Our Vasilopita: Rum Bundt Cake

Every New Year my family and I celebrate with a Greek tradition, the Vasilopita Observance. This custom began in the fourth century when a bishop, Saint Basil the Great, wanted to distribute money to the poor members of his flock. To avoid demeaning this proud people, St. Basil commissioned the ladies of his church to bake coins into a sweet bread, thereby hiding his offerings.

When the families cut into the nourishing bread they surprisingly found gold coins as well, and the New Year’s tradition of baking coins into a sweet yeast-risen cake-like bread was born. While my mother never baked a traditional vasilopita, nor ever baked the coins directly into the cake, she would, true to custom, hide a variety of coins into a finished cake—whatever cake she felt like making that year.

Today, the head of household divides the cake equally for each member of the family, and in traditional households, in commemoration of St. Basil’s love and concern for the poor, an additional piece of cake is cut to represent the unfortunate of the world. The one who receives the piece containing the special coin—a silver dollar in my home—allegedly will have an especially lucky year.

Since leaving home I have introduced many friends to this Greek tradition and each year I am reminded of the fun generated by anticipating and hoping to receive that lucky coin. This year, in an effort to avoid sharing a whole cake with my husband, I have baked mini Rum Bundt Cakes, the preferred New Year’s cake in my family, and will give the extras to friends. While I cannot promise that partaking in the Vasilopita Observance will bring health and happiness to all who participate, as hoped by St. Basil the Great, I can attest that the ritual of making New Year’s resolutions is more fun while eating a rum-soaked coin-filled cake. Happy New Year!

For Cake:

• 10 tablespoons ( 5 oz ) unsalted butter, room temperature plus more for the pan
• ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 yolk
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons ( 5.5 oz ) all-purpose flour plus more for the pan
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon table salt
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 3 tablespoons rum
• ¾ teaspoons vanilla extract

For Glaze:

• 8 tablespoons ( 4 oz ) unsalted butter
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup rum

For a fun touch, or a festive Valentine’s Day dessert, add a pink glaze:

• 1¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tablespoons brandy
• 3 tablespoons rum
• 1 - 2 drops pink food coloring

1. Position oven rack in center of oven and heat to 350˚F. Butter the mini Bundt pan and lightly dust with flour, shaking out excess.
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the yolk, and beat until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, blending after each addition. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In another small bowl combine the milk and rum. Add half the flour mix to the mixer and blend until just smooth. Add half the milk mixture and blend until smooth. Add the rest of the flour and again blend only until just combined. Add the rest of the milk mixture and blend until smooth. Finally add the vanilla and blend until smooth.
3. Divide the batter evenly among the six molds and place in oven. Bake the cakes for 25 minutes.Meanwhile prepare the glaze. Gently heat butter, sugar and rum until butter has melted and sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
4. After the 25 minutes, remove the cakes from the oven and test for doneness. It may look wet and spongy but still test with a paring knife. If the inserted knife emerges clean, the cakes are done. If not, return pan to the oven, checking every 2 minutes.
5. When cakes are done, remove from oven and spoon about 1 tablespoon of rum glaze (the first glaze listed above) on top of each cake. Let cakes cool in pan for 20 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Brush a layer of glaze on top of each bundt cake, let harden (about 10 minutes) and then paint another layer on. Repeat until all of the glaze is gone.
6. Cut a small slit in the bottom of the cake and insert a saran-wrapped small coin into the slot. When ready to serve, divide the cake equally between the number of participants (hopefully no more than 2 per cake), enjoy your small portion and discover who is the lucky recipient of the coin. Make New Year’s resolutions and enjoy!
7. At this point, if desired, the pink glaze can be added on top of the first rum glaze. Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Spoon glaze into center and gently push out with the back of the spoon so that the glaze falls down the sides of the cake.

Notes

To make a normal sized Bundt cake, just double the ingredients for the cake, not for the glaze.For more information about the Vasilopita Tradition visit: https://www.stbasil.goarch.org/about/vasilopita.asp

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes

For Cake:

• 10 tablespoons ( 5 oz ) unsalted butter, room temperature plus more for the pan
• ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 yolk
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons ( 5.5 oz ) all-purpose flour plus more for the pan
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon table salt
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 3 tablespoons rum
• ¾ teaspoons vanilla extract

For Glaze:

• 8 tablespoons ( 4 oz ) unsalted butter
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup rum

For a fun touch, or a festive Valentine’s Day dessert, add a pink glaze:

• 1¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tablespoons brandy
• 3 tablespoons rum
• 1 - 2 drops pink food coloring

