Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich)

This traditional German Bee Sting Cake features a sweet, yeasted dough with vanilla cream filling crusted with honey and sliced almonds. According to one German legend, the name Bee Sting Cake came from the honey topping which attracted bees and the baker was stung while baking it.

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5 from 1 vote

Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich)

This traditional German Bee Sting Cake features a sweet, yeasted dough with vanilla cream filling crusted with honey and sliced almonds. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine German

Keyword Bee Sting Cake, honey

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Servings 8

Author Jeanette Footman and Alice Matuso

Ingredients

For the dough

• 13.2 ounces flour
• 0.5 ounce dry yeast
• 2.2 ounces sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 large egg
• 7 ounces luke-warm milk
• 1.8 ounces melted butter, cooled

For the topping

• 9.7 ounces sliced almonds
• 5.3 ounces butter
• 3.2 ounces sugar
• 4.4 ounces honey
• 2.04 ounces whipping cream

For the filling

• 35.2 ounces whole milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 7 ounces sugar
• 2.08 ounces corn starch
• 1 pinch salt
• 14.1 ounces butter, room temperature

Instructions

For the dough

• Mix all ingredients and knead first at lowest speed in mixer with a dough hook (speed 2) and then for 5 minutes on highest speed (speed 4) to reach a soft doughy consistency. Leave dough covered in a warm area until volume has doubled.
• Quickly knead the dough by hand on a floured surface, then roll out to fit into a 15 by 11-inch pan.
• Line the cake form with baking paper (for easy removal of cake), put the dough in the form and spread the topping evenly over the dough.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 350°Ft (temperature and time might vary depending on oven) for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown. 

For the topping

• Slowly heat butter, sugar, honey and heavy whipping cream on the stove top while stirring constantly until just boiled; then stir in sliced almonds.

For the Filling

• Heat the milk in a pot, reserving 7 tablespoons. Add the sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch and salt to the reserved milk, mix well and add to the milk in the pot when it comes to a boil.
• Remove from heat and stir, then bring to a boil again. Let cool to room temperature, then cream the butter in a separate bowl and add it to the filling slowly until thoroughly combined.

To serve

• When the cake has cooled, slice through horizontally and fill with the pudding cream. Replace the top layer and cut into squares with an electric knife for serving. Or, pre-slice the top layer of cake into squares with a serrated knife and place back on top of the pudding layer to make the cake easier to slice and serve.

Notes

*This recipe comes to us from Edible Indy.

Photo by Katherine Costello.