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{{short description|Cake}}
{{Short description|German cake}}
[[Image:Baumkuchen,dresden,Deutschland.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Baumkuchen]]
[[Image:Baumkuchen,dresden,Deutschland.JPG|thumb|right|300px|Baumkuchen, with characteristic circular tree ring markings.]]


'''Baumkuchen''' is a kind of [[layer cake|layered cake]]. It is a traditional dessert in many countries throughout Europe and is also a popular dessert in Japan. The characteristic rings that appear when sliced resemble [[tree ring]]s, and give the cake its German name, ''Baumkuchen'', which literally translates to "tree cake" or "log cake".<ref name="bakingsol">GCauvain, Stanley, and Linda Young. ''Baking problems solved''. Woodhead Pub Ltd, 2001. 261. Print. Retrieved Aug. 07, 2010, from [http://books.google.com/books?id=EY_IEkv4CDYC&lpg=PA261&dq=baumkuchen&pg=PA261#v=onepage&q=baumkuchen&f=false].</ref>
'''Baumkuchen''' ({{IPA|de|ˈbaʊ̯mˌkuːxn̩|-|De-Baumkuchen2.ogg}}) is a kind of [[spit cake]] from [[German cuisine]]. It is also a popular dessert in [[Japanese cuisine|Japan]]. The characteristic rings that appear in its slices resemble [[tree ring]]s, and give the cake its German name, ''Baumkuchen'', which literally translates to "tree cake" or "log cake".<ref name="bakingsol">{{cite book |last=Cauvain |first=Stanley |title=Baking Problems Solved |publisher=CRC Press Woodhead Pub |publication-place=Boca Raton Cambridge, England |year=2001 |isbn=978-0-8493-1221-2 |oclc=53968842 |page=261}}</ref>

⚫
==History==
⚫
It is disputed who made the first Baumkuchen and where it was first baked. One theory is that it was invented in the German town of [[Salzwedel]], which is further popularized by the town itself.<ref name="newyorker" /> Another theory suggests it began as a Hungarian wedding cake.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}} In ''Ein neues Kochbuch'' (lit. "A New Cookbook"), the first cookbook written for professional chefs by [[Marx Rumpolt]], there is a recipe for Baumkuchen. This publication puts the origin of Baumkuchen as far back at 1581, the year the cookbook was first published.<ref name="oxford">{{cite book |last=Davidson |first=Alan |last2=Jaine |first2=Tom |last3=Davidson |first3=Jane |last4=Saberi |first4=Helen |title=The Oxford Companion to Food |publisher=OUP Oxford |series=Oxford Companions |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-19-280681-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JTr-ouCbL2AC&pg=PA805 |access-date=2021-03-30 |page=805}}</ref> Marx Rumpolt had previously worked as a chef in Hungary and Bohemia.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}


==Characteristics==
==Characteristics==
[[Image:Baumkuchen BMK.jpg|right|thumb|Baumkuchen baked on a spit. The baker is adding a chocolate coating to the outside of the finished cake.]]
[[Image:AppleStrawberryBaumkuchen.jpg|thumb|left|Strawberry Apple Baumkuchen]]
Traditionally, Baumkuchen is made on a spit by brushing on even layers of batter and then rotating the spit around a heat source. Each layer is allowed to brown before a new layer of batter is poured.<ref name="treecake">http://www.germanculture.com.ua/recipes/blxmas13.htm</ref> When the cake is removed and sliced, each layer is divided from the next by a golden line, resembling the [[tree rings|growth rings]] on a crosscut tree. A typical Baumkuchen is made up of 15 to 20 layers of batter.<ref name="corsoela">http://www.corsoela.de/english/baumkuchen.php</ref> However, the layering process for making Baumkuchen can continue until the cakes are quite large. Skilled pastry chefs have been known to create cakes with 25 layers and weighing over 100 pounds.<ref name="treecake" /> When cooked on a spit, it is not uncommon for a finished Baumkuchen to be 3-4 feet tall.<ref name="newyorker">http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/11/23/091123fa_fact_sheraton</ref>
Traditionally, Baumkuchen is made on a spit by brushing on even layers of batter and then rotating the spit around a heat source. Each layer is allowed to brown before a new layer of batter is poured.<ref name="treecake">{{Cite web |url=http://www.germanculture.com.ua/recipes/blxmas13.htm |title=Baumkuchen - the King of Cakes |work=German Culture |date=2002 |access-date=2010-06-28 |archive-date=2020-10-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201007190331/http://www.germanculture.com.ua/recipes/blxmas13.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref> When the cake is removed and sliced, each layer is divided from the next by a golden line, resembling the [[tree rings|growth rings]] in a tree cross-section. A typical Baumkuchen is made up of 15 to 20 layers of batter. However, the layering process for making Baumkuchen can continue until the cakes are quite large. Skilled pastry chefs have been known to create cakes with 25 layers and weighing over {{convert|100|lb}}.<ref name="treecake" /> When cooked on a spit, it is not uncommon for a finished Baumkuchen to be {{convert|3|–|4|ft}} tall.<ref name="newyorker">{{Cite magazine |last=Sheraton |first=Mimi |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/11/23/spit-cake |title=Spit Cake |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |date=2009-11-15 |access-date=2024-12-03 |archive-date=2023-06-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605115012/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/11/23/spit-cake |url-status=live}}</ref>


