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Authentic German Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich) Recipe

A delicious slice of bee sting cake showing layers of sponge, cream filling, and a glossy, caramelized almond topping.
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Make a traditional German Bee Sting Cake featuring a fluffy yeast dough, rich vanilla custard filling, and a signature crunchy, caramelized honey-almond topping. This recipe delivers bakery-style elegance for your coffee time.

Ingredients

  • For the Yeast Dough: 1 cup milk, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp), 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 large egg, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
  • For the Honey-Almond Topping: 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1 1/2 cups sliced almonds, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 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 cold heavy cream (for whipping)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Yeast Dough: Warm the milk until lukewarm (about 105-115°F). In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar in the warm milk; let stand 5 minutes until foamy.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture, remaining sugar, and softened butter. 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. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan. Punch down the risen dough and press it evenly into the prepared pan. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
  5. Prepare the Topping: While the dough rests, combine the butter, brown sugar, honey, heavy cream, and flour in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture just begins to boil and the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in the sliced almonds.
  6. Spread the almond mixture evenly over the dough surface.
  7. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, watching carefully after 20 minutes to prevent the topping from burning. If the topping darkens too quickly, loosely tent the cake with foil for the remainder of the baking time. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
  8. Prepare the Custard Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens significantly, about 5 to 8 minutes.
  9. 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 tempered yolks back into the saucepan. Cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly, until the custard is very thick. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla extract, and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard. Chill completely in the refrigerator (at least 2 hours).
  10. Finish the Filling: Once the custard is cold, whip the 1/2 cup of cold heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the chilled vanilla custard until just combined and fluffy.
  11. Assemble the Cake: Once the cake layer is completely cool, carefully slice it horizontally into two even layers using a long serrated knife.
  12. Place the bottom layer on a serving plate. Spread the entire vanilla custard filling evenly over the bottom layer. Place the almond-topped layer gently on top of the filling.
  13. Chill the assembled cake for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • To prevent the topping from burning, watch the oven closely after the 20-minute mark. If the almonds brown too fast, cover the top loosely with aluminum foil for the remaining bake time.
  • For a lighter filling, you can substitute some of the whole milk with low-fat milk, but this may slightly affect the final texture.
  • If you are planning ahead, you can prepare the custard filling one day in advance. Keep it covered tightly in the refrigerator.
  • If you find meal planning stressful, remember that baking a showstopper dessert like this Bee Sting Cake is a great way to impress guests without relying on expensive meal delivery companies.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://carlacooking.com/bee-sting-cake-recipe-authentic-german/