Vasilopita (Greek New Year Orange Cake)

Name: Vasilopita (Greek New Year Orange Cake)
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 250g butter, softened; 250g caster sugar; 5 eggs; 300g plain flour; 3 tsp baking powder; 2 oranges, zest and 100 ml juice; 100ml whole milk; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 coin, scrubbed and wrapped in foil; 2 tbsp icing sugar

A soft, buttery orange cake baked with a hidden coin for good luck, traditionally cut on New Year. Lovely any time of year.

Time1 hr 15
LevelEasy
Costabout £0.38 a head
Oven170°C (150°C fan)

Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.

12 slices

Ingredients

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250 gbuttersoftened
250 gcaster sugar
5eggs
300 gplain flour
3 tspbaking powder
2orangeszest and 100 ml juice
100 mlwhole milk
1 tspvanilla extract
1coinscrubbed and wrapped in foil
2 tbspicing sugar

Method

1
Heat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan). Butter and line a 23 cm round tin.
2
Beat the butter and sugar for 5 minutes with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
3
Sift the flour and baking powder together. Fold half into the mixture, then the milk, orange juice, zest and vanilla, then the rest of the flour until just smooth.
4
Pour into the tin and level. Push the foil wrapped coin into the batter near the edge, so it is hidden.
5
Bake for 50 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
50 min
6
Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out. Dust with icing sugar. Warn guests about the coin before slicing.

Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.