Greek New Year's Cake

Ingredients

For the cake

• 375g butter (13oz)
  
• 600g sugar (21oz, 3 cups)
  
• 6 eggs (divided into yolks and whites)
  
• a pinch of salt
  
• zest of 2 oranges
  
• 1/2 cup orange juice
  
• 200g yogurt, strained (7oz)
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 750g self-rising flour, sifted (26.5oz)
  

For the glaze

• 450g icing sugar (15.8oz, 3 cups)
  
• 5 tbs hot water or milk
  
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
  

Instructions

[*]To prepare this vasilopita recipe, start by dividing the eggs into yolks and whites. Place the egg whites in the your mixer bowl and add a pinch of salt. Make sure your egg whites, bowl and whisk attachments are clean and free of any water. Whisk the egg whites until the mixture is very thick and glossy and a long trailing peak forms when the whisk is lifted (meringues). Place the mixture in a bowl and set aside.

[*]Clean out your mixer bowl and add the butter and sugar. Using the paddle hook or the creaming attachments whisk for about 20 minutes, until the butter is creamy and fluffy like whipped cream. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, whilst mixing, allowing time for each one to be absorbed, before adding the next. Pour in the orange juice, the vanilla extract, the orange zest, the yogurt and mix to combine.

[*]Remove the bowl from your mixer and add 1/3rd of the sifted flour and blend with a spatula. Add 1/3rd of the meringues and blend with light circular movements from the bottom up. Repeat with the rest of the flour and meringue, adding 1/3rd of the flour, mix, add 1/3rd meringue until all your ingredients are combined.

[*]To bake the vasilopita, preheat the oven to 200C / 390F using both top and bottom heating elements. Alternatively set to 180C/356F fan.
[*]It’s now time to prepare your baking tin. Select a non stick cake tin approx. 30-35cm in diameter (12-14 inch). Butter your vasilopita tin and dust with some flour. Alternatively, line with some parchment paper. Pour in your vasilopita mixture and spread it evenly with your spatula.