Sommer, Sonne, Kuchengabel
Summer, sun, cake fork – "Erdbeerkuchen" by AnnenMayKantereit
Everyone knows that Germans love their beer, sausages, and pretzels, but I was surprised (and delighted) to learn just what an important role Kuchen, or cake, plays in day-to-day German life. Decadent cakes of all sorts are readily available at any corner bakery, and afternoon Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake) with friends and relatives is a weekend standby.
This time of year, one type of cake in particular is the star of the show – the Erdbeerkuchen (strawberry cake). With fresh, juicy strawberries and a traditionally light, fluffy base, it’s hard to beat on a warm summer day.
In fact, Erdbeerkuchen is such a beloved cultural icon that it’s been immortalized in a classic rock-style song by German indie band AnnenMayKantereit, aptly titled “Erdbeerkuchen”.
Sommer, Sonne, Kuchengabel
Summer, sun, cake fork
Eiskalte Lemonade
Ice cold lemonade
Sonnenbrille ist ein Muss
Sunglasses are a must
Und Filterkaffee, ein Genuss
And filter coffee, a pleasureUnd der Erdbeerkuchen
And the strawberry cake
Den musst du mal versuchen
You have to try it
Der Erdbeerkuchen
The strawberry cake
Den musst du mal probieren
You have to try it
Der ist nicht mehr lange hier
It won't be here much longer
The song hypes up Erdbeerkuchen so strongly that the lyrics utilize two different synonyms for the verb “to try” – versuchen and probieren.
If you’d like to try out some song-worthy cake yourself, take a look at this recipe from the international food blog Recipes from Europe. One way or another, be sure to enjoy some Erdbeerkuchen before the summer season is over!
Here are a few additional words from “Erdbeerkuchen” to add to your vocabulary list:
der Sommer - the summer
die Sonne - the sun
die Kuchengabel - the cake fork
eiskalt - ice cold
die Sonnenbrille - the sunglasses
der Genuss - the pleasure
der Erdbeerkuchen - the strawberry cake
versuchen - to try
probieren - to try
der Sonnenuntergang - the sunset
anstoßen - to give a toast
trinken - to drink
einschenken - to pour
das Rezept - the recipe
unterschätzen - to underestimate
verstecken - to hide
From the Sprachmelodie Archives 🎵
For more on another food that Germans go crazy for (asparagus), check out Veronika, der Lenz ist da.
Discover more German Music and Language
Check out Sprachmelodie's Spotify and Youtube accounts for playlists of all songs featured so far on the blog.