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Authentic German Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich)

A generous slice of bee sting cake featuring a thick layer of cream filling and a shiny, caramelized almond topping.
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You can make this traditional German Bee Sting Cake, known as Bienenstich, at home. This recipe delivers a soft yeast cake base, a rich vanilla custard filling, and a crunchy, caramelized honey-almond topping for a classic European dessert.

Ingredients

  • For the Yeast Cake: 1 cup whole milk, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast, 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 large egg, 1/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
  • For the Honey-Almond Topping: 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup sliced almonds, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • For the Vanilla Custard Filling: 1 1/2 cups whole milk, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 large egg yolks, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Yeast Cake Dough: Warm the milk until lukewarm. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar in 1/4 cup of the warm milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the remaining sugar, the egg, softened butter, and the yeast mixture to the flour. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
  3. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
  4. Prepare the Topping: While the dough rises, combine the topping sugar, honey, heavy cream, and butter in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture simmers. Remove from heat and stir in the sliced almonds. Set aside.
  5. Prepare the Custard Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens significantly.
  6. In a separate small bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Temper the yolks by slowly whisking about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks. Pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Cook for 1 minute more, whisking constantly, until very thick.
  7. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer the custard to a clean bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and chill completely in the refrigerator (at least 2 hours).
  8. Assemble and Bake the Cake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Punch down the risen dough and press it evenly into a greased 9-inch round cake pan.
  9. Spread the reserved honey-almond topping evenly over the dough.
  10. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the topping is deeply golden brown and bubbling. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
  11. Fill the Cake: Once the cake is cool, carefully slice the cake horizontally into two equal layers.
  12. Beat the softened butter for the filling until creamy. Gradually beat in the chilled custard until the mixture is smooth and light.
  13. Spread the vanilla custard filling evenly over the bottom cake layer. Place the top layer back on. Chill the cake for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • You must use active dry yeast for the traditional fluffy yeast dough base.
  • Chill the custard filling completely; warm custard will melt the cake layers.
  • Use sliced almonds for the best coverage on the topping.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://delicerecipe.com/bee-sting-cake-recipe-german-bienenstich/