Baumkuchen is a German layered cake traditionally baked by rotating batter on a spit.
Thin layers of batter are brushed onto a rotating cylindrical spit and baked one at a time. The process creates concentric rings that resemble the annual rings of a tree, which explains the German name: “Baumkuchen” means “tree cake.”
The cake is usually made from a rich batter containing eggs, butter, sugar, and flour. It may be covered with chocolate or sugar glaze, and slices reveal the characteristic ring pattern.
Baumkuchen became especially prominent in Germany during the nineteenth century. A related Japanese cake, baumkuchen, was introduced in Japan by the German baker Karl Juchheim in 1919. Despite the shared name and technique, regional recipes and presentation styles differ.