This delicious yeasted cake is filled with a creamy custard and coated with a honey almond topping. Everyone will be buzzing around the dessert table for this delicious German bee sting cake, that is unique and impressive!
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 Cake
Yeasted cakes in Germany are popular, and this honey-filled bee sting cake is one of the most beloved. 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.
So what's the point of a yeasted cake? Well they are usually less sweet, while maintaining a soft, tender texture.
Growing up in Germany, we'd often eat yeasted cakes that were topped with fruit, cream, or nuts. The tangy, mildly sweet flavor of a yeasted cake is the perfect companion to flavorful toppings and fillings.
And for more German cakes with a creamy filling, try poppy seed cake, spiced applesauce cake, and layered almond torte.
And even though there is yeast in the cake batter, we don't actually knead it. (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. Kneading the cake would encourage gluten formation, resulting in a dense, chewy texture.
If you've ever made a batter cake with baking powder or baking soda, you'll have no problem making a yeasted cake. And you may just love the texture and rich flavor so much, that you'll never go back!
Ingredients
Custard Filling (Crème Patisserie)
- 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 - Sweetens the filling. I don't recommend using brown sugar, because that will darken the color of the cream.
- Egg yolks - Add a rich flavor and help to thicken the custard. I don't recommend using whole eggs, which will create a lighter custard that might ooze out the sides of the cake when you slice it.
- 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 - Enhances the flavors of the other ingredients; you could substitute almond extract, which goes well with the almond topping.
Yeasted Cake
- Unsalted butter - Adds moisture, rich flavor, and helps create a tender, soft texture.
- Honey - Sweetens the cake and adds a floral flavor that goes well with the almond topping.
- Milk - Both dairy and non dairy milk work well to add the essential liquid to the cake batter. Without milk, the batter would be too thick and dry.
- All purpose flour - Provides the structure for a light cake. 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. Yeast helps the cake rise, since there's no baking soda or baking powder. It also adds a mildly tangy flavor that's absolutely delicious!
- Granulated sugar - Sweetens the cake and helps inhibit gluten formation so the cake has a softer texture.
- 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.
- Vanilla extract - Enhances the flavors of all the other ingredients.
- Egg - Binds the ingredients together and adds a rich flavor to this bee sting cake.
Almond Topping
- Granulated sugar - Adds a sweet, caramel flavor to the topping. Once it cools after being baked, the sugar helps the topping harden and not become soggy.
- Butter - Adds a rich flavor and helps stabilize the texture of the almond topping so it doesn't become gritty.
- Salt - Balances the sweetness so it's not overpowering.
- Honey - Adds a sweet, floral flavor while also creating a sticky texture, so the topping holds together on the cake.
- Sliced almonds - I recommend using raw almonds, since pre-roasted almonds might burn in the oven on top of the cake.
How to Make A 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. Allow the mixture to 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 for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and 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 cooled pastry cream filling onto 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. Once melted, 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 to room temperature. Then 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.
16. Place the top half of the cake on top of the pastry cream.
Slice and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Recipe Variations
- 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. This will make it easier to lift the baked cake out of the pan to slice it and add the filling.
- Bienenstich is traditionally baked, then sliced down the center lengthwise to add a creamy filling. You can skip the creamy filling and just serve the cake with its topping once it’s cooled after baking. It’s still quite delicious!
- Instead of messing around with making homemade pastry cream, you could replace the filling with vanilla pudding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn’t my yeasted cake batter 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.
Also, make sure the rest of your cake ingredients are room temperature.
How do I store leftover cake?
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!
Are there any shortcuts to make this recipe?
Instead of making homemade pastry cream, you could swap out the filling for vanilla pudding. Or you can make the pastry cream the day prior, and store it in the fridge.
More German Cake Recipes
- German Gingerbread Cake
- German Hazelnut Cake
- German Applesauce Cake
- German Marble Cake
- Black Forest Sheet Cake
Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich)
Ingredients
Cream Filling
- 2 cups milk (both dairy and non-dairy milk work)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or substitute almond extract)
Yeast Cake
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoon honey
- ½ cup milk (both dairy and non-dairy milk work)
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2¼ teaspoon instant yeast (one packet)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon 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 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.
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