Baumkuchen is a traditional German cake. The appearance of the cake resembles a tree’s growth rings. It is labour intensive cake if you make it in the traditional way, but I am going to show you how to make this beautiful cake at home the easy way! It just looks like the Baumkuchen you see and can buy from shops in Japan.
Why is Baumkuchen on a Japanese food blog?
Baumkuchen’s popularity in Japan is phenomenal. The German tree cake is readily available from fancy pastry shops to convenience stores and supermarkets. Japanese love Baumkuchen and so do I! This cake is the king of cakes in Japan definitely. And probably it is more famous and popular in Japan than it is in Germany.
About 3 years ago, I had visited my daughter who was studying in Dusseldorf, Germany and then traveled along the Romantic road. I was so thrilled thinking I can finally taste authentic German tree cake in Germany. Disappointedly, I did not find any Baumkuchen while I travelled through.
Although I was a little disappointed that I could not find and taste real German Baumkuchen, I could easily understand why Japan is in love with this cake. Because Germany was covered with Beautiful forests, which vividly show the transition of the four seasons like it is in Japan. It was not surprising that German created sweets associated with the beautiful forests and no wonder Japanese love the cake.
Juchheim Baumkuchen
There are many sweets that originated outside of Japan such as Castella. German tree cake, Baumkuchen is one of them too. Juchheim (Japanese pronounce this You-Hi-Moo) is the well-known brand of Baumkuchen. A German confectioner, Karl Juchheim introduced German tree cake “Baumkuchen” to Japan.
How to bake thin layers of cake into the shape of a tree?
Traditionally, Baumkuchen is baked and layered into the shape of a tree. It resembles tree rings when the cake is sliced. The cake can be cooked on a rotating spit. Another method is to bake the cake in a special oven with a cylinder-shaped core that rolls inside the oven. This bakes one layer at a time.
How to create the tree shape at home?
I am going to show you how I made the tree shape exactly look like the Juchheim baked Baumkuchen that you can buy in Japan! Follow the technique shown in the video. I used a crepe pan and a small rolling pin. I fried the first layer of thinly spread batter into a rectangle shape and then rolled it with a core which I made out of a small rolling pin wrapped with a baking sheet. After one layer cooked, I spread another layer exactly the same. So put the core back on the second layer and repeated the process. Repeat until you have used all the batter.
Tips to make it look like Juchheim Baumkuchen
- Use a crepe pan, shallow frying pan, or electric pan.
- Use a small rolling pin. I used a rolling pin 2.5cm (1 inch) in diameter and 28cm (11 inches) in length. If you use a frying pan shorter in length rolling pin would be better. Then cover it with parchment sheet.
- Use some work gloves because it is really hot to roll the cake with bare hands. I used a pair of Japanese work gloves called “Gunte
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How to store Baumkuchen
Baumkuchen will keep in the fridge for about two days. Also as you may have seen, Baumkuchen often sold frozen. You can freeze them easily to store. Slice the Baumkuchen and wrap them individually with cling wrap. Then place them in a ziplock bag and freeze. It will store for about 2 weeks in the freezer. When you would like to eat it, defrost slowly in the fridge.
Alternative shape and Variations
Alternatively, you can bake thin layers at a time in cake pans. Also, I have seen a Chocolate coated square shaped Baumkuchen or Sugar icing over the cake. Also, apricot jam layered in between cake layers. Though, in my humble opinion, Baumkuchen should look like a tree ring really.
Hope you like my Baumkuchen recipe. If you liked the recipe, please rate it and leave a comment below. Check out my other German recipes that Japanese love such as German Potato, and Easy Pretzel.
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Baumkuchen German Tree Cake
Ingredients
- 200 g Plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 6 eggs separated to white and yolks
- 160 g confectioner's sugar
- 140 ml milk
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 1 tbs honey
- Oil and a crepe pan
Instructions
- Separate yolks and white. Leave the yolks in the room temperature and refrigerate the white.
- Sift plain flour and baking powder. Set it aside.
- Place butter, milk and honey in a microwave proof bowl and cover with cling wrap.
- Microwave the milk and butter mixture for 1 minute on 600w to dissolve butter completely.
- Make meringue. Place egg white and 1/3 of the sugar and beat. Add another 1/3 of sugar and beat. Add the remaining of the egg white and beat until the meringue is shiny and forms a stiff peak.
- Add all egg yolks at once and mix well.
- Fold the sifted flour in three different times.
- Take a scoop of the mixture from step 7 and add it to milk and butter mixture.
- Mix them well, then return it to the flour and egg mixture and stir wll to make batter.
- Heat 24cm crepe pan grease the surface with oil and spread flat thinly and rectangle shape if possible.
- When bubble formed, flip it over carefully to not break it and cook the other side briefly.
- Place the first layer on a chopping board. Place s prepared rolling pin over the edge and roll.
- On the crepe pan grease the surface with oil and spread the second layer.
- When bubble formed, place the core on the edge of the batter and roll.
- Repeat the process for remaining batter. Cool the cake down. *2 Take the core out and slice it about 2cm (0.8 inch) thick to serve.
