page_title: Kuchen
section_title: Varieties
hierarchical_section_title: Kuchen / Varieties
caption_attribution_description: English: ALDI-Baumkuchen_0003
context_page_description: Kuchen, the German word for cake, is used in other languages as the name for several different types of savory or sweet desserts, pastries, and gateaux. Most Kuchen have eggs, flour and sugar as common ingredients while also, but not always, including some fat. In Germany it is a common tradition to invite friends over to one's house or to a cafe between noon and evening to drink coffee and eat Kuchen.
  The term itself may cover as many distinct desserts as its English counterpart "cake". However, the word "cake" covers both Kuchen and Torte, sometimes confused with one another, the key difference being that a Torte is a Kuchen that is decorated or layered with cream, frosting, ganache, or fruit based filling after baking. A Kuchen is typically less decorative or fancy in nature. On the other hand, the word "Kuchen" covers desserts that English would call "pie", such as Apfelkuchen. Examples of a Torte made from a base Kuchen include the Jewish Palacsinken Torte and Mohn Torte.
context_section_description: A pie-like pastry, with a thick, "cakey" crust and a sweet custard based or chopped fruit topping, known as an Obstkuchen or a type of fruit cake. This variation sometimes has a sweet icing or decorative cream topping. Variations include Erdbeerkuchen and Apfelkuchen.
  A rolled-pastry, specifically called Kuchenrolle, with a long spiral of dough sometimes filled with cream and/or jam, rolled, baked and then sliced to serve. This is sometimes known as a nut roll when nuts are added.
  A coffee cake-like pastry, marbled with veins and pockets of cinnamon, baked throughout; its primary components are butter and sugar. A marble cake or pound cake would be variations of this form, specifically known as a Marmorkuchen and Rührkuchen respectively. Streuselkuchen is a variation of this form.
  A cheese cake-like pastry, specifically called Käsekuchen, with a yeast raised crust, sometimes filled with fruit (cherry is most popular), and a creamy filling made from the German cheese Quark.
  A pan-fried pastry, specifically known as Pfannkuchen, a German pancake thicker than French Crepes and often filled with a sweet or savory filling. An egg based variation is called Eierkuchen.
  A layered pastry, commonly known as a Baumkuchen, made over a spit while brushing on layers of batter.
  A sheet-cake-like pastry, specifically known as Blechkuchen, with variations similar to other forms of Kuchen with the key difference being that this form is baked on a sheet. Can be butter based, known as Butterkuchen, or filled with fruit. Lebkuchen is one such variation commonly made during Christmas.
  Kuchen also does not have to fall under a sweet category as there are savory variations of it as well. These are called Pikante Kuchen, with examples such as Zwiebelkuchen, Speckkuchen, and Kartoffelkuchen (often paired with fresh wine or beer).
caption: Baumkuchen
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