Bienenstich “Bee Sting Cake”

Dessert

Sep 19

We’re giving a nod to Oktoberfest with this very special German dessert. Called Bienenstich, or “Bee Sting Cake” this sweet, almond-topped yeasted cake, filled with enriched, honey-sweetened whipped cream has a legendary origin. Interested yet? Come to class and we’ll talk all about legends, bees, yeasted cakes, and silky-smooth custard.

Bienenstich (Bee Sting Cake)

Servings: 10–12

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes (plus 2–3 hours for rising, cooling, and chilling)

Print the Recipe

Ingredients:

For the Dough:
- 250g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 packet (7g or 2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
- 50g (1/4 cup) sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 125ml (1/2 cup) warm milk
- 1 large egg
- 50g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
For the Topping:
- 100g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
- 75g (1/3 cup) sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 100g (1 cup) sliced almonds
For the Filling:
- 500ml (2 cups) milk
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 50g (1/4 cup) sugar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 250ml (1 cup) heavy cream

Instructions:

Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add warm milk, egg, and melted butter. Knead 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise 1–2 hours until doubled.
Make the Topping: In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in sugar, honey, and cream. Simmer 2–3 minutes, then stir in almonds. Set aside to cool slightly.
Deflate and Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Punch down risen dough, roll to fit a greased 9-inch springform pan, and spread almond topping over. Bake 25–30 minutes until golden. Cool completely in pan.
Prepare the Filling: Heat milk in a saucepan. Mix cornstarch with a little cold milk to form a slurry, then whisk into hot milk with sugar and vanilla. Cook until thickened. Cool fully, then fold in whipped cream.
Fill the Cake: Slice cooled cake horizontally into two layers. Spread filling over bottom layer, then place the almond-topped layer back on. Chill at least 1 hour before serving.