{gluten free} Vasilopita- Lucky Greek New Year’s Cake

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This traditional Lucky Greek New Year’s Cake called a Vasilopita, has a hint of orange flavor, is covered in powdered sugar and has a coin hidden inside for good luck! 

gluten free Vasilopita-Greek lucky New Year's Cake

My Greek culture plays a huge part of who I am and the older I get the more I realize that. Being Greek, we have so many traditions that have been passed on from generation to generation. Food and family go hand in hand in our culture, so naturally many of these traditions revolve around food!

Vasilopita is something my family bakes and cuts on New Year’s Eve at midnight, or New Year’s Day every year. It can be made as a bread or cake, and you place a coin into the dough before baking. The bread/cake is sweet which symbolizes the sweetness and joy of life. The Vasilopita also represents the hope that the New Year will be filled with life, health and happiness.

You cut a piece for “the house” and one for each person. Whoever gets the coin has good luck for the entire year!

Gluten Free Vasilopita- Greek lucky New Year's Cake

I’ve shared this recipe in the past, however last time I made it in a bunt cake, whereas today I’m sharing the traditional way a Vasilopita is made.

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups gluten free flour (I use Cup4Cup)
  • 2 tablespoons baking powder
  • 1 ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cup orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 eggs
  • Powdered Sugar
  • A Coin

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Grease a 9-10 inch cake or bunt pan.
  3. In a bowl, cream the sugar and butter.
  4.  Add the orange juice, vanilla and orange zest. Mix with a mixer.
  5. Add the eggs to the butter mixture and mix.
  6.  In a medium bowl mix the flour and baking powder and add to the wet ingredients and mix.
  7. Add the coin in the batter. The batter will be thick.
  8. Pour batter in the pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
  9.  Bake for about 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
  10.  Remove from oven and let cool.
  11. Release cake from pan, turn right side up and sprinkle top with powdered sugar.
  12. Cut the cake and hope you get the coin!

I hope your family tries our family tradition!  Enjoy!

 

27 comments

    • msmodify says:

      I’ve never heard of the Polish cake! I’ve heard of the Mexican cake with the babies inside. I love all the different cultural traditions!

      Reply
  4. Jenny says:

    I love that you made this cake gluten-free and don’t have to give up your tradition! I’d love to make it… and I need to find a way to ensure I get the coin because I could use some luck in the New Year 🙂 Happy Holidays!

    Reply
  7. Aurania says:

    Hi I’d love to try the recipe however we don’t have the flour in Australia and it’s not worth buying on Amazon the postage is costly. Is there another blend I can use or make my own mix.

    Reply
  10. llrinca says:

    Thank you so much for this gluten free recipe! I’ve been making vasilopita for years but this year, we discovered my husband needs gluten free. I’m going to surprise him and make a vasilopita he can eat too! Xronia Polla!

    Reply
  11. Eleni Antoniades says:

    Hi just wondering is it 350 degrees Fahrenheit? If so that’s 176 degrees Celsius and is your recipe cooked to a conventional oven, fan assisted or fan forced? In my experience oven settings make all the difference. Thanks Eleni

    Reply
  12. BarbaraDH says:

    I’m wondering if this can be made into 2 smaller cakes, and then freeze one for later? I’m a widow on my own now, and can’t possibly eat an entire cake myself (and would hate for any to go to waste). If this can be done, how would I modify baking time for 2 smaller cakes? Thanks!

    Reply
    • msmodify says:

      I’ve never tried that, but I would say start by cutting the time in half and check with a toothpick and add 5 minute increments as needed. Let me know what ends up working if you try it! Enjoy!

      Reply
  13. Joanna says:

    Hi! Firstly I’d just like to say that I’ve been following this recipe for the last 3 years and every time it is absolutely delicious!! However, I must be doing something wrong, perhaps with my oven settings, as the middle of the vasilopita sinks and creates a hole! Any ideas what I’m doing wrong and how to fix it?

    Reply

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