Greek New Year's cake (Vassilopita) flavoured with rosewater and mastic

Another delicious version of the traditional New Year's cake! After the classic recipe of last year's and the one with walnuts, today we have the elegant taste and aroma of rosewater and mastic added in which will give a special twist to the cake. Surely, it will not leave your family and guests indifferent!

Recipe of Argyro Barbarigou,
a prominent Head Cook

Check out her site Argiro for more Festive recipes

Ingredients (for 12 portions):
1 tea-cup of cow's butter
1½ tea-cup of sugar
6 eggs, separated
1 tea-cup of fresh milk, lukewarm
1/4 tea-cup of rosewater
1 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of mastic drops, crushed (along with some sugar so it will not become a paste)
1/2 tbsp of lemon juice
1 lemon, the zest
4 tea-cups of self raising flour
1 tea-cup of ground almonds, skin on

Method:
In a bowl sift the flour together with the baking powder.

Beat the egg whites into a nice and stiff meringue.

Beat the sugar with the butter for about 6-7 minutes until they become pale in colour and creamy. Add the egg yolks, one by one, while continuing beating. Add the lemon zest, the mastic, the rosewater, the lemon juice, the milk and gradually the flour.

In the end add the almonds and gently fold in the egg meringue. Stir the ingredients gently with a spoon to blend well and have a smooth batter. Wrap a small coin with some aluminium foil and stir it in the batter. That will be the lucky coin for someone that day!

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Grease with some butter a round oven pan (diam. 30cm) and lay a piece of baking paper in the bottom. Pour the mixture in and make sure it covers the bottom completely.

Put in the oven and bake for 50 minutes until the Vassilopita is nicely coloured, raised and easily gets off the sides of the pan.

Let it stand for a while and turn it out on a rack to cool completely. Peel off the baking paper carefully and transfer on a serving plate.

Dust on top with plenty of icing sugar and it is ready to be served!