Baumkuchen – German & Japanese 15 Layer Tree Cake Coming to EPCOT

Lisa Stump

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Baumkuchen – German & Japanese 15 Layer Tree Cake Coming to EPCOT

Beginning June 6, the Connections Café at EPCOT will be serving a new multi-layered cake treat called Baumkuchen.

New Cake at Connections Café

This new Baumkuchen dish translates from German to “Tree Cake,” as “Baum” means tree, and “Kuchen” means cake. The name is in reference to the dessert’s appearance. It has 15 layers of delicate cake and is crafted on a machine similar to a rotisserie, giving the cake the look of a sliced tree trunk.

Food and Beverage Pastry Culinary Director Stefan Riemer describes the new confection in an official Disney Eats video showcasing part of the sweet treat’s creation.

Take a look at the Instagram announcement video below.

The clip begins with Stefan introducing himself while holding a plate of the new dessert. Several narrators debate the correct pronunciation of the German word “Baumkuchen,” before cutting back to the chef teaching everyone how to correctly pronounce the name of the new dessert, as well explaining its meaning.

Beginning on June 6, Connections Café at EPCOT will be serving a new multi-layered cake treat called Baumkuchen.

Will you be stopping by Connections Café to try the new Baumkuchen? We’d like to see your opinions about it in the comments below.

About Baumkuchen

Baumkuchen is a traditional German cake that is baked on a rotating drum, similar to a rotisserie, giving it a distinctive concentric-ring appearance. This look is where the name originates, as the treat looks similar to a cross-cut section of a tree. The snack is also popular in Japan.

The exact origins of Baumkuchen are unknown, but it is thought to have originated in Germany in the 15th century. The first known recipe for Baumkuchen was published in 1581 by Marx Rumpolt, a German chef. Baumkuchen quickly became popular in Germany and other parts of Europe and was eventually introduced to Japan in the early 20th century.

The desert is typically made with a batter of eggs, sugar, flour, and butter. The batter is poured onto a rotating drum that is heated from below. As the drum rotates, the batter is baked into thin layers. Once the first layer is baked, another layer of batter is added, and the cake is baked again. This process is repeated until the desired thickness is reached.

baumkuchen
Source: Guinness Book of World Records

The world’s longest Baumkuchen was baked in Japan in March of 2019. It currently holds the Guinness Book of World Records title. At just over 68 feet long, it was commissioned by the Hiroshima Minato Festa Executive Committee and Juchheim Co., Ltd. The company used 90 volunteers and their own employees to craft the confection.

Be sure to check out some other stories from our recent EPCOT coverage.

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