Vasilopita - Greek Saint Basil’s New Year's Cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, plus
• 1 tablespoon butter, for greasing cake pan
• 2 cups white sugar, plus
• 2 tablespoons white sugar, for sprinkling
• 3 cups flour
• 6 eggs
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup blanched slivered almond

Directions

1. 1

   Clean! Silver or gold coin wrapped in aluminum foil (a quarter works well).

2. 2

   Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 10 inch round cake pan with 1 Tbs butter.

3. 3

   In a medium bowl, cream the cup of butter and 2 cups of sugar together until light in color. Stir in the flour and mix until the batter resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the eggs one at a time, blending each one in well.

4. 4

   In a small bowl combine the baking powder and milk, add to the cake batter and mix well. Finally combine the lemon juice and baking soda in a small bowl, add to the cake batter and mix well. Pour the cake batter in to the greased cake pan, insert the foil wrapped coin, and bake for 20 minutes.

5. 5

   Remove the cake from the oven, sprinkle the nuts and 2 Tbs sugar over the cake, then return the cake to the oven and bake for a further 20-30 minutes until the cake springs to the touch. Allow to cool on a rack for 10 minutes then invert the pan on to a cake plate.

6. 6

   Ideally the cake should be served warm; each person gets a slice of the cake starting with the most senior member. Members of the Greek Orthodox Church believe that whoever gets the coin is blessed.