Bienenstich

Name: Bienenstich
Cook time: 230 min
Total time: 230 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 300g All-purpose Flour, Type 405; 150ml Whole Milk, lukewarm; 7g Instant Yeast; 50g Sugar; 60g Unsalted Butter, softened; 1 large Egg; 1/2 tsp Salt, fine; 150g Sliced Almonds; 80g Unsalted Butter; 80g Sugar; 60g Honey, about 3 tbsp; 50ml Heavy Cream; 500ml Whole Milk; 90g Sugar, to taste; 40g Cornstarch; 1 tsp Vanilla Extract, or seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean; 200g Unsalted Butter, very soft; 1 pinch of Salt

Bienenstich (Bee Sting) is a classic German yeast cake with a tender, slightly sweet dough, a glossy honey-almond topping, and a rich, creamy filling. The honey-almond layer caramelizes in the oven to form a crisp, nutty crown while a smooth pastry cream—lightened with whipped cream—adds the perfect silky contrast. It’s elegant enough for guests yet comforting and familiar for family gatherings.

Bienenstich (Bee Sting) is a classic German yeast cake with a tender, slightly sweet dough, a glossy honey-almond topping, and a r... Show more

Traditional German Recipe

Health Grade

D · Occasional

Rating

4.2

Time

3 hrs30 min

Price

0,67 €

Calories

536 kcal

vegetarian

comfort food

potluck

german

Method

Make the dