Baumkuchen originated in Germany, but the art form continues to be innovated largely in Japan, including the development of state-of-the-art baking technology like THEO. Andrea Rasca met THEO in London and tasted Baumkuchen made using this impressive technology. From the first bite, he was blown away by the fantastic flavor.
At the time, THEO was in London training to bake Baumkuchen on-site in locations throughout the world. This aligned perfectly with Andrea Rasca's vision, and so the two began working together. THEO can craft Baumkuchen on par with artisans, providing freshly baked cakes for customers anywhere in the world. This ability sparked an idea for Andrea Rasca: pairing freshly baked Baumkuchen with creamy gelato. After creating a prototype and tasting the delicious confection, he was convinced that the combination would be a huge hit.

Kikoricake was devised as a "gateway" to sweets throughout Japan and a "junction" of sweets from all around the world. The word "kikori" means "lumberjack" in Japanese, and is a reference to the word baum, which means "tree" in German. The name reflects Andrea Rasca's deep interest in Japanese culture.
The delicious sweets at kikoricake are created with many concepts in mind. In Japanese, "wa" refers to traditional Japanese culture, customs and cooking. Kikoricake's recipes are imbued with "wa" and capture the essence of Japanese culinary arts. While respecting tradition, kikoricake also utilizes incredible new technology like THEO. The future of sweets is limitless, and kikoricake is always searching for new ways to excite their customers.

Kikoricake, a combination of Baumkuchen and gelato, was unveiled for the first time at MM.
Kikoricakes are sweets made with Baumkuchen and gelato.The ingredients used in kikoricakes are inspired by local food culture and artisans. As more kikoricake stores open, they plan to make more kikoricake variations that will be named after each location. Following the first location in London, the second shop opened in Kyoto, which happens to be Andrea Rasca's favorite city in Japan. Kyoto is rich with history and tradition, the perfect location for this confectionery shop that honors Japanese customs while looking forward to the future of sweets.
The Kyoto Kodaiji location is nestled amongst old-fashioned cobblestone roads and historical townhouses. The traditional atmosphere and local flavors create an immersive Japanese experience totally unique from the London location.

In the Kyoto location, THEO bakes fluffy Baumkuchen right in the store. The cakes are topped with creamy gelato and drizzled with freshly brewed Uji matcha green tea from Kyoto just before serving. This dessert, called “kikoricake kyoto”, offers a delicate, smooth sweetness unlike any other.
The Baumkuchen are freshly baked and served warm, a perfect match for the smooth gelato, and the sweetness is balanced by the bitter matcha green tea. kKikoricake has skillfully blended traditional Japanese and international culinary techniques to create a truly unique delicacy.

Gelato float
A scoop of Badiani’s creamy milk gelato floating in Uji matcha green tea from Kyoto. Also available as a latte.

Badiani gelato, matcha green tea flavor
Just like the kikoricake kyoto and gelato float, this gelato is made using matcha green tea from Marukyu Koyamaen, a long-established company in Kyoto. Enjoy the rich, bittersweet flavor of green tea. (You can order two or three flavors of gelato.)

Kikoricake official Instagram: Kikoricake_jp