Baumkuchen ingredients are typically butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, and flour. Baking powder is not considered a traditional ingredient. The ratio of flour, butter and eggs is typically 1:1:2 respectively (i.e., 100 grams of flour, 100 grams of butter and 200 grams of eggs). The recipe can be varied by adding other ingredients, such as ground nuts, honey, marzipan, nougat and rum or brandy, to the batter or filling.<ref name="bakingsol" /> Additionally, Baumkuchen may be covered with sugar or chocolate [[glaze (cooking technique)|glaze]]. With some recipes, the fully baked and cooled Baumkuchen is first coated with marmalade or jam, and then covered with chocolate.
Baumkuchen ingredients are typically butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, and flour. Baking powder is not considered a traditional ingredient. The ratio of flour, butter and eggs is typically 1:1:2 respectively (i.e., 100 grams of flour, 100 grams of butter and 200 grams of eggs). The recipe can be varied by adding other ingredients, such as ground nuts, honey, marzipan, nougat and rum or brandy, to the batter or filling.<ref name="bakingsol" /> Additionally, Baumkuchen may be covered with sugar or chocolate [[glaze (cooking technique)|glaze]]. With some recipes, the fully baked and cooled Baumkuchen is first coated with marmalade or jam, and then covered with chocolate.


==Variations==
[[Image:Baumkuchenspitzen.JPG|left|thumb|190px|[[Germany|German]] Baumkuchenspitzen]]
[[Image:Baumkuchen BMK.jpg|left|thumb|190px|Baumkuchen baked on a spit]]
[[Image:Baumkuchenspitzen.JPG|thumb|Chocolate-coated Baumkuchenspitzen]]
Baumkuchenspitzen, German for "Tree Cake Points," are miniature versions of Baumkuchen that are created from the cake scraps that fall during the cake's creation on a spit. These pieces are typically coated in chocolate and sold separately.
''Baumkuchenspitzen'', German for "Tree Cake Peaks," are miniature versions of Baumkuchen; for these, the slices of the whole cake are cut into small pieces that are then typically coated in chocolate and packaged.
[[File:Schichttorte.jpg|thumb|A slice of Schichttorte, made by pouring a thin layer of cake batter on top of the previous one and quickly cooking it under the broiler]]

A simpler horizontally layered version of the cake called a "Schichttorte" also exists. It is baked without a spit and thus does not have circular rings but horizontal layers. The horizontally layered version results in a Baumkuchen that is more similar in shape to conventional cakes. It can also be baked in a conventional household oven that has a [[Grilling#Overhead grilling/oven pan broiling|broiler]] inside, whereas the traditional spit version requires special equipment normally not available in an average household. However, unlike with the spit variant, the Schichttorte cross section is less reminiscent of tree rings.
A simpler horizontally layered version of the cake called a "Schichttorte" also exists. It is baked without a spit and thus does not have circular rings but horizontal layers. The horizontally layered version results in a Baumkuchen that is more similar in shape to conventional cakes. It can also be baked in a conventional household oven that has a [[Grilling#Overhead grilling|broiler]] inside, whereas the traditional spit version requires special equipment normally not available in an average household. However, unlike with the spit variant, the Schichttorte cross section is less reminiscent of tree rings.

⚫
==History==
⚫
It is highly disputed who made the first Baumkuchen and where it was first baked. One theory is that it was invented in the German town of [[Salzwedel]], which is further popularized by the town itself.<ref name="newyorker" /> Another theory suggests it began as a Hungarian wedding cake. In ''Ein new Kochbuch'' (lit. "A New Cookbook"), the first cookbook written for professional chefs by [[Marx Rumpolt]], there is a recipe for Baumkuchen. This publication puts the origin of Baumkuchen as far back at 1581, the year the cookbook was first published.<ref name="oxford">Davidson, Alan, and Tom Jaine. ''The Oxford companion to food''. Oxford University Press, USA, 2006. 805. Print. Retrieved Aug. 07, 2010, from [http://books.google.com/books?id=JTr-ouCbL2AC&lpg=PA805&dq=baumkuchen&pg=PA805#v=onepage&q=baumkuchen&f=false]</ref> Marx Rumpolt had previously worked as a chef in Hungary and Bohemia.

