When you're in a hurry at the airport, you don't have time to think. Things you've seen many times before can easily become easy options.
I've always been intrigued by these round, layered yellow cakes I see at convenience stores. When I was in a hurry to find the boarding gate, I picked it up without thinking too much. I thought it would ease some of the loneliness of returning home.
It was a little different than I had imagined. I haven't been back to Japan since, so I'm still not sure if this is the same as what I saw in the store (it looks exactly like it).
The ones I saw at the convenience store were round in shape, but some were smaller and cut like this. It's creamy, but the taste is very mild. I was hoping for a more layered, crispy texture with a cream in between, but it actually had a more spongy texture and a buttery flavor.
I later found out that this is a German sweet called Baumkuchen (wood cake). Why is it so popular in Japan?
After researching, I found that German confectioner Karl Juheim introduced it to Japan after World War I, and it later became established as a luxury souvenir. I didn't know that the candy I bought at the airport was actually part of history.
Anyway, that cake helped me heal a little on the plane.
Feeling of Fluffiness Whilst Airbound
When you are in a rush at the airport, you don't have time to think. Something you may have seen many times suddenly becomes an easy choice, doesn't it?
I was always printed by this round, laid, yellow-tinted cake I saw in convenience shops. In a rush to find my gate, I grabbed one without thinking much. I thought to myself that it would pacify my sadness a little bit while returning to my home country.
It was not exactly as I imagined. To this day, since I haven't returned to Japan, I'm not sure if this is exactly what I saw in the stores or a different one (though it looks very similar).
The ones I found in convenience shops were round, but I also saw small cut pieces like this one. It was creamy, but very mild. I was hopping for a laid, crunchy texture with cream in between, but I got more of a spicy cake texture with a butter-like taste instead.
I later realized that this is actually a German confirmation called Baumkuchen, which literally translates to "tree cake." But why is it so popular in Japan?
As it turns out, a German baker named Karl Juchheim brought it to Japan after World War I, and it ever became a famous luxury souvenir. I had no idea I was buying a piece of history at the airport.
In any case, it did the job of comforting me on the flight home!