1. Position oven rack in center of oven and heat to 350˚F. Butter the mini Bundt pan and lightly dust with flour, shaking out excess.
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the yolk, and beat until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, blending after each addition. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In another small bowl combine the milk and rum. Add half the flour mix to the mixer and blend until just smooth. Add half the milk mixture and blend until smooth. Add the rest of the flour and again blend only until just combined. Add the rest of the milk mixture and blend until smooth. Finally add the vanilla and blend until smooth.
3. Divide the batter evenly among the six molds and place in oven. Bake the cakes for 25 minutes.Meanwhile prepare the glaze. Gently heat butter, sugar and rum until butter has melted and sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
4. After the 25 minutes, remove the cakes from the oven and test for doneness. It may look wet and spongy but still test with a paring knife. If the inserted knife emerges clean, the cakes are done. If not, return pan to the oven, checking every 2 minutes.
5. When cakes are done, remove from oven and spoon about 1 tablespoon of rum glaze (the first glaze listed above) on top of each cake. Let cakes cool in pan for 20 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Brush a layer of glaze on top of each bundt cake, let harden (about 10 minutes) and then paint another layer on. Repeat until all of the glaze is gone.
6. Cut a small slit in the bottom of the cake and insert a saran-wrapped small coin into the slot. When ready to serve, divide the cake equally between the number of participants (hopefully no more than 2 per cake), enjoy your small portion and discover who is the lucky recipient of the coin. Make New Year’s resolutions and enjoy!
7. At this point, if desired, the pink glaze can be added on top of the first rum glaze. Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Spoon glaze into center and gently push out with the back of the spoon so that the glaze falls down the sides of the cake.

Notes

To make a normal sized Bundt cake, just double the ingredients for the cake, not for the glaze.For more information about the Vasilopita Tradition visit: https://www.stbasil.goarch.org/about/vasilopita.asp

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes

Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2006/12/31/vasilopita/

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I could eat this balsamic caramel with anything: fresh strawberries, vanilla ice cream, sliced tomatoes, or shaved Parmigiano Reggiano. I recently spotted the recipe in my new Sally Schneider cookbook, “The Improvisational Cook,” and lamented not having discovered it a few weeks ago when I was attempting to recreate the “Alta” Brussels sprouts—this formula resembles that of the restaurant’s much more closely. Schneider’s version, just as simple to prepare, tastes like the thick, aged, artisan balsamics available in specialty stores for fifty dollars a bottle. I’ve now enjoyed this molasses-textured glaze drizzled over pan-seared duck breasts and grilled skirt steak. When the balsamic caramel is paired with basil, however, as in this stir-fried quail dish, the combination is especially delicious. Here I’ve used sturdy frisée as the base for this salad, which loses much of its bitterness when wilted under the heat of the quail. Once in the pan, the quail takes no more than five minutes to cook making this elegant salad of wilted greens, goat cheese, toasted pine nuts and orange segments simple and easy to prepare. Enjoy!

Balsamic caramel:

• ½ cup Rainwater Madeira
• 1 cup commercial balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

• 2 tsp . honey

• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette

• 6 tablespoons grapeseed oil

• 1 package semi-boneless quails (or 4 each)

• kosher salt and pepper to taste

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 large bunch fresh basil, roughly chopped

• 1 head frisée, (enough for 2 people)

• 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled

• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

• 1 orange, peeled and sectioned, preferably removed from its pith

1. To make the caramel, place Madeira in a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until reduced to about 1 tablespoon. Add the balsamic vinegar and boil until the vinegar has reduced to about ¼ cup and is very syrupy and big shiny bubbles are forming at the surface. Watch the mixture very closely at this point—it will burn very easily. If it appears too thin, be assured that it will thicken upon cooling. Remove from the heat and stir in the brown sugar until dissolved. Pour into a clean jar and cool before using.
2. To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the honey, salt, pepper, garlic and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly. Taste, adjust with more salt, pepper or oil if necessary. Store until ready to use.
3. Remove quail from package and cut each into four sections: remove each leg from the body then split the breast down the middle into two pieces. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
4. In a large non-stick skillet over high heat melt the butter till hot and bubbly. When it is about to turn brown, add the quail pieces, skin side down first. Let the quail cook undisturbed for 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook for about 2 minutes longer.
5. Meanwhile, place frisée, goat cheese, pine nuts and orange segments in a bowl. Toss lightly with some of the vinaigrette, err on the side of under-dressing—the frisée will release moisture when wilted and the salad will ultimately be flavored with the balsamic caramel as well.
6. Arrange frisée mix on a large platter, or keep in the bowl (the platter is only for presentation purposes). When the quail is finished cooking, drizzle 2 tablespoons of the balsamic caramel into the pan then throw in all of the chopped basil. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and transfer the quail to the frisée platter, arranging the pieces on top of the greens, so that it wilts nicely. Serve immediately with a crusty baguette.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes