Baum’s Sho

My wife told me about this German dessert that supposedly became popular in Japan, and this place made the Japanese style Tree Ring Cake.
The place is located in a discrete location in South Williamsburg. The inside is fairly small and I felt like the décor was pretty cool with a circa 1930s to 1940s feel. We decided to order 4 different flavors of the Tree Rings cake; Matcha Green Tea, Brulee, Salted Chocolate and the Dark Caramel. I also ordered a Latte to drink with the cake. To be honest I wasn’t wowed, it was just okay. Each piece is very small and priced from $ 3.50 — $ 4.00, which is fairly pricey for what you get. Moreover there wasn’t one flavor that I particularly like more than the other, the flavors didn’t really stand out. I am now interested in finding a place that makes the german style Baumkuchen.
While I hope the business does well (no one wishes for a business to do bad), I think Baum’s Sho is located in an odd location for the product they offer and at that price point. It doesn’t fit the neighborhood’s demographic and would probably do better in Soho or another neighborhood with that type of demographic.

Quaint spot a couple blocks from Marcy J stop. Saw their ad in Time Out and was intrigued by their Tree Ring Cake. Apparently these cakes originated from Germany and are called Baumkuchen which are baked on a wooden spit layer by layer therefore the name tree ring cake. They have 5 flavors: plain, crème brûlée, matcha, salted chocolate and dark caramel. We tried a single serving of all flavors except the plain. They are quite small, a wedge about 1.5″, dense and not very moist. I’ve never tried Baumkuchen before so not sure if that’s what they should taste like. My favorite was the crème brûlée which had a nice crispy top to it. Prices were a bit expensive — $ 4.00 for literally a bite sized piece of cake.
Atmosphere is like a fancy coffee/​tea spot — large crystal chandelier and high tables. It’s a small and seating probably accommodates about 8 – 10 people, during the summer maybe more with outdoor seating. They also serve tea and coffee. It’s an interesting concept since I’ve never heard of these cakes and based on a quick search in ny i couldn’t find any other places selling Baumkuchen. But it’s in a random spot with not much else in the area.

The rose whip cream took me by surprise. With its airy and fresh aroma and texture, it kept my palate fresh. The teas slight bitterness and toasted aromas bound for me, all if the different flavors.
バラのホイップクリームは驚きで私を取りました。その風通しの良い、新鮮な香りと食感と、それは私の味覚が新鮮に保ちます。お茶わずかな苦味と私のためにバインドされたトーストの香り、すべての異なる味場合。