Aside from its more modern history, Baumkuchen can trace its roots back to [[Ancient Greece]] and then [[Ancient Rome|Rome]], with the Romans bringing the recipe for baking cakes on logs over an open fire to modern day Germany and the surrounding regions with their conquest of Northern Europe.<ref name="bakingsol" /><ref name="corsoela" />


==Baumkuchen in Japan==
==Baumkuchen in Japan==
Baumkuchen is one of the most popular pastries in Japan, where it is called {{Nihongo||バウムクーヘン|baumukūhen}}, or often erroneously, {{Nihongo||バームクーヘン|bāmukūhen}}{{cn|date=December 2011}}. It is a popular return present in Japan for wedding guests because of its [[wedding ring|ring]] shape.<ref>http://www.topia.ne.jp/awalife/awalife_nov2009.pdf</ref>
Baumkuchen is one of the most popular cakes in Japan,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hahn |first1=Thomas |last2=Mayer |first2=Verena |url=https://www.sueddeutsche.de/stil/baumkuchen-juchheim-essen-und-trinken-weihnachten-1.4728019 |title=Herr der Ringe |work=[[Süddeutsche Zeitung]] |date=2019-12-24 |access-date=2022-03-15 |language=de}}</ref> where it is called {{Nihongo||バウムクーヘン|baumukūhen}}. It is a popular return present in Japan for wedding guests because of its [[wedding ring|ring]] shape, similar to the symbol of the Zen [[Ensō]] which symbolises good luck.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hankel |first=Anja |url=http://www.topia.ne.jp/awalife/awalife_nov2009.pdf |title=Loanwords in Japanese |page=6 |work=Awa Life |publisher=Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association (TOPIA) |date=2009-11-05 |access-date=2010-07-01 |archive-date=2011-07-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722115625/http://www.topia.ne.jp/awalife/awalife_nov2009.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref>


It was first introduced to Japan by the German [[Karl Joseph Wilhelm Juchheim]]. Juchheim was in the Chinese city of [[Tsingtao]] during World War I and when the war ended the Japanese Army removed him and his wife to Japan.<ref>http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fd20100110cs.html</ref> Juchheim started making and selling the traditional confection at a German exhibition in [[Hiroshima]] in 1919. Continued success allowed him to move to [[Yokohama]] and open a bakery-store, but it was destroyed in the [[Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923]], thus forcing him to move his operations to [[Kobe]], where he stayed until the end of [[World War II]]. Some years later, his wife returned to help a Japanese company open a chain of bakeries under the Juchheim name that further helped spread Baumkuchen's popularity in Japan and is still in operation.
It was first introduced to Japan by the German [[Karl Joseph Wilhelm Juchheim]]. Juchheim was in the Chinese city of [[Qingdao]] during World War I, and British and Japanese forces began the [[Siege of Qingdao]]. Karl served as a private in the Landsturm. After the fall of Qingdao, Karl was sent to prisoner-of-war camps in Japan.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2010/01/10/tv/origins-of-baumkuchen-cheap-onsen-trips-and-this-weeks-cm-final-fantasy-xiii/ |title=Origins of baumkuchen, cheap onsen trips and this week's CM: Final Fantasy XIII |work=[[The Japan Times]] |date=2010-01-10 |access-date=2024-12-03 |archive-date=2019-01-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107152859/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2010/01/10/tv/origins-of-baumkuchen-cheap-onsen-trips-and-this-weeks-cm-final-fantasy-xiii/#.XDNwQqDP32c |url-status=live}}</ref> After the war, Juchheim started making and selling the traditional confection at a German exhibition in [[Hiroshima]] in 1919. He might have baked Japan's first Baumkuchen before the exhibition on [[Ninoshima]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Uchida |first=Momoko |title=Hiroshima: Baumkuchen reflects island's wartime history |url=https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/features/japan-focus/20220724-46646/ |work=[[Yomiuri Shimbun]] |date=2022-07-24 |access-date=2023-03-05}}</ref> Continued success allowed him to move to [[Yokohama]] and open a bakery-store, but it was destroyed in the [[Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923]], thus forcing him to move his operations to [[Kobe]], where he stayed until the end of [[World War II]]. Some years later, his wife returned to help a Japanese company open a chain of bakeries under the Juchheim name that further helped spread Baumkuchen's popularity in Japan and is still in operation.


