This fluffy yeast cake is made with instant yeast, filled with creamy homemade custard, and coated in a crunchy honey-almond topping. Everyone will be buzzing around the dessert table for this delicious German bee sting cake!
This website uses affiliate links which may earn commission for purchases made at no additional cost to you.
Yeast Cakes are My Favorite Elevated Rustic Dessert
Yeasted cakes in Germany are popular, and this honey-filled bee sting cake is my personal favorite. I add dry instant yeast to help the cake batter rise & add more flavor. But don't worry, we won't actually knead it like bread dough. (Trust me, I tried, and it definitely did not work). And if you've ever made a cake with baking powder or baking soda, you'll have no problem making a yeasted cake. Trust me, it's just as easy! And growing up in Germany, we'd often enjoy these scrumptious yeasted cakes topped with fruit, cream, or nuts, like my German butter cake.
Ingredient Notes
- Milk
- 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 I think goes well with the almond topping.
- Unsalted butter
- Honey
- All purpose flour
- Instant yeast - Instant yeast requires less rising time than active dry yeast, which is why I prefer it.
- 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.
- Sliced almonds - I prefer 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!
1. In a small saucepan, 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!
Carissa's Baking Tip
The almond + butter topping might get a little foamy - this is normal. Don't let it fool you into thinking the cake isn't baked yet. Use a spoon to move the almonds to make a little indent, then insert your toothpick into the cake to check if it's done.
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.
Bee Sting Cake | Bienenstich
Ingredients
Cream Filling
- 2 cups milk
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Yeast Cake
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoon honey
- ½ cup milk
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2¼ teaspoon instant yeast (one packet)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt (use table salt or fine sea salt)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Almond Topping
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (use table salt or fine sea salt)
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 cups sliced raw almonds
Instructions
Make the Cream Filling
- In a small saucepan on medium-high heat, combine the milk and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Once the milk starts to boil, remove it from the heat.
- In a small mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks, cornstarch, and vanilla until it forms a smooth, thick paste.
- While whisking the egg yolk mixture constantly, slowly pour about half a cup of the hot milk into the bowl. This will help increase the temperature of the egg yolks without cooking them.
- Immediately pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and turn on the stove to medium heat. Continue whisking everything in the saucepan. Once it starts to bubble, continue whisking for another 2 to 3 minutes, until it thickens.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Pour the mixture into a clean bowl and immediately cover with plastic wrap so the plastic touches the top surface of the cream. (This prevents a skin or crust from forming on top.) Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until it's cold, for at least one hour.
Prepare the Cake
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, honey, and milk. Once the butter is melted, set aside to cool for about 10 minutes. (You want the mixture warm, but not hot when you add it to the dry ingredients.)
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Set aside.
- Whisk the vanilla and egg into the cooled melted butter mixture.
- Pour the melted butter mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir with a large spoon or spatula just until there's no dry flour visible. (The mixture will be pretty thick, somewhere in between the texture of sponge cake dough and bread dough.)
- Cover the mixing bowl with a dishcloth and set it in a warm place until it doubles in size, after about one to two hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan or round cake tin with a removable bottom with a little butter. Set aside.
- Place the risen cake dough into the prepared baking dish. Wet your fingers with water, then gently press the cake batter into all the edges of the baking dish so it's in an even layer. Cover the baking dish with the dishcloth, and set aside while you prepare the topping.
Make the Topping & Bake the Cake
- In a small saucepan on medium heat, combine the sugar, butter, salt, and honey until it's evenly mixed. Allow the mixture to gently simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes, until it turns a dark golden color.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the sliced almonds to completely coat them.
- Pour the almond topping over the cake batter and spread it in an even layer with the back of a spoon. (If you're using a baking dish with a removable bottom, I recommend placing the cake in the oven and then placing a baking sheet on the rack underneath the cake, to catch any melted butter that may drip out of the baking dish. Sometimes the melted butter from the almond topping can leak out the bottom.)
- Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. (The almonds and butter on top might get a little foamy - this is normal, but don't let it fool you into thinking the cake isn't baked yet. Use a spoon to move the almonds to make a little indent, then insert your toothpick into the cake to check if it's done.)
- Let cool on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes.
Add the Filling
- Remove the cake from the baking pan. Use a serrated knife to cut the cooled cake in half horizontally. Lift the top half off and set it aside.
- Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the cooled pastry cream filling onto the bottom half of the cake in an even layer.
- Place the top half of the cake on top of the pastry cream. Slice and enjoy!!
Notes
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- The almonds and butter on top of the cake might get a little foamy as it bakes - this is normal. But don't let it fool you into thinking the cake isn't baked yet. Use a spoon to move the almonds to make a little indent, then insert your toothpick into the cake to check if it's done.
- Store leftover cake in the fridge covered with plastic cling wrap for up to 5 days. The custard filling helps the cake stay pretty moist, and the almond topping stays pretty crunchy. So if you happen to have leftovers, they'll still taste great!
Laurie
The instructions were easy to follow and turned out great! Even though it takes some time it really is worth it. Thank you!
Carissa Erzen
Thank you for your kind words! I agree, this one has some extra steps but the end result is so worth it!
Laura Vest
Look forward to trying to this cake. It was my mother’s favorite. And would love to know it. Thank you.
Carissa Erzen
Aww thank you for sharing that this was your mom's favorite! 🙂 Please let me know when you get a chance to make it! 🙂