Baumkuchen!!!

Baumkuchen, which literally translates to “Tree Cake” is a popular special occasion or wedding cake. It is associated with the former East German Town of Salzwedel as its place of origin in 1820. However the first recipe for Baumkuchen was printed in Ein New Kochbuch or “A New Cookbook” in 1581, so its safe to say the Baumkuchen was around long before that. There are a few variations on the origin of this tree cake, like it started as a Hungarian wedding cake, but because the name is German, this story isn't very likely.


Baumkuchen is also very popular in Japan, it is one of the most popular pastries over there. Its is favored as a present to wedding guests because of it resembles a ring. It was first introduced to japan by a German man named Karl Joseph Wilhelm Juchheim during World War I. During this time, Juchheim was in Tsingtao, China, and when the war ended he and his wife were taken to Japan by the Japanese Army. He started to make and sell the traditional German pastry at a exhibition in Hiroshima (1919). The success from the pastry in Hiroshima allowed Juchheim to expand and move to Yokohama where he oped a bakery. Unfortunately his bakery was destroyed in the Great kanto Earthquake of 1923. Soon after he moved his bakery to Kobe. Years after World War II, Jachheim wife came back to open a chain of bakeries under the Jachheim name with the help of a Japanese Company. The bakeries are still open today and have helped spread Baumkuchen throughout japan.

Baumkuchen is not a traditional cake at all. Most cakes consist of a batter that is poured into a tin mold of sorts and baked as a whole. Baumkuchen however consists of individual layers upon layers that are poured over a revolving hardwood roller (or spit) over a heat source like an open flame. Baumkuchen starts out as one layer, which is allowed to bake thoroughly before the next layer of batter is brushed on. This cycle is repeated over until it reaches an average of 15-20 layer. Some overzealous pastry chefs have been known to make Baumkuchen with up to 25 layers, weighing over 100 pounds, and being 4 feet long. This cake is so time consuming and labor intensive, it is referred to as the “King of Cakes”. It takes ridiculous skill to produce an actual Baumkuchen because when the cake is finished and sliced, the inside is supposed to resemble the growth rings of a tree trunk. Each individual layer is allowed to bake and reach a golden brown color, then another layer of batter is added and baked the same way. The separation in layers are visible like golden brown lines.

A traditional Baumkuchen is made with simple cake ingredients like flour, butter, and eggs with a 1:1:2 ratio, and then sugar, salt, and vanilla. One can also modify the recipe with the addition of ingredients like nuts, rum, brandy, honey, or marzipan. Baumkuchen is then cooled and finished with jam, and then covered in chocolate or vanilla frosting.

Most people have never seen or heard of Baumkuchen, luckily I had. I had the pleasure of siting in on a Baumkuchen demonstration performed by two of my chefs from school. I can honestly say it was one of the magical experiences of my life. It looks absolutely absurd, but the end result was unlike anything else I have ever seen. I'm a bit of a dork, but that demo pretty much made my year. However, I never got to taste it, so people feel free to send me some!