Sakotis
The spiked golden tree cake of celebration - batter poured over a turning spit to grow branching spines, sliced at weddings and fairs.
Updated 31 August 2026
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Sakotis is the showpiece cake of Lithuanian celebration, a tall pale-gold cone grown by pouring batter over a spit that turns before a fire, so it forms dripping, branching spines like a spruce tree. Sliced at weddings, Christmas and fairs, it is as much a centrepiece as a dessert.
The main sights
- The spiked tree shape - the tall branching cone of baked batter.
- The spit baking - watching one made over a turning fire at fairs.
- Celebration tables - its place at weddings and Christmas.
- Market sellers - whole cakes and slices at markets and fairs.
When to go
Year-round at markets and bakeries; fairs and the Christmas season are the best time to see one baked over a fire. Buy a slice to try before a whole cake.
Practical notes
It is a dry, crumbly, eggy cake more than a rich moist one, so it suits coffee and a celebration mood rather than a decadent dessert craving. A whole one is large and fragile to carry. The spectacle of the baking is half the appeal.
Nearby
Markets like Hales in Vilnius sell it; fairs across the country bake it fresh.
What to pack for Sakotis
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- A reusable bag or container - For market produce and cutting down on packaging. Find on Amazon
- Wet wipes + hand sanitiser - Street food and washbasins do not always go together. Find on Amazon
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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
