Description
German Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich) is a classic German dessert featuring a soft yeast dough base topped with a crunchy honey-almond glaze and filled with a smooth, creamy vanilla custard. This elegant cake combines fluffy, tender bread with a luscious, rich filling and a sticky, nutty topping, perfect for special occasions or tea time treats.
Ingredients
Scale
For the dough:
- 1 cup warm milk (110°F or 45°C)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 egg
For the filling:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the topping:
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a bowl, combine warm milk, yeast, and sugar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix the dough: In a separate large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture, melted butter, and egg. Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Knead the dough: Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes on a floured surface until smooth and elastic. Place it in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Prepare the pan and preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan or springform pan.
- Shape the dough: Once risen, punch down the dough and transfer it to the prepared pan. Press it evenly over the bottom to cover the entire surface. Let it rise again for 15-20 minutes while preparing the topping.
- Make the topping: In a small saucepan, melt the butter and honey over medium heat. Add sliced almonds and stir until evenly coated. Bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Bake the cake: Spread the almond-honey topping evenly over the dough. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely in the pan.
- Prepare the filling: In a saucepan, combine heavy cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla. Heat over medium heat until it just begins to simmer.
- Make custard: In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks and cornstarch until smooth. Slowly pour the hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened and coats the back of a spoon (about 5-7 minutes).
- Finish custard: Remove from heat, stir in butter. Transfer custard to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap pressed onto surface to prevent skin. Let cool completely.
- Assemble the cake: Once cooled, slice the cake horizontally. Spread the chilled custard filling evenly over the bottom half. Place the almond-topped cake half on top.
- Chill and serve: Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 1 hour to set the filling. Slice and enjoy.
Notes
- Ensure the milk is warm, not hot, to activate the yeast effectively without killing it.
- Pressing the plastic wrap directly on the custard prevents a skin from forming.
- The cake is best served chilled to allow the custard filling to set properly.
- Use a sharp serrated knife to slice the cake cleanly without crushing the layers.
- For a more intense vanilla flavor, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the cream mixture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: German
