Café near Gyeongbokgung Station for brûlée matcha baum: The Baum

I was visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace and it was such a hot day that I wanted something cool, so I stopped by The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch, a baumkuchen specialty dessert café near the palace.

The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch is a great alternative to your average slice cake — you can try something new — and it's perfect for a relaxed tea time in a hanok setting.

The packaging is upscale enough to work as a thank-you gift, and the baumkuchen itself is delicious. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a gift for parents or friends — this place really knows dessert.

Where is The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch, and what are its hours?

The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch is at 13-2 Jahamun-ro, 1F and 2F, Jongno-gu, Seoul, about 130m from Gyeongbokgung Station Exit 2. It's open daily from 10:00 to 22:00, and reservations and group visits are both possible.

Being so close to Gyeongbokgung Station makes it easy to stop by before or after touring the palace, and it's near Seochon and Tongin Market, so there's plenty to see and eat nearby. The café spans two floors, so you can settle in comfortably.

It's best to grab a seat first — as usual, unless you're taking food to go, you'll need to sit and eat in-store. Baumkuchen symbolizes success, prosperity, celebration, and long health, so it makes a great gift of respect for someone important to you.

I headed to the counter to order.

Since it's a dedicated dessert café, the desserts are beautifully arranged inside the showcase.

What baumkuchen and desserts does The Baum sell?

The Baum specializes in baumkuchen desserts. Baumkuchen is German for 'tree ring cake,' so this is truly a cake dessert specialty spot. If you're generally a fan of cake, it's worth stopping by to try it. This Seochon café reinterprets baumkuchen in a modern way.

With stylish cheese-tart-style shapes and various creams as bases, the dessert variety was pretty wide.

From basic baumkuchen to cream cheese, chocolate, matcha, and brûlée baumkuchen with lemon passion fruit, you can taste both delicious and luxurious versions.

How much do whole baumkuchen cost at The Baum?

The basic whole-size baumkuchen comes in a fairly large size. Plain baumkuchen is ₩18,000, and plain soft or torte chocolat baumkuchen is ₩22,000 — good desserts for sharing among several people, and great as gifts too.

They'd make a special, memorable gift for sharing among a group, a housewarming, or a birthday party.

The ice cream and rusks at the counter also suited the hot weather really well.

Gift wrapping and Chuseok gift sets at The Baum

Since each layer is built up slowly over a long time, there's a meaning of 'the aesthetics of waiting' woven into it — which makes it a great gift for milestones like weddings, birthdays, school entrance, graduation, or moving to a new home. It seemed like it'd be useful for this year's Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) gifts.

There's also packaging made specifically for Chuseok gift sets.

There are so many kinds: plain baum, custard baum, watermelon baumkuchen, chocolat baum, Eifel baum, baked baum, brûlée baum, pure milk baum, and more.

What we ordered at The Baum, and the prices

• Iced Americano ₩5,000
• Einspänner Signature ₩6,800
• Cheese Baum ₩4,000
• Brûlée Matcha Baum ₩7,800
• Mini Baum Layered Melon ₩4,500

I picked a bit of everything.

With such a variety ordered, there was plenty of dessert and coffee to go around.

Brûlée matcha baum, 7,800 won

The brûlée matcha baum has a rich look right from the start. The brûlée layer on the outside is crisp and sweet, coating the outside in a sweet shell while the inside is a matcha cake that's truly soft with deep flavor. Cracking it with a spoon and hearing that tap, tap sound, paired with the sweet coating and soft baumkuchen — it's a real experience.

Einspänner Signature, 6,800 won

The Einspänner Signature has an excellent balance between soft cream and the bitter taste of Americano. It has a level of sophistication a cut above your average coffee — highly recommend.

Cheese baum, 4,000 won

The cheese baum has a crisply baked baumkuchen exterior with a white filling tucked in the middle that brings out the flavor of cheese — a well-balanced, satisfying dessert.

The soft cheese baum let me really taste the fragrance and richness of the cheese as-is. It was quietly delicious — the kind of baked dessert you keep reaching for.

Iced Americano, 5,000 won

The iced Americano's rich flavor is its charm.

With ice cubes in it, there was a refreshing coolness too — a cup that paired well with the desserts. Given the weather, iced was definitely the way to go over hot coffee.

Because it was such a hot day, I suddenly craved an iced Americano and ordered one. A bite of sweet dessert with a sip of bitter Americano was such a great pairing. The first sip was so cool, with a solid, well-balanced body — clean and refreshing.

Mini baum layered melon, 4,500 won

The mini baum layered melon is perfect for takeout. It's not too big, so it's easy to eat alone without feeling heavy, and it has a subtle melon fragrance.

I sliced the baumkuchen open a bit.

The baumkuchen's signature soft, layered texture had that sweet, nutty flavor. Taking a bite let the sweetness spread through my mouth in a pleasant, just-right way that made it easy to keep eating.

The melon baumkuchen is made by repeatedly coating a thin layer of batter around a cylindrical rod and baking it, so when you cut into it, you see layers like tree rings. Unlike a fluffy cake, its dense yet soft texture combined with the melon fragrance was really appealing.

Naver receipt review perk at The Baum

Writing a Naver receipt review is also worth doing. You get a cute mini version dessert in a small box.

I opened the small box half-expecting, half-wondering what was inside, and sure enough, there was an adorable baumkuchen inside. This Seochon café is a must-visit dessert spot if you're heading to Gyeongbokgung — The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch.

It was a great day for enjoying the tasty baum series desserts in a stylish hanok atmosphere. Eating in such a serene setting felt really special. You could come with friends, with family, or even on a date — there's plenty to enjoy. For an afternoon of rest and unique treats in a Gyeongbokgung dessert café in Seoul, I highly recommend The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch as the perfect spot to spend good time and eat well.