==See also==
==Other regional variations==
* [[Šakotis]] - traditional Lithuanian spit cake
[[Image:Sekacz.jpg|thumb|right|150px|[[Sękacz]]/[[Šakotis]], a Polish-Lithuanian cake similar to Baumkuchen, and possibly older.]]
* {{Commons category-inline}}
* {{AUT}} - Baumkuchen are known in [[Austria]] as ''Prügelkrapfen''
* [[Layer cake]]
* {{CZE}} - Popular under the name ''[[Trdelnik]]''
* {{LUX}} - Baumkuchen in [[Luxembourg]], called ''Baamkuch'', has become a traditional dish served mostly on special occasions, such as weddings.
* {{POL}} - In Poland it is known with name of [[Sękacz]]
* {{LIT}} - [[Šakotis]] or Raguolis (Bamkuchinas as known in western part of Lithuania) is a similar cake also cooked on a spit, normally over an open fire.
* {{SWE}} - [[Spettekaka]] with the Protected geographical indication PGI registered by the EU
* {{HUN}} - ''[[Kürtőskalács]]'' is a similar cake also cooked on a spit.
* {{SVK}} - ''[[Trdelnik|Skalický trdelník]]'' with the Protected geographical indication PGI registered by the EU

==In popular culture==
* In [[Clamp (manga artists)|Clamp's]] manga series [[Kobato.]], the character Genko runs a Baumkuchen shop
* Baumkuchen is made during class in the manga series [[Yumeiro Patissiere]].
* [[Top Chef: Just Desserts]] contestant Morgan Wilson made a horizontally layered Baumkuchen as part of his final course in the first season finale.
* In the video game [[Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility]], a Baumkuchen is available at the bottom of Gelato Mine.
* In the Hansel and Gretel level of the video game [[We Love Katamari]], the player can roll up giant Baumkuchen that surround the Witch's gingerbread house.
*In volume 74 of the manga series [[Case Closed]], the victim of a murder case dies after eating a poisoned Baumkuchen.
* In the video game [[Pikmin 2]], one of the treasures the characters can collect is a frosted Baumkuchen. The characters name the treasure the Pastry Wheel.
* In episode 250 of the manga ''[[Berserk (manga)|Berserk]]'', Princess Charlotte is seen cooking a Baumkuchen with some help from her handmaiden Anna. A defictionalised version of this confection is scheduled to be sold at Dai Berserk Ten, a 2021 exhibition held to commemorate ''Berserk'''s 30th anniversary, showing the baking vignette in the package.


== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist|2}}
{{Reflist}}


{{Spit cake}}
{{Cakes}}
{{Cakes}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:German cuisine]]

[[Category:German desserts]]
[[Category:Polish cuisine]]
[[Category:German cakes]]
[[Category:Cakes]]
[[Category:Spit cakes]]
[[Category:Spit-cooked foods]]
[[Category:Japanese cakes]]


[[bar:Baamkuchn]]
[[de:Baumkuchen]]
[[es:Baumkuchen]]
[[fr:Gâteau à la broche]]
[[fr:Gâteau à la broche]]
[[lt:Baumkuchenas]]
[[ja:バウムクーヘン]]
[[ru:Баумкухен]]
[[zh:年輪蛋糕]]

Latest revision as of 00:31, 4 December 2024

Baumkuchen, with characteristic circular tree ring markings.

Baumkuchen (German pronunciation: [ˈbaʊ̯mˌkuːxn̩] ⓘ) is a kind of spit cake from German cuisine. It is also a popular dessert in Japan. The characteristic rings that appear in its slices resemble tree rings, and give the cake its German name, Baumkuchen, which literally translates to "tree cake" or "log cake".[1]

History

[edit]

It is disputed who made the first Baumkuchen and where it was first baked. One theory is that it was invented in the German town of Salzwedel, which is further popularized by the town itself.[2] Another theory suggests it began as a Hungarian wedding cake.[citation needed] In Ein neues Kochbuch (lit. "A New Cookbook"), the first cookbook written for professional chefs by Marx Rumpolt, there is a recipe for Baumkuchen. This publication puts the origin of Baumkuchen as far back at 1581, the year the cookbook was first published.[3] Marx Rumpolt had previously worked as a chef in Hungary and Bohemia.[citation needed]

Characteristics

[edit]
Baumkuchen baked on a spit. The baker is adding a chocolate coating to the outside of the finished cake.

