Spincake is a passion project of Janice Tam, a San Francisco-based designer and Mom. In 2005, Janice took a trip to Japan and discovered baumkuchen, likely at a convenience store, and brought it back to the hotel lobby along with a cold can of coffee. That taste combination started a decades-long obsession to find fresh baumkuchen in North America culminating in a decision in late 2019 to start baking it herself.

Naoko Nakamura, a professional baker with over 20 years of experience, had always known about baumkuchen and didn't think it was a big deal. But, being Janice's friend, she signed on to help develop recipes and navigate Japanese business culture.