Bee Sting Cake
AI-generated image
Vegetarian German

Bee Sting Cake

A classic German Bienenstich with tender yeasted cake, a crisp honey-almond topping, and a cool vanilla pastry cream filling. The layered texture makes it a memorable dessert for afternoon coffee or a dinner party.

80 min 10 servings Medium
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How to prepare

1
Warm 120 ml of the milk until lukewarm, about 38°C. Stir in the yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar, then rest for 5 minutes until lightly foamy.
2
Mix the flour, remaining 50 g sugar, egg, 60 g softened butter, and the yeast mixture in a bowl. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and only slightly tacky.
3
Cover the dough and rest it in a warm place for 60 to 75 minutes, until doubled in volume. Press it into a greased 23 cm round springform pan and rest for another 20 minutes.
4
Heat the oven to 180°C. Melt the remaining 50 g butter with the honey and remaining 60 g sugar in a small saucepan. Simmer for 1 minute, then mix in the sliced almonds and spread the warm topping gently over the dough.
5
Bake the cake at 180°C for 25 to 30 minutes, until the almond topping is deeply golden and the center feels set. Cool completely in the pan before splitting.
Golden honey-almond topping on a baked Bee Sting Cake AI-generated image
6
Whisk the remaining 120 ml milk, cornstarch, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a saucepan until smooth. Heat over medium, whisking constantly, until bubbling and thick enough to hold clear trails, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, press parchment directly onto the surface, and cool completely.
7
Whip the cold heavy cream with the remaining sugar until it forms medium peaks. Whisk the cooled vanilla mixture smooth, then fold in the whipped cream in two additions to make a light pastry cream. Cover and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, until chilled and firm enough to hold clean layers before assembling the cake.
8
Split the cooled cake horizontally with a serrated knife. Cut the top into 10 wedges. Spread the pastry cream over the bottom layer, arrange the wedges on top, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Let the cake stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing and eating so the cream layer is easier to cut and enjoy.
Bee Sting Cake layered with vanilla pastry cream and almond topping AI-generated image

Why this recipe works

The lightly sweet yeasted cake gives the filling structure, while honey caramelizes the almond topping into a crisp, fragrant lid. Pre-cutting that lid prevents the delicate pastry cream from being crushed when the cake is portioned.

Storage and reheating

How to store it

Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. For the best texture, keep the cake chilled and slice it shortly before serving.

How to reheat it

Do not reheat; serve chilled or let it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Nutrition / serving

444kcal
8.12 gprotein
47.79 gcarbs
25.17 gfat
P
Pantryvale editorial kitchen
Recipe prepared for publication with complete ingredients and ordered cooking steps.
Published 13 Aug 2026 · updated 13 Aug 2026