Cute recipe but the layers do not stick really well together. Maybe after a night in the fridge, or maybe with a ganache it would be better. Nice taste, cute result. I recommand !
Hi Emilie, the cake need to be started to roll before the dough in the pan all set.
Hi from Germany, I’ve tried your recipe today, and it turned out quite well even though I think it’s a bit complex for beginners. I also noticed that my dough hasn’t formed bubbles no matter how long I’ve waited. Instead it already had bubbles before I spread a layer on the pan. Moreover the upper surface of the layer was still raw, so whenever I rolled the core one side remained raw. Maybe the layer was still too thick?
Anyway it finally worked at my second attempt when I flipped the layers respectively. 🤷🏻♀️
Regarding storage: Is it better to store the cake in the fridge or at room temperature to keep it moist and fluffy? Shall I cut it into slices beforehand or only when I want to eat?
Thank you ^_^
I have a question, how long does it take to bake and at what temperature will you have to cook it at?
Hi May, I make this with frying pan so I don’t measure the temperature.
Hi Shihoko 🙂 I’m from Germany and was just looking for a Baumkuchen recipe, because my mother sent me a really delicious Baumkuchen witb irish cream. I noticed, your recipe is a bit different from the German ones – most of them include marzipan and bittet almond flavor. Your way to bake it create a really lovely version. Another and more easy way is to use a springform and add 3 table spoons of dough. Than broil it at lowest setting for about 3min on the bottom of the oven. Than create the next layer on top of it with 3 table spoons and so on. We always coat the Baumkuchen with chocolate. I only thought, this could be interesting for you or inspire you to create a new version of it 🙂 And of course tbank you for sharing your recipe and knowledge about it – I didn’t know, Baumkuchen is famos in Japan 🙂
Thank you so much Miriam for authentic Baumkuchen recipe. I guess Japanese adopted just the shape of it and Japanese love their own interpretation of the Baumkuchen. I never had Japanese baumkuchen has marzipan and bitter almond flavour one. I wanted to try the authentic real Baumkuchen in Germany when I visited Germany about 4 years ago and only disappointed that I could not see any baumkuchen anywhere.
That’s because it’s more a cake for the christmas time in germany 😉
Oh Anna Thank you, but I traveled in Germany at Christmas time and I could not find any 😔
I thought the animated hearts radiating from the ‘like’ button were tiny spiders crawling all over my screen. I nearly had a heart attack!!! Five stars.
Thank you Billy Joel 😀
Update from a few hours ago
My 13-year-old daughter and I went ahead with the 6 eggs and it turned out oishii. I wish there was a way to attach photos to show you how they look. She did most of the work and I just guided her. I love that they are the perfect sweetness. We had fun together while making a delicious dessert.
Arigato for the recipe!
Ohhhh wonderful! Thank you for making Baumchen. I love this cake so much and happy to know you and your daughter enjoyed it making together and eat 😀 If you have Instagram account, tag me @chopstickchronicles or #chopstickchronicles so that I can see:D Thank you again!!
My daughter and I are making it right now and from watching your video I counted 3 egg yolks going into the meringue. Did you use 6 like your recipe says? We are waiting for the meringue to form peaks and will go ahead dropping 6 yolks in. I will see if you replied to this later. Thank you!
Hi Gina, Thank you. The video is only showing snippet of the process. I use 6 not just 3 😀 How did it turned out?
Very easy to make
Thank you for making this baumkuchen Fadi 😀
Just received a box from my son in Germany. This one has a touch of Irish Cream. Delicious, in spite of it having been in the mail for seven weeks!
Hi Paul, OMG with Irish Cream! must be delicious 😀
Aloha from Kauai!! I just want to thank you for this post and inspiration. I am a private chef and was looking for a ring shaped cake for a New Year’s Eve dessert for my clients. Something to symbolize their luck and good fortune coming full circle this year. I had never seen a cake like this before and it turned out amazing. I wish I could attach photos to my comment. May your new decade be extraordinary!!!
Aloha from Patrick 😀 Thank you for your lovely comment. I am glad that you and your client are happy with the Baumkuchen recipe. This is by far my favourite cake.
I’m making these for a party and I’m wondering about having a few different flavors for variety. Do you think I could switch out some of the flour for cocoa, espresso powder or matcha? I would be happy to hear your suggestions! Thanks!!
Hi, Marissa. Yes definitely. I have seen and eaten Matcha flavoured in Kyoto which was delicious and coco or espresso powder will also works too! 😀 Go for it.
What an interesting recipe! I have never seen anything like it but I bet it is absolutely delicious!
Thank you Milica 😀
This might be the prettiest cake I’ve ever seen. I’ve never tried it, but think I’m going to have to!
Thank you Romina, try it very soon, you will love it 😀
These German created sweets really remind me of beautiful forests. I think that it is so cool that Japanese people really love this cake.
Thank you Jeannette 😀 Yes we love German food <3
This is absolutely stunning! I never tasted Baumkuchen, but it sure looks and sounds so unique and a must try!