Traditional Greek New Year’s cake recipe (Vasilopita recipe)
Course: Appetizers, DessertCuisine: GreekDifficulty: EasyServings
20
vasilopita piecesPrep time
30
minutesCooking time
1
hourThis cake is prepared for the new year. Simple ingredients, quick to assemble and hidden inside the cake is a coin wrapped in aluminium foil which when found symbolises good luck to the receiver for that whole year.
Traditionally the first slice of cake is reserved for Christ, the second slice for virgin Mary and the third slice for the home. The rest of the slices are shared around.
Ingredients
200 g unsalted butter (melted)
5 -6 cups plain flour
2 cups of sugar
6 eggs (fresh – separate yolks & whites)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
juice of 1 orange
zest of 1 orange
cognac (1 shot)
Instructions
- Separate egg whites and egg yolks.
- In a cake mixer, slowly combine egg yolks and sugar over low speed increasing mixer speed once both ingredients have been incorporated.
- Using a hand mixer combine egg whites and salt on high a high speed. Egg whites will turn into a meringue.
- Slowly combine melted butter into the cake mixture.
- Combine orange juice, orange zest and cognac – mixing ingredients through thoroughly adding to into the cake mixture.
- Add baking powder to 1 cup sifted plain flour, mixing through thoroughly.
- Slowly combine flour and meringue mixture in half batches into cake mixture (low speed).
- Stop the cake mixer and slowly add remaining sifted flour, continuously mixing through thoroughly, doing so until the cake mixture thickens.
- Line baking tray with baking paper and apply melted butter to base and sides (generous amounts).
- Place cake mixture into baking tray placing the lucky coin (wrapped in aluminium foil) in a random position within the mixture (demonstrated in our video demonstration – 5:35-6:00).
- Spread cake mixture evenly.
- Bake at 160 c for approx. 60 minutes or until the cake mixture has been cooked through (testing with stainless steel wire).
- Allow cake to cool and apply a generous amount of icing sugar over the top of the cake.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Wet and scrunch baking paper which allows you better manoeuvre/position.
- You can decorate the cake in many ways however icing sugar topping is simple and effective.
- We used a 20 x 4 cm round baking pan however, you can use any size/dimension larger than 15 x 5 cm.
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