German Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich)
Bienenstich Say it: BEE-nen-shtikh
Bienenstich, or bee sting cake, is a classic German yeast cake with a golden caramelized almond topping and a thick vanilla custard filling. The honeyed, nutty top is its signature, contrasting with soft, slightly sweet dough and cool, silky custard. It is served at coffee time, birthdays and bakery counters across Germany. A slice is rich but balanced, making it a beloved afternoon treat with coffee or tea.
German Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich)
Bienenstich
Pronounced BEE-nen-shtikh
- Serves
- 12
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Level
- Medium
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg, nuts. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the dough
For the almond topping
For the vanilla custard filling
Method
Whisk the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add the lukewarm milk, egg and softened butter, then knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic and only slightly tacky.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size and softly domed.
Line a 9 by 13 inch (23 by 33 cm) baking pan with parchment paper. Press the dough evenly into the pan, cover loosely and let it rise for 30-45 minutes, until puffy.
For the topping, melt the butter, sugar, honey, cream and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 2 minutes, stir in the sliced almonds, then remove from the heat.
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the almond topping evenly over the risen dough and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the cake is deep golden and the almonds are caramelized at the edges.
Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a rack and let it cool completely.
For the custard, warm the milk in a saucepan. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt, then slowly whisk in the warm milk. Return to the pan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until very thick and bubbling gently.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and butter. Cover the custard with plastic wrap pressed to the surface and cool completely.
Slice the cooled cake horizontally into two layers. Spread the custard over the bottom layer, set the almond-covered top layer back in place and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing with a serrated knife.
Regional variant: Buttercream Bienenstich (Bienenstich mit Buttercreme)
For a bakery-style buttercream filling, cook 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk with 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar, 1 egg yolk and 1 tbsp cornstarch until thick, then cool completely. Beat with 1 cup (225 g) soft unsalted butter until fluffy and spread it between the cake layers instead of the vanilla custard.
Cook's notes
- Let the cake cool completely before splitting and filling it; a warm cake will soften the custard and tear easily.
- Use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to cut the cake into two even layers.
- If the almond topping firms up before you spread it, warm it briefly over low heat until spreadable.
Serve with
Serve with strong coffee, tea, or a spoonful of lightly whipped cream.
Make ahead and storage
The cake is best filled the day it is served; keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
