Jongno dessert café with four chocolate baumkuchen: The Baum

While passing Gyeongbokgung Station, I stopped by The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch (더바움 경복궁점). It was a café that presented baumkuchen in several forms, including ice cream, chocolate, and brûlée. The prices were on the higher side, but the chocolate desserts I tried were satisfying.

Where is The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch, and is parking available?

The address is 13-2 Jahamun-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and the café occupies the first and second floors. The original post lists its hours as 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM daily. Parking is not available.

What are the first- and second-floor spaces like?

The exterior had an English sign. From the entrance alone, it gave me a German impression.

As soon as I entered, I could see the dessert display case.

The first floor had a neat atmosphere.

I ordered directly at the counter.

The second floor felt open thanks to its large windows. The roof also gave me a traditional impression, and there was a long table where groups could sit.

What are the baumkuchen menu and gift options like?

There was a wide selection of drinks, as well as several baumkuchen desserts and gift items.

Baumkuchen gift sets could be purchased in sets of four.

There was also baumkuchen with plenty of cheese in it.

I also looked at watermelon yanggaeng (sweet bean jelly), chou yanggaeng, and mini baum. Horiang felt expensive, but its shape looked like a work of art. I did not try it.

At the time of my visit, Chuseok gift sets were also available for preorder. The various combinations and bojagi (traditional wrapping cloth) packaging caught my eye. There were hard-type baum and baum large enough to need slicing, but trying several felt expensive, so I chose the Eiffel Baum.

There was also a basic Regular Baum.

I could also choose ice cream made with baum.

Cakes also came in baumkuchen versions, including options topped with brûlée.

How much did the four desserts cost, and how did they taste?

• Dubai Choco Shell Ice Cream: ₩8,500
• Brûlée Dark Chocolate Baumkuchen: ₩7,800
• Chocolat Baum: ₩4,000
• Choco Eiffel Baum: ₩7,500

I ordered four chocolate-based desserts. Eating them while looking at the street scene was a nice change of pace.

Was the Dubai Choco Shell Ice Cream strongly chocolatey?

I expected it to be covered in more chocolate shell, so I was initially surprised by the smaller amount. Once I tasted it, though, it felt well balanced. The cold, smooth ice cream was paired with deep chocolate and pistachio flavors.

How sweet was the Brûlée Dark Chocolate Baumkuchen?

The top of the baumkuchen had a firm sugar coating.

It was very sweet, but I enjoyed it. If you find sweet desserts overwhelming, this is worth keeping in mind.

I could taste the deep dark chocolate, soft baumkuchen, and sweetness of the brûlée together. I thought it would pair well with milk.

Is the Chocolat Baum a good option for a lighter taste?

The Chocolat Baum was moist, soft baumkuchen with added chocolate flavor. At ₩4,000, it was the least expensive of the four items I ordered. I thought it would go well with coffee or tea.

It also had a generous amount of chocolate cream.

What were the Choco Eiffel Baum's packaging and sweetness like?

The Choco Eiffel Baum's box packaging felt refined.

Inside the box, it was wrapped once more in thick plastic.

When I opened it and tasted it, it was gently sweet. It was not as plain as a meal bread, but it felt like a dessert without intense sweetness.

What did I like, and what was disappointing?

What I liked most was being able to choose baumkuchen in several styles, from ice cream to brûlée. Even though I chose all chocolate-based items, their textures and sweetness differed, which made sharing them enjoyable.

However, choosing several items at once felt expensive. The brûlée was especially sweet, while the Choco Eiffel Baum was comparatively gently sweet. For my taste, the combination of deep chocolate flavor and moist baumkuchen was satisfying.