A delectable specialty has arrived in Denver’s Congress Park. At the newly opened Baum Cake Shoppe, Glaze, visitors can try Baumkuchen — a layered, ringed cake baked on a rotating spit that became a sensation in Japan more than a century ago. When sliced, the cakes reveal concentric rings, earning them the nickname “tree of life.”
Baumkuchen’s history is international: while similar confections likely trace back to Ancient Greece, the version most familiar today is credited to 19th-century bakers from the German region of Salzwedel. Written records of a related recipe appear as early as 1581 in a German cookbook.
The bakers at Glaze refer to their creations as Baum Cake and prepare them using an authentic Japanese oven made specifically for this style of baking. Owner Heather Alcott imported that oven from Japan. Roughly the size of a small car, it can produce many cakes in a single run. Alcott calls the machine the Seki Ryuu, or Red Dragon.
Currently, Glaze is the only location in the United States offering authentic Baumkuchen. Their menu includes the original baum — an almond-flour base flavored with vanilla and finished with a Cointreau or rum glaze — plus several imaginative variations. Offerings feature apple baum with a caramel-toffee glaze, Matcha Tiramisu (a chocolate baum topped with hazelnuts, pistachios and a Belgian Callebaut chocolate glaze), and Matcha Green Tea Baum.
Curious customers don’t need to visit in person to try these cakes. Orders can be placed by phone, and Glaze ships directly to buyers, making it easy to enjoy authentic Baumkuchen no matter where you are.