Baumkuchen baked in Otaru tile kilns

Otaru prospered as a port of call for the Kitamae-sen ships coming from the Kanto region. Kitamae-bune were merchant ships that traded goods between Osaka and Hokkaido via the Seto Inland Sea and the Sea of Japan from the mid-Edo period to the Meiji period. From the Kanto region, all sorts of daily necessities such as rice, salt, sugar, sake, iron, textiles, and cotton were exchanged, and from Hokkaido, many goods such as kelp, herring, herring meal, and salmon were traded. The tiles used for the tiled roofs still seen in the streets of Otaru are one example. The tiles, which were not only a commodity but also loaded into the bottom of the Hokoku-maru ships to prevent capsizing and to balance the center of gravity, were used competitively in warehouses and wealthy shops in Otaru, where fires were common at the time. We expressed the image of these tiles stacked up in the "Kawarayo Baum" by using the overlapping layers of the Baumkuchen and the crunchy texture of the caramel.

Eggs, sugar, butter, wheat.
Because it's a Hokkaido confectionery, it uses plenty of local ingredients. It has a rich flavor packed with the bounty of the north.

Traditional Baumkuchen made by skilled craftsmen is cut into pieces and placed in an oven, where it is slowly baked into a rusk shape.
Once the surface is golden brown, a generous amount of caramel powder is sprinkled on top and the cake is baked again. This "triple baking" is the secret to its deliciousness. Each cake is handmade with great care.

The Kitamae-bune ships played a major role in the development of Otaru. At the time, sailing the rough waves of the Sea of Japan was a life-risking endeavor. In Otaru, there are many ship votive plaques that were dedicated to shrines and temples by Kitamae-bune shipowners and boatmen, praying for a safe voyage. Otaru Kawarayaki Baumkuchen incorporates these beautiful ship votive plaques into its design and delivers them to you.