What is "vasilopita"

n. A Greek celebratory cake, often containing a hidden coin, typically eaten at New Year

Vasilopita (, Vasilópita, lit. '(St.) Basil-pie' or 'king pie', see below) is a New Year's Day bread or cake in Greece and many other areas in eastern Europe and the Balkans which contains a hidden coin or trinket which gives good luck to the receiver, like the Western European king cake. It is associated with Saint Basil's day, January 1, in most of Greece, but in some regions, the traditions surrounding a cake with a hidden coin are attached to Epiphany or to Christmas. It is made of a variety of doughs, depending on regional and family tradition, including tsoureki.

In other areas of the Balkans, the tradition of cake with a hidden coin during winter holidays exists, but is not associated with Saint Basil at all. The practice is documented among Ukrainians (a pirog is cut); Romanians; Serbs (" česnica", eaten on Christmas); Albanians ("pitta", eaten by both Christians and Muslims); Bulgarians ( pogatcha, Novogodichna banitsa (for New Year's), Svity Vasileva bogatcha); etc.