Baumkuchen café near Gyeongbokgung for yanggaeng cream baum: The Baum

Have you heard of baumkuchen, the German dessert that resembles tree rings? I'd had it a few times before, from plain to various flavored versions, but this visit turned out to be to a place with a far wider range than I expected — a baumkuchen specialty shop near Gyeongbokgung Station, The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch.

• Hours: Mon–Sun 10:00–22:00
• Address: 13-2 Jahamun-ro, 1F & 2F, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Groups and takeout available

How close is The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch to Gyeongbokgung Station?

The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch is about 100m straight ahead from Gyeongbokgung Station. You'll spot a building with a soft brown exterior and bright green THE BAUM lettering — great accessibility if you're looking for a dessert café near Gyeongbokgung Station.

Baumkuchen comes from German Baum (tree) and Kuchen (cake). The name comes from the way the layered, baked batter creates a cross-section resembling tree rings. I used to picture baumkuchen only as the classic ring-shaped cake, but at The Baum I found everything from that familiar shape to completely unexpected new desserts.

What kinds of baumkuchen does The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch have?

The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch's base product is the moist, soft plain soft baum, and the lineup extends all the way through hard baum, Eifelbaum, horiang, and spitzen. Walking in, you'll see a display model showing baumkuchen's original round shape on one side, and a showcase packed with various products on the other.

There was also the sweet hard baum, and Eifelbaum, which rises like a little mountain — its size was bigger than I expected, which caught my eye. Horiang, which carries a Korean aesthetic, and chocolate-coated spitzen were also striking. It was interesting that they varied not just the flavors but the shapes, textures, and even the way you're meant to enjoy each dessert.

Can you buy Chuseok gift sets too?

The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch also had gift-worthy products ready, and at the time of my visit, they were taking pre-orders for Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) gift sets. From individually wrapped items to full gift sets, there was a wide range of options — this could work well as a dessert for holidays or special occasions.

Chilled baumkuchen with cream and fruit

In the refrigerated showcase near the counter at The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch, cream and fruit baumkuchen like custard baum, the brûlée series, and watermelon baumkuchen are kept separately. I already thought there were plenty of varieties just from the display, but the refrigerated case had even more baumkuchen waiting.

From the soft, cream-filled custard baum to the brûlée series that incorporates crème brûlée — it was fun seeing how they took a basic baumkuchen and layered in different dessert elements to create entirely new menu items.

The watermelon baumkuchen in particular grabbed attention with its visuals — anyone would recognize it as watermelon at a glance. There was even a mini size, which made it extra cute. At this point, it felt less like visiting a baumkuchen specialty shop and more like exploring the possibilities of what baumkuchen can become. If you prefer novel menus over familiar desserts, The Baum, a well-known dessert spot near Gyeongbokgung Station, offers plenty of fun just in choosing.

Coffee and drink menu at The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch

The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch has a basic coffee menu, affogato, and fruit juices and smoothies. All the desserts stole the spotlight, but the drink menu deserves attention too.

Besides basic coffee options, they also offer affogato, which pairs ice cream with espresso. With juices and smoothies made from fruit, there are plenty of choices, making it a good place to visit even with friends who don't drink coffee.

Coming here after a meal to enjoy dessert with an affogato also seemed like a great combination. But since I'd ordered several kinds of baumkuchen I was curious about that day, I stuck with a clean Americano for my coffee. Today's star wasn't the coffee — it was the baumkuchen!

Second-floor seating and Seochon window views

The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch also has seating on the second floor, including group seats good for several people together. While waiting after ordering, I took a bit more time to look around the store.

Having group seating means it's great for visiting with several people. But what I liked most was the Seochon view from the window. It's a good spot to rest for a bit while exploring Gyeongbokgung Palace and Seochon, and also a nice space to slowly enjoy coffee and dessert while looking outside. Given the size of the store and its variety of seating, this was a dessert café near Gyeongbokgung Station that goes beyond takeout — a place to actually spend leisurely café time.

How did the yanggaeng cream baum, brûlée apple baum, and dark spitzen taste?

This time at The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch, I ordered the yanggaeng cream baum, brûlée apple baum, dark spitzen, and an Americano.

Yanggaeng cream baum

The yanggaeng cream baum, which I was most curious about first, was a menu item that made me think cream and yanggaeng (sweet red bean jelly) could pair this well. The subtle red bean flavor coming through the soft cream was a masterstroke. Yanggaeng's characteristic sweetness blended with the cream to create a combination that felt both familiar and fresh.

Brûlée apple baum

The brûlée apple baum was fun from the start, just cracking through the crispy caramel layer on top. Past the crispy surface, sweet cream appears, and the soft, moist baumkuchen carries a subtle apple flavor. The alternating crisp and soft textures were also appealing.

Dark spitzen

The dark spitzen is defined by its rich dark chocolate coating. You get both the chocolate flavor and the original baumkuchen taste together, so it's a menu item worth checking out if you love chocolate. While the previous two menu items leaned on cream, the spitzen was a combination that added chocolate to the essential charm of baumkuchen itself.

Baumkuchen paired with Americano

Going back and forth between several kinds, choosing the Americano turned out to be a good call too. It cleanly reset the different sweetness and flavor of each dessert, letting me enjoy everything without feeling overwhelmed to the last bite.