German Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich Kuchen) Recipe
German Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich Kuchen) is a traditional German dessert featuring a soft yeast-based cake topped with a caramelized honey and almond crust. The cake is filled with a luscious cream made from whipped heavy cream and vanilla custard, creating a light, sweet, and nutty treat perfect for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: German
Ingredients
Scale
Yeast Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup warm milk
- 1 packet active dry yeast (7g)
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- Pinch of salt
Honey Almond Topping
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
Cream Filling
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 2 tbsp sugar (for whipping the cream)
- 1 cup milk
- 3 tbsp sugar (for the custard)
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Yeast Dough: In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm milk with a pinch of sugar and let it sit until foamy, about 5-10 minutes. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, softened butter, sugar, egg, salt, and the yeast mixture. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Cover and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Prepare the Honey Almond Topping: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add honey, sugar, and sliced almonds, stirring to combine. Cook the mixture until golden and caramelized, about 3-5 minutes, then set aside to cool slightly.
- Shape and Bake the Cake: Punch down the risen dough to release air. Press it evenly into a greased baking pan. Spread the cooled almond-honey topping evenly over the dough. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 25-30 minutes until the topping is bubbly and golden. Remove from oven and cool completely in the pan.
- Whip the Cream: In a chilled mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream with 2 tablespoons of sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Cook the Custard: In a saucepan, whisk together milk, 3 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla extract. Heat gently over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens into a smooth custard. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Combine Cream and Custard: Once the custard is cooled, gently fold in the whipped cream to create a light and creamy filling.
- Assemble the Cake: Carefully slice the cooled cake horizontally in half. Spread the cream filling evenly on the bottom half, then place the top half back on. Refrigerate the assembled cake for 1-2 hours to set before serving.
Notes
- Use warm, not hot, milk to activate the yeast without killing it.
- Make sure to let the cake cool completely before slicing to avoid tearing.
- The almond topping can be prepared ahead of time and stored refrigerated if preferred.
- Chilling the cake helps the cream filling to firm up properly for cleaner slices.
- For a lighter cake, substitute part of the heavy cream with mascarpone cheese in the filling.
Keywords: Bee Sting Cake, Bienenstich Kuchen, German dessert, honey almond cake, yeast cake, cream-filled cake
