cake, spiced cake, traditional Greek dessert, cinnamon cake, festive cake

Find it online: https://thefoodrecipe.com/vasilopita-new-years-cake-recipe/