Vasilopita
Updated Dec. 19, 2025
- Total Time
- 1 hour 10 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1cup sugar
- 3extra-large eggs
- Grated rind of 2 large oranges
- Grated rind of 2 large lemons
- 4cups flour
- 2teaspoons baking powder
- ½teaspoon salt
- ½cup milk
- 1egg yolk blended with 1 tablespoon milk
- About 45 whole cloves, or powdered sugar (optional)
Preparation
- Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Thickly butter a 10-inch round springform pan.
- Step 2
In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the sugar and beat until the mixture is light. Beat in the eggs, one a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the orange and lemon rinds.
- Step 3
In a separate bowl, sift together three cups of the flour, the baking powder and salt.
- Step 4
With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the dry mixture alternately with the milk. The batter will be very thick. Using a wooden spoon, gradually blend in the remaining flour, beating well until completely smooth. (Press a token or coin into the dough now if you like.)
- Step 5
Spread the batter into the pan, smoothing the top. Brush the top evenly with the egg and milk mixture. If desired, press the whole cloves into the top to spell out the date of the new year.
- Step 6
Bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing from spring form. If desired, dust with powdered sugar and use your finger to write the date of the new year, then slice.
Private Notes
Comments
Made this but substituted 1 cup almond flour in place of 1 cup of flour and 1/2 cup orange juice in place of the milk. Tasted wonderful.
My yiayia used to wrap a silver dollar in aluminum foil before tucking it in the batter🥲.
An authentic Greek vasolopita must be flavored with mastic!
I added an extra egg and a doubled the amount of milk to a full cup. It wasn’t dry! And it had the texture between a tea cake and a pound cake. The coin ended up directly in the middle so we decided we all get good luck. Next time I would wait to add the coin once the batter is in the pan.
Just curious why a Greek chef didn't submit this very important cultural recipe that should include the appropriate traditional spices and the hidden coin. For those who aren't Greek, you cannot know how important this cake to families on New Year's, which is a religious holiday. In our family, phone calls and emails go around the world touting the lucky one who found the coin in their slice. Sometimes St. Basil or the house gets the coin, but that's okay, too.
My mother made this with anise - must have been a substitute for mastic. Delicious!