A special vasilopita. Traditional Greek New Years Day bread. Served as a coffee cake for breakfast. Those who follow the tradition strictly hide a golden lira coin in the bottom of the cake but any coin will do. A special vasilopita

You can cook A special vasilopita using 10 ingredients and 9 steps. Here is how you cook it.

Ingredients of A special vasilopita
  1. Prepare 375 g of butter.
  2. You need 2 1/2 cups of sugar.
  3. Prepare 4 of eggs.
  4. You need 1 cup of yogurt.
  5. Prepare 1 tsp of vanilla.
  6. It’s 1 of level tsp mahleb.
  7. It’s 1 tsp of ground mastic.
  8. You need of zest and juice of 1 large orange.
  9. It’s 500 g of self rising flour.
  10. It’s 1 tsp of baking powder.

I never have any on hand so, I use a dime or a nickel that I wrap tightly in some aluminum foil. The vasilopita is a traditional Greek New Year's cake that has a ton of history behind it. Basil and New Years day is, and forever will be, bound together. In Greece and certain areas of Eastern Europe people bake a Vasilopita Cake to not only honor St.

A special vasilopita step by step

  1. Beat the butter until fluffy..

  2. Beat the eggs and sugar until fluffy and pale yellow..

  3. Fold in the two mixtures together gently..

  4. Using a medium speed of the mixer add the rest of the ingredients adding the flour last..

  5. Mix well (the batter shouldn't be too firm)..

  6. Empty into a 30 cm baking tray that you have lined with greaseproof paper brushed with butter..

  7. Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for half an hour using the top and bottom radiant elements and then use the fan until golden brown..

  8. As soon as it is baked and has cooled turn it upside down, push in the lucky coin and place it on a platter..

  9. Sprinkle with sifted icing sugar and use a syringe with melted chocolate to decorate it with the current year..

Basil but to celebrate New Years day. Basil's Bread." Vasilopita - Greek Saint Basil's New Year's Cake. A very traditional Greek Cake that celebrates the life of Saint Basil. Hidden within one of the pieces of the Vasilopita is a coin or a small piece of jewelry. The person who receives the piece with the coin receives a special blessing.