Traditionally, Baumkuchen is made on a spit by brushing on even layers of batter and then rotating the spit around a heat source. Each layer is allowed to brown before a new layer of batter is poured.[4] When the cake is removed and sliced, each layer is divided from the next by a golden line, resembling the growth rings in a tree cross-section. A typical Baumkuchen is made up of 15 to 20 layers of batter. However, the layering process for making Baumkuchen can continue until the cakes are quite large. Skilled pastry chefs have been known to create cakes with 25 layers and weighing over 100 pounds (45 kg).[4] When cooked on a spit, it is not uncommon for a finished Baumkuchen to be 3–4 feet (0.91–1.22 m) tall.[2]

Baumkuchen ingredients are typically butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, and flour. Baking powder is not considered a traditional ingredient. The ratio of flour, butter and eggs is typically 1:1:2 respectively (i.e., 100 grams of flour, 100 grams of butter and 200 grams of eggs). The recipe can be varied by adding other ingredients, such as ground nuts, honey, marzipan, nougat and rum or brandy, to the batter or filling.[1] Additionally, Baumkuchen may be covered with sugar or chocolate glaze. With some recipes, the fully baked and cooled Baumkuchen is first coated with marmalade or jam, and then covered with chocolate.

Variations

[edit]
Chocolate-coated Baumkuchenspitzen

Baumkuchenspitzen, German for "Tree Cake Peaks," are miniature versions of Baumkuchen; for these, the slices of the whole cake are cut into small pieces that are then typically coated in chocolate and packaged.

A slice of Schichttorte, made by pouring a thin layer of cake batter on top of the previous one and quickly cooking it under the broiler

A simpler horizontally layered version of the cake called a "Schichttorte" also exists. It is baked without a spit and thus does not have circular rings but horizontal layers. The horizontally layered version results in a Baumkuchen that is more similar in shape to conventional cakes. It can also be baked in a conventional household oven that has a broiler inside, whereas the traditional spit version requires special equipment normally not available in an average household. However, unlike with the spit variant, the Schichttorte cross section is less reminiscent of tree rings.

Baumkuchen in Japan

[edit]

Baumkuchen is one of the most popular cakes in Japan,[5] where it is called baumukūhen (バウムクーヘン). It is a popular return present in Japan for wedding guests because of its ring shape, similar to the symbol of the Zen Ensō which symbolises good luck.[6]

It was first introduced to Japan by the German Karl Joseph Wilhelm Juchheim. Juchheim was in the Chinese city of Qingdao during World War I, and British and Japanese forces began the Siege of Qingdao. Karl served as a private in the Landsturm. After the fall of Qingdao, Karl was sent to prisoner-of-war camps in Japan.[7] After the war, Juchheim started making and selling the traditional confection at a German exhibition in Hiroshima in 1919. He might have baked Japan's first Baumkuchen before the exhibition on Ninoshima.[8] Continued success allowed him to move to Yokohama and open a bakery-store, but it was destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, thus forcing him to move his operations to Kobe, where he stayed until the end of World War II. Some years later, his wife returned to help a Japanese company open a chain of bakeries under the Juchheim name that further helped spread Baumkuchen's popularity in Japan and is still in operation.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Cauvain, Stanley (2001). Baking Problems Solved. Boca Raton Cambridge, England: CRC Press Woodhead Pub. p. 261. ISBN 978-0-8493-1221-2. OCLC 53968842.
  2. ^ a b Sheraton, Mimi (2009-11-15). "Spit Cake". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on 2023-06-05. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  3. ^ Davidson, Alan; Jaine, Tom; Davidson, Jane; Saberi, Helen (2006). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford Companions. OUP Oxford. p. 805. ISBN 978-0-19-280681-9. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
  4. ^ a b "Baumkuchen - the King of Cakes". German Culture. 2002. Archived from the original on 2020-10-07. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
  5. ^ Hahn, Thomas; Mayer, Verena (2019-12-24). "Herr der Ringe". Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2022-03-15.
  6. ^ Hankel, Anja (2009-11-05). "Loanwords in Japanese" (PDF). Awa Life. Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association (TOPIA). p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2010-07-01.
  7. ^ "Origins of baumkuchen, cheap onsen trips and this week's CM: Final Fantasy XIII". The Japan Times. 2010-01-10. Archived from the original on 2019-01-07. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
  8. ^ Uchida, Momoko (2022-07-24). "Hiroshima: Baumkuchen reflects island's wartime history". Yomiuri Shimbun. Retrieved 2023-03-05.
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