The foodie traveller … on German tree cakes in Dresden

German bakeries are justly famous for their fragrant, butter-laden goods, particularly as temperatures drop and Christmas markets begin to dot the town centres. Though fruit-studded stollen and showy black forest torte tend to hog the limelight, connoisseurs often bypass these in favour of the country’s king of cakes. Slice open a regal Baumkuchen, or tree cake, and you’ll find a pale, golden interior marked by dozens of concentric circles, much like the rings of an evergreen.

Although popular, the Baumkuchen can be tricky to find. Some shops only make it for the holiday season, but Conditorei Kreutzkamm prepares its almond-, apricot- and citrus-perfumed version year-round with essentially the same recipe the fifth-generation family bakery has been using since it was founded in Dresden in 1825. The place ships cakes as far as Tokyo, but still fills up daily with patrons ordering slices for €3.50.

The newest owner is Elisabeth Kreutzkamm-Aumüller, who says she has butter and cream running through her veins. She describes the confection as “extremely labour-intensive, but absolutely delicious”.

Producing one of these beauties requires a special oven and up to four hours of constant supervision. Unlike other cakes, these are spit-roasted over an open fire. A baker carefully paints or pours on a thin layer of eggy batter, allows it to caramelise, then adds another. The end result is a wonderfully toasty kuchen (cake), which is finished with a simple vanilla or chocolate glaze. Think of it as an edible Tannenbaum (Christmas tree).