Low-Carb Vasilopita – presenting a new recipe for 2024
Low-Carb Vasilopita, a brand-new recipe created to wish you all a Happy New Year! As we bid farewell to the 2023 and welcome the 2024, I come bearing exciting news—a fresh twist on a cherished tradition that was already published in 2018 on this website! But now, here’s a brand new recipe for the beloved Greek New Year’s cake – Vasilopita, with fewer carbs but bursting with flavour and festivity. The previous version we named Keto Vasilopita had a description of the origin and you can read it all there. However, this low-carb Vasilopita recipe could be a richer variation, both in flavour and in nourishment. Well, it’s once per year, so why not? However, worry not, I’ll keep the carbs low and use only organic, natural ingredients, as always on Greek Goes Keto!
More than just a tradition
A Vasilopita isn’t just any cake; it’s a beacon of hope and an important tradition in Greece that connects ancient times with modern living. This delightful cake has woven itself into the fabric of New Year’s Eve celebrations, embodying the essence of anticipation and fortune. Picture this: as the clock strikes midnight, families or friends across Greece eagerly gather around the table to slice into this golden delight. Everyone making a wish that the hidden coin appears in their piece. However, Vasilopita cutting tradition can be held throughout the month of January, it doesn’t have to happen strictly on New Year’s Eve. If you have friends and family with you at the moment of cutting, everything else is just details.
But what makes the Vasilopita more than just a cake? Nestled within its soft crumb lies a hidden treasure—a symbolic token that signifies luck and prosperity for the one fortunate enough to discover it. And this year, in our household, that lucky soul happened to be none other than the founder of this website, my husband, Apollonas. The joy that ensued from finding the hidden coin wasn’t just about the thrill of discovery; it carried with it the promise of a year filled with abundance and blessings.
Low-Carb Vasilopita adventure
Now, my journey with the Vasilopita began with a desire to honour tradition while embracing a healthier approach. So, here’s the revamped version – an ode to the classic, adorned with a layer of invigorating homemade sea buckthorn jam that adds a burst of freshness without compromising on its low-carb credentials. If you can’t find sugar-free sea buckthorn jam, you can use raspberry jam, or perhaps the one made of cranberries or strawberries… For those who don’t mind some extra carbs, sugarless apricot jam would be phenomenal. With subtle tweaks to the dry ingredients, I’ve conjured a fragrant, irresistible cake that encapsulates the essence of celebration and tradition.
This reinvented New Year’s cake I named Low-Carb Vasilopita isn’t just about lowering the carb count; it’s about elevating your celebratory moments while staying true to the heartwarming customs we hold dear. Each slice is an invitation to revel in the spirit of the season, to savour not just the taste but the symbolism—a promise of good fortune, prosperity, and the joys that the coming year might bring.
So, let’s embark on this culinary adventure together, welcoming the New Year with a slice of joy and a dollop of tradition. My goal was that every bite speaks of resilience, joy, and the promise of a bright and prosperous year ahead. This Low-Carb Vasilopita follows the mentality from our latest e-book named Baking with fewer carbs. Here’s to occasional baking throughout a year teeming with happiness and delightful surprises!
Low-Carb Vasilopita – presenting a new recipe for 2024
25
servings30
minutes50
minutesIngredients
250 g 1/2 lb softened butter
1 tsp 1 pure monk fruit powder*
1/2 tsp 1/2 sea salt
8 large 8 large eggs
500 g 1 lb Skyr or fat free yoghurt
10 tbsp 10 tbsp coconut flour
120 g 1/4 lb ground blanched hazelnuts
6 tbsp 6 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tbsp 1 tbsp grated orange zest
1 tbsp 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp 1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp 1 tsp baking soda
100 ml 3 3/8 fl oz lemon juice
- Filling
150 g 1/3 lb sugar-free sea buckthorn jam (or alternative)
1 tbsp 1 tbsp Natural rum aroma
- Icing
500 g 1 lb mascarpone
1/2 tsp 1/2 tsp pure monk fruit powder
1 pinch 1 pinch sea salt
1 tsp 1 tsp natural lemon flavouring
1 tsp 1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F). Grease a 20cm (8 inch) round cake tin (with removable bottom) and line it with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, monk fruit powder, and sea salt until light and fluffy. Add Skyr (or fat free yoghurt) spoon by spoon.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Mix together coconut flour, ground hazelnuts, ground flaxseed, orange zest, lemon zest and baking soda into the mixture. Mix until well combined. Start adding it to the mixture spoon by spoon.
- Gradually pour in the lemon juice and vanilla extract while continuing to mix the batter until smooth and homogeneous. Pour the batter into a cake tin and place it in the preheated oven.
- Bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool for 30 minutes and then remove it from the tin. Using a sharp long knife cut the cake horizontally. You can also use a cutting string.
- Spread the sea buckthorn jam that you previously mixed with rum aroma on the first layer of the cake. Place the second layer on top. Now, wrap a coin of your choice with aluminum foil and insert it into the cake. Choose a place randomly. Spread some more jam on top.
- Leave the cake in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. Before applying the icing,
- If you are using original Italian mascarpone, the consistency should be very thick, so you can add a few tablespoons of sparkling water and whip it up with a whisk or a hand mixer together with the sweetener, vanilla extract and sea salt.
- Cover the cake with the prepared icing and decorate it using cacao nibs, coconut shredding, nuts or similar as in the photo.
- Let the cake sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before cutting and performing the Vasilopita ceremony.
Equipment
Self standing mixer
Hand mixer
Spatulas and icing bag
Notes
- In my opinion, ideal sweetener you can use for low-carb and keto baked goods is pure monk fruit powder. This sweetener as natural as it can be. It’s just dried monk fruit that has been finely ground into a powder. It has a strong sweetening power so you will need very little of it. This whole cake was made with 1,5 teaspoons of pure powdered monk fruit. I use Julian Bakery pure monk fruit powder.
- Sea buckthorn jam can be replaced with other types of sugar-free berry jams, however, if you can get this precious berry jam, the cake will be lifted to a higher level!
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 100 g
- Total number of serves: 24
- Calories: 480kcal
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Cholesterol: 163mg
- Sodium: 1870mg
- Potassium: 609mg
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 5g
- Sugar: 8g
- Protein: 20g
