Ultimate Vasilopita Recipe to bring Greek New Year’s celebrations on your table

Vasilopita recipe – A 1600 year old Greek tradition. “Sweet Bread of Basil” is the true meaning of the Greek phrase vasilopita. One of Greece’s finest and inspirational customs. This cake is so delicious, aromatic, fluffy, and easy that everyone asks for another piece along with the recipe. Bread is flavored with sweet ingredients to represent the unending sweetness and joy of life.

On New Year’s Eve, this Greek bread is served at midnight. A coin is hidden inside just before it is placed in the oven and the senior member of the family traditionally cuts the bread. Whoever gets the cake piece with a coin inside is said to be granted good luck for the rest of the year. It resulted in people wanting large pieces. 

 Each portion of the sweet bread is distributed as follows: The first piece is dedicated to Jesus Christ, the second to the Virgin Mary, the third to Saint Basil, and the remaining pieces are divided among the family members, starting with the oldest. It is also possible to cut portions for the needy, the house, the traveler, the visitor, and the church.

My grandfather is from northern Greece, so I always remember my mother making this sweet bread in the new year.  Watching this New Year’s cake be cut was always so exciting when we were children, and I think still is.

History of Vasilopita (St basil Bread)

The tradition of the Greek Orthodox Vasilopita bread recipe, which is a tasty bread with a lucky penny inside, originated more than 1600 years ago in the Cappadocian city of Caesarea in Asia Minor. Tradition has it that one year, the emperor imposed a sinfully high tax on the citizens of Caesarea, coinciding with a horrible famine. The levy was so onerous on the already impoverished population that every family was forced to give up jewelry and their few remaining coins to escape debtors’ jail.

Saint Basil the Great, the archbishop of Caesarea, took up his bishop’s staff and the book of the holy Gospels after learning of this injustice against his people and came to the protection of his people by boldly demanding the emperor to turn from his evil ways. The emperor did, by God’s mercy, repent! He revoked the levy and gave his tax collectors orders to deliver all the boxes containing the jewels and coins that the Caesarean people had paid in taxes to St. Basil. However, St. Basil now had to take on the difficult and impossible duty of giving these monies and jewelry pieces back to their respective owners.

St. Basil had all the valuables baked into one enormous “pita” after much prayer. After calling the entire community to prayer in the cathedral, he blessed and divided the “pita,” giving a portion to each person, following the Divine Liturgy. Amazingly, every owner was given Vasilopita his belongings. With great excitement, they made their way back home and expressed their gratitude to God for saving them from extreme poverty as well as to their revered bishop, St. Basil the Great.  A penny is baked into the ingredients when making the Vasilopita. Bread is flavored with delicious ingredients, representing the sweetness and eternal joy of life.

Why would you Love this Greek New year’s Cake

• Good luck. This pita bread contains a coin that gives good luck to the receiver for the upcoming year. 
• Perfect for gathering. This sweet cake gathers all family members together to bring prosperity and eternal happiness throughout the year.
• Easy to make. Sweet bread of basil is so easy to make with simple ingredients.
• Culinary tradition. One of the most beautiful and inspirational traditions that brings liberty, health, and happiness. It’s just a great way to welcome a new year.

Things we will need for making Vasilopita Recipe

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• Unsalted butter. Unsalted Butter adds richness, moisture, and creaminess to this basil cake. Take one cup of unsalted butter at room temperature. 
• Powder sugar. Take two cups of powdered sugar to add sweetness. You can also take brown sugar.
• Eggs. Take four eggs. Eggs will add softness and prevent our cake from crumbling.  
• All-purpose flour. Take three cups of All-purpose flour. It is the base of our vasilopita.
• Baking powder. For raising the cake. Take one tablespoon.
• Orange juice. Take ½ cup of orange juice. The orange juice adds aroma and perfect citrus flavor to our pita.
• Greek yogurt. By adding Greek yogurt our cake will become fluffy. Take ½ cup of Greek yogurt.
• Vanilla extract. The vanilla extract gives our cake an intense aroma. Take one teaspoon of vanilla extract.
• One Almond. An Almond is used for hiding in Vasilopita bread recipe. I use almond instead of coin for safety reasons. Most Greek tradition use vasilopita coin in this Greek new year’s cake.

How to Make Vasilopita That Everyone Will Love

STEP 1. Beat the Ingredients. Take soft butter and powdered sugar in a beater. Mix the soft butter and powdered sugar until it is homogeneous. Now gradually add eggs one by one, vanilla extract, Greek yogurt, orange juice, baking powder, All-purpose flour, and a pinch of salt and mix well to combine.

STEP 2. Prepare the oven. Preheat your oven to 160C (325F).

STEP 3. Grease The Pan. Grease the inside of a baking pan and line a pan with baking paper.

STEP 4. Pour mixture into pan. Pour mixture into a 9” pan.

STEP 5. Hide an almond. Hide the almond into the mixture and straighten the surface. You can also use a coin wrapped in a foil and place it into the batter.

STEP 6. Bake. Bake the batter for 50 – 60 minutes at 160C (325F) or until the skewer comes out clean.

STEP 7. Cool and remove. Let the vasilopita cool down and flip the pan on a plate.

STEP 8. Decoration. For a festive touch, dust the cake with powdered sugar. I decorate with pomegranates and rosemary. After moving the cake to a serving tray, enjoy! Happy New Year.

Variations

Each family has its own flavor variation whether it be bread or cake, it is sweetened with an orange flavor. You can make any variation of Greek New year’s Cake like chocolate cake, carrot cake, pie, or bread according to your choice. You can also change the topping. Add almonds for garnishing on Vasilopita recipe. Instead of adding powdered sugar, you can make glazing or frosting.

Expert Tips

• Each of the ingredients of Greek vasilopita cake must be at room temperature.
• Use orange juice, and Greek yogurt fresh for the most suitable vasilopita bread recipe taste.
• Don’t over-mix the batter because it will harden our cake.

Make This Recipe Ahead of Time

• At room temperature. Store this St basil bread at room temperature for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
• Refrigeration. Refrigerate your vasilopita recipe for 2 weeks wrapped in an aluminum foil or airtight container.
• Freezing. Freeze your basil’s king pie in a freezer for about 2 months in a freezer-safe airtight container.

FAQ’s

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