Almond Vasilopita Cake: Greek Lucky New Year’s Cake

A delicious and fun Greek tradition!

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Every year I bring you a different version of vasilopita that I love, and this year it’s almond vasilopita cake. It’s a Greek lucky New Year’s cake, also known as St. Basil’s cake, with a coin baked inside. It’s traditionally served on New Year’s Eve, and whoever finds the coin is sure to have luck the entire new year. This almond version is one of my favorites because the almond adds a little bit of heartiness to the soft cake, it’s not too sweet, and the cardamom and orange flavors put it over the top. You’re going to love it!

Why you’ll make this all year

Hint of cardamom

Fresh orange

Nutty almond

Crunch of almond slivers

Soft and light cake 

A beautiful, soft, almond-flavored cake full of Greek tradition and fun!

Pulling everything together

The Wet Ingredients:

• Unsalted butter -softened
• Confectioner’s sugar
• Pure vanilla extract -good
• Almond extract -this has a strong flavor, so I wouldn’t use more 
• Large eggs -room temperature
• Plain yogurt -room temperature

The Dry Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour
• Almond flour -this adds heartiness to the cake  
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Zest of an orange -this adds so much freshness
• Salt
• Ground cardamom seeds or ground mastiha
• Almond slices
• A coin wrapped in foil
• Confectioner’s sugar for decoration

Swapping cardamom for traditional flavor

If you prefer more traditional vasilopita flavors, swap out the cardamom for mastiha/mastic gum. You can grind the mastic in a grinder, food processor, or with a mortar and pestle. Then, add a quarter teaspoon to the dry ingredients. I don’t recommend using more because mastic will come across as bitter if you use too much. Let me know which you prefer!

How to make Almond Vasilopita Cake: Greek Lucky New Year’s Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F, 180 °C.
2. Line a 10-inch cake pan with parchment paper and spray the inside with pan spray or brush with melted butter.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, and almond extract on low speed until combined. 
4. Increase the speed to high and beat until thick, pale, and fluffy -about 3 minutes.
5. Beat the eggs into the butter mixture one at a time until fluffy. 
6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat until smooth.
7. Add the yogurt and beat on high speed until incorporated.
8. Whisk together the flour, almond meal, salt, baking powder, cardamom, orange zest, and almond slices until combined.
9. Add the flour mixture to the mixer in a few batches until just incorporated.
10. Then, pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. 
11. Insert the foil-wrapped coin into the batter.
12. Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 45-55 minutes. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with some crumbs attached.
13. Run a knife around the edges of the cake to release it from the pan and set it aside to cool completely.
14. Invert the cake onto a cake platter and remove the parchment paper. 
15. Flip the cake back over and dust it with lots of confectioner’s sugar.

Decorate and Serve

The traditional way to decorate this cake is with lots of confectioner’s sugar. To add interest and beauty to it, I like to place a lace stencil on the top of the cake before dusting it with confectioner’s sugar. It creates a beautifully embroidered design. You can also top the cake with the following year’s numbers, fruit, curd, preserves, or anything else you prefer. Though no matter how you decorate it, it pairs perfectly with tea and coffee. So, be sure to have those hot and ready. Enjoy! Kali Orexi!

More Vasilopita Recipes:

• Vasilopita Sweet Bread
• Rose & Pistachio Vasilopita
• Chocolate Swirl Vasilopita Wreath

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Almond Vasilopita Cake: Greek Lucky New Year's Cake

Yield: Serves 10

This Almond Vasilopita is a soft Greek New Year’s cake flavored with orange, almond, and cardamom. A foil-wrapped coin is traditionally hidden inside the cake, and whoever finds it is said to receive good luck for the coming year. Serve this festive St. Basil’s cake on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day with coffee or tea.

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Ingredients

For the Wet Ingredients:

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• ¾ pound unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• ½ cup plain yogurt, at room temperature

For the Dry Ingredients:

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• 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (100 grams) almond flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• Zest of 1 orange
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼–½ teaspoon ground cardamom seeds or ¼ teaspoon ground mastiha
• ½ cup sliced almonds

For the Tradition and Decoration:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 coin wrapped securely in foil
• Confectioner’s sugar, for decorating

Instructions

Prepare the Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Line a 10-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Spray the inside with baking spray or brush it with melted butter.
Cream the Butter and Sugar: Add the softened butter, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Beat on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat for approximately 3 minutes or until thick, pale, and fluffy.
Add the Eggs and Yogurt: Beat the eggs into the butter mixture one at a time, mixing until fluffy after each addition.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat until smooth.
Add the yogurt and beat on high speed until incorporated.
Combine the Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, orange zest, salt, cardamom or mastiha, and sliced almonds to a separate bowl. Whisk until combined.
Finish the Cake Batter: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in several batches. Mix just until incorporated.
Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan and smooth the surface.
Insert the foil-wrapped coin into the batter.
Bake the Vasilopita: Bake on the center rack for 45–55 minutes. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached.
Cool and Decorate: Run a knife around the edge of the cake to release it from the pan. Set the cake aside to cool completely.
Invert the cake onto a serving platter and remove the parchment paper.
Flip the cake right side up and dust it generously with confectioner’s sugar.
Serve with tea or coffee.

Notes

Cardamom or Mastiha: Use ¼–½ teaspoon ground cardamom seeds. For a more traditional flavor, substitute ¼ teaspoon finely ground mastiha. Avoid using too much mastiha because it can taste bitter.
Grinding Mastiha: Grind the mastiha crystals in a spice grinder, food processor, or mortar and pestle before adding them to the dry ingredients.
Almond Flour Substitute: Replace the almond flour with an equal amount of finely ground blanched almonds. All-purpose flour may also be used, but the finished cake will have a different flavor and texture.
Do Not Overmix: Add the dry ingredients in batches and mix only until incorporated so the cake remains soft and light.
The Coin: Wash and dry the coin before wrapping it securely in foil. Tell everyone that a coin is hidden inside the cake before serving, supervise children carefully, and check each slice before eating.
Make Ahead: The Vasilopita can be prepared 3–4 days ahead. Cool it completely and store it tightly covered at room temperature.
Freezing: Allow the cake to cool completely, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and place it in an airtight freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature before decorating and serving.
Decorating: Place a lace stencil over the cake before dusting it with confectioner’s sugar to create an embroidered design. The cake may also be decorated with the coming year’s numbers, fruit, curd, preserves, or sliced almonds.
Filoxenia Hosting Tip: Bake the Vasilopita a day or two ahead and decorate it shortly before your New Year’s celebration. Serve it on a cake stand with hot Greek coffee and tea, and explain the coin tradition before cutting the first slice.

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