German Bee Sting Cake with Vanilla Cream
Bee Sting Cake
A soft German yeast cake split and filled with vanilla cream, then finished with a glossy honey almond topping.
Bee sting cake, or Bienenstich, is a classic German bakery cake built from three simple parts: a lightly enriched yeast cake, a vanilla cream filling, and a honey almond crown. The topping bakes directly on the dough, so the almonds toast while the cake rises underneath.
This version keeps the crumb soft and sliceable by using a modest amount of butter and one egg in the dough. The dough should feel tacky but not wet after kneading; that balance gives the finished cake enough structure to hold the cream without becoming dense.
The vanilla cream starts as a stovetop custard and is lightened with whipped cream once cold. Chill it fully before folding so it stays thick, then spread it onto the cooled cake just before serving or after a short refrigerator set.
For neat slices, cut the almond-topped upper layer into portions before placing it over the cream. That small bakery trick keeps the crunchy topping from squeezing out the filling when the cake is served.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Stir the warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar together in a large bowl and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, until foamy.
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2
Add the flour, salt, remaining dough sugar, egg, and softened butter. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes by hand or with a dough hook, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and still slightly tacky.
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3
Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm spot for 60 to 75 minutes, until doubled. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment.
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4
Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan, cover, and let it rise for 25 to 35 minutes, until puffy. Heat the oven to 350°F.
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5
For the topping, simmer the butter, honey, cream, and sugar in a small saucepan for 2 minutes. Stir in the sliced almonds, then spoon the mixture gently over the risen dough.
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6
Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until the almonds are deep golden and the cake springs back near the center. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then release the ring and cool completely.
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7
For the vanilla cream, whisk the milk, sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbling, then cook 1 minute more.
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8
Remove the custard from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and butter. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and chill until cold and firm.
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9
Whip the cold heavy cream to medium peaks, then fold it into the chilled custard until smooth. Split the cooled cake horizontally with a serrated knife.
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10
Spread the vanilla cream over the bottom cake layer. Cut the almond-topped layer into 12 wedges, arrange them over the cream, and chill the cake for 30 minutes before slicing.
Ingredients
- Whole Milk, warmed:3/4 cup
- Active Dry Yeast:2 1/4 teaspoons
- Granulated Sugar:1/3 cup
- All-Purpose Flour:2 3/4 cups
- Fine Salt:1/2 teaspoon
- Egg:1 large
- Unsalted Butter, softened:4 tablespoons
- Unsalted Butter for honey almond topping:1/2 cup
- Honey:1/3 cup
- Heavy Cream for honey almond topping:1/4 cup
- Granulated Sugar for honey almond topping:1/3 cup
- Sliced Almonds:1 1/2 cups
- Whole Milk for vanilla cream:2 cups
- Granulated Sugar for vanilla cream:1/2 cup
- Egg Yolks:4 large
- Cornstarch:1/4 cup
- Vanilla Extract:2 teaspoons
- Unsalted Butter for vanilla cream:2 tablespoons
- Heavy Cream, cold:1 cup
Tips & Notes
- Warm the milk to about 105°F; hotter milk can weaken or kill the yeast.
- If the almond topping firms before spreading, warm it briefly over low heat until spoonable.
- Use a serrated knife and gentle sawing motion to split the cake without compressing the crumb.
- The filled cake is best the day it is assembled, but the custard can be made one day ahead.
