German Bee Sting Cake with Custard Filling | Bienenstich

What is a Bee Sting Cake?

Bienenstich translates to English as "bee sting". And while the origins of this cake aren't fully known, I've heard that it got its name from all the honey in the cake and almond topping. Supposedly bees were so attracted to this cake that they named it after them!

Yeasted Cakes are Unique + Delicious

Yeasted cakes in Germany are popular, and this honey-filled bee sting cake is my personal favorite. Dry instant yeast is used to help the cake batter rise before it goes into the oven, instead of using baking powder or baking soda to help the cake rise inside the oven.

Now you may be wondering, what's the point of making a yeasted cake? Well, they are usually less sweet, while maintaining a soft, tender texture. And growing up in Germany, we'd often enjoy the slightly tangy, mild-flavored yeasted cakes topped with fruit, cream, or nuts. Seriously, it's the perfect flavor combo!

Making Yeasted Cake is Easy!

Listen, even though there is yeast in the cake batter, we don't actually knead it like bread dough. (Trust me, I tried, and it definitely did not work). We don’t want a lot of gluten formation, since we want the cake light and crumbly, so kneading the cake batter would create a dense, chewy texture (no thanks).

If you've ever made cake batter with baking powder or baking soda, you'll have no problem making a yeasted cake. Trust me, it's just as easy!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Milk - Both dairy and non dairy milk work to create a rich and creamy custard filling for this cake. I usually use oat milk, and it turns out great.
• Granulated sugar - I don't recommend using brown sugar, because that will darken the color of the cream.
• Eggs
• Cornstarch - Helps thicken the crème patisserie, and also helps prevent the egg yolks from cooking in the hot milk and turning into scrambled eggs.
• Vanilla extract - You could substitute almond extract, which goes well with the almond topping.
• Unsalted butter
• Honey
• All purpose flour - Cake flour would create an even lighter, more tender cake. But it might fall apart when you slice it to add the filling in the middle. Bread flour will create too much gluten, creating a dense, chewy cake.
• Instant yeast - Instant yeast requires less rising time than active dry yeast, which is why I prefer it. It also adds a mildly tangy flavor that's absolutely delicious!
• Salt - I recommend using non-iodized table salt or fine sea salt for the best flavor and the most even distribution of the salt granules within the cake batter.
• Sliced almonds - I recommend using raw sliced almonds, since pre-roasted almonds might burn in the oven on top of the cake.

Let's Bake Traditional German Bee Sting Cake!

Below are the general steps to make this delicious cake. For the full step-by-step directions and ingredient measurements, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. In a small saucepan on medium-high heat, combine the milk and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.

3. While whisking the egg yolks, slowly add half the hot milk. Then pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan.

5. Pour the mixture into a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.

7. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt.

9. Pour the melted butter mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix until there’s no dry flour visible. Set aside to rise and double in size.

11. In a saucepan on medium heat, add the sugar, butter, salt, and honey. Simmer then stir in the almonds.

13. Bake for 22 to 26 minutes at 350°F, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

15. Spread the pastry cream on the bottom half of the cake in an even layer.

2. In a small mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks, cornstarch, and vanilla until it forms a smooth, thick paste.

4. Once it starts to bubble on medium heat, continue whisking for another 2 to 3 minutes, until it thickens.

6. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, honey, and milk. Set aside to cool for about ten minutes.

8. Whisk the vanilla and egg into the cooled melted butter mixture.

10. Place the risen cake dough into a grease 9-inch cake tin. Press the cake batter into all the edges of the baking dish so it’s in an even layer.

12. Pour the almond topping over the cake batter and spread it in an even layer with the back of a spoon.

14. Allow the cake to cool. Then remove the cake from the baking pan. Use a serrated knife to cut the cake in half horizontally.

16. Place the top half of the cake on top of the pastry cream. Slice and enjoy!

Pro Tips for Baking Yeast Cakes

• Thick Batter: When you first mix the cake batter, it will be pretty thick. The texture is somewhere in between the texture of sponge cake dough and bread dough.
• Perfect Rising: When you add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients, make sure it's cooled a bit. Liquid that's too hot can kill the yeast, and liquid that's too cold may not activate the yeast enough to get a decent rise in your cake batter.
• Warm Spot: I usually let my cake dough rise in the oven (turned off) with the oven light on. This provides a draft-free spot and the oven light provides enough warmth to help the dough rise. 
• Equipment: If you’re baking this in a round cake pan, I recommend using a springform pan or a cake pan with a removable bottom, so it’s easier to get out of the pan once it’s baked.

Variations on this Cream-Filled Cake

• You can also bake this cake in a rectangular 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan. I’d suggest to grease the pan then line it with parchment paper that hangs over the sides, which makes it easier to lift the baked cake out of the pan to slice and fill it.
• Instead of messing around with making homemade pastry cream, you could replace the filling with vanilla pudding.