VASILOPITA

Vasilopita image

Provided by Krystina Castella

Yield Makes 1 cake (serves 8 to 10)

Number Of Ingredients 14

3/4 cup blanched, slivered almonds
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon mahlab or 1 tablespoon anise seed
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk
A coin or hard candy

Steps:

To Prepare:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan and a 4-inch round cake pan.
To Make the Cake:
Combine the almonds, brown sugar, and honey in a small bowl, and set aside. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and mahlab in a medium bowl, and set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk, and mix well.
To Bake the Cake:
Divide one-third of the nut mixture between the two prepared pans, scattering it in an even layer over their bottoms. Fill the smaller (4-inch) pan two-thirds full of batter, then pour half of the remaining batter into the larger (9-inch) pan. Bake both layers for 20 minutes, until the cakes become a bit firm. Sprinkle half of the remaining almond mixture in an even layer over both cakes, and lay the coin on top of one of the partly baked cakes. Pour the remaining batter on top of each cake. Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center of each comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes.
To Serve:
Remove the cakes from their pans, and place the smaller one on top of the larger. Top with the remaining almond mixture, and serve warm.