FAQ
Short answer: 3pm German Baking is a German bakery in Asheville, NC. We sell German cakes, pastries, and pantry goods at area farmers markets, take direct orders with local delivery, and bake custom cakes for special occasions. A few of our cakes are gluten-free; some products, like our apple strudel, are vegan.
Where to Find Us
Where can I buy 3pm German Baking in Asheville?
Three ways: at local farmers markets, by direct order with local delivery throughout the Asheville area, and as custom cakes ordered by email. See the market schedule on our homepage for this season's days and times, or write to info@germanbakingasheville.com to arrange an order.
Which markets do you attend?
We sell at farmers markets around Asheville and the surrounding towns, and which market on which day changes with the season. The current schedule is always on our homepage, and we also post updates on Instagram when it moves.
Do you deliver?
Yes. Direct orders can be delivered locally throughout the Asheville area. Email info@germanbakingasheville.com with what you would like and we will arrange delivery time and details with you.
What payment do you accept at the market?
Cash, card, Venmo, Apple Pay, and market tokens. No need to hit an ATM before you stop by; bring what you have and we can take it from there.
Can I order ahead instead of buying at the market?
Yes. Some products are available to preorder online, and anything else can be arranged by email in advance of a market day. Ordering ahead is the surest way to get exactly what you want, especially for whole cakes.
Ordering and Custom Cakes
Do you make custom cakes?
Yes. We bake custom cakes for birthdays, dinner parties, and special occasions, and we also work with recurring private clients who want authentic German baking regularly. Email info@germanbakingasheville.com or find us at a market to talk through what you have in mind.
How far in advance should I order a custom cake?
A couple of days is usually enough for most cakes, but the exact timing depends on the upcoming market schedule, because market days set when we bake. Reach out as early as you can and we will tell you honestly whether your date works.
Do you sell to coffee shops or restaurants?
Yes, we supply wholesale customers in the Asheville area. Email info@germanbakingasheville.com and we will send our current wholesale list.
Gluten-Free
Are your cakes gluten-free?
Some are and some are not, and that is a choice we make on purpose. When a recipe can be made gluten-free and still taste like itself, we make it that way. When it cannot, like apple strudel, we leave it alone rather than serve a version we are not proud of. Read the full story in why we do not make everything gluten-free.
Which products are gluten-free?
Our Lemon Cake is gluten-free and dairy-free. German cheesecake, Donauwelle, and our summer sheet cakes are gluten-free when the swap does not change the taste, so ask at the market for the current lineup. Our spinach tartlets use a gluten-free crust, and our pantry items, pudding powder and vanilla sugar, are naturally gluten-free.
Is the apple strudel gluten-free?
No. Real strudel dough must be rolled paper-thin, and gluten is what holds it together, so we do not make a gluten-free strudel. We made it work for another dietary need instead: our apple strudel is vegan, with a dairy-free filling and gluten-free bread crumbs.
Allergens
Does the apple strudel contain eggs?
No. Our apple strudel is vegan, so it contains no eggs and no dairy. It also uses gluten-free bread crumbs in the filling, though the dough itself contains wheat gluten.
Does anything contain nuts?
Several products do, including items with almonds, marzipan, or hazelnuts. Each product page says what is inside. We bake in a shared commercial kitchen, so cross-contact with other allergens is possible and we cannot guarantee any product is completely free of traces. If you have a serious allergy, please talk to us at the market or by email before ordering; we would rather find you something safe than guess.
The German Bit
What is quark?
Quark is a fresh German dairy product somewhere between yogurt and cottage cheese, and it is the base of a true German cheesecake. We looked hard for it in the United States, which is why our cheesecake tastes the way it does. More in what is quark.
What is kaffee und kuchen?
It is the German tradition of coffee and cake in the afternoon, closer to a daily institution than a weekend treat. Our whole menu is built for it. Read more in why 3pm kaffee und kuchen.
What is the difference between strudel, streusel, and striezel?
Strudel is a rolled pastry stretched paper-thin. Streusel is a crumbly butter-sugar topping baked over a cake. Striezel is a braided yeast bread, like our Poppy Roll. We sell all three. The field guide: strudel vs. streusel vs. striezel.