Description
Vasilopita is a traditional Greek New Year’s cake, baked with a coin inside to bring good luck to the recipient. This cake is rich with flavors of almonds, brandy, and orange zest.
Ingredients
Units
- 2 cups of sugar
- 8 oz (226g) of butter
- 7 eggs
- 3 cups of plain flour, sieved
- 4 leveled teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 cup of almonds, ground to powder
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup of brandy (or cognac)
- 2 oranges (grated zest)
- 1 cup of milk
Instructions
- Sieve the flour and baking powder together in a bowl.
- Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next.
- Add the vanilla, grated zest, and brandy.
- Then add the almonds.
- Finally, add the flour and the milk, a little at a time.
- Grease with butter and line with greaseproof paper a 30cm (12 inch) baking tin.
- Empty the mixture in and add the traditional coin.
- Bake at 170ºC (340 F), in a well-preheated oven, for approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes.
- Garnish with sieved icing sugar.
Notes
- Add the eggs one at a time and let each fully incorporate before the next — rushing this step is what causes the batter to split.
- Wrap the coin tightly in foil before pressing it into the batter so it stays identifiable and food-safe.
- Bake low and slow at 170°C (340°F) so the inside cooks through before the top over-darkens.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 30
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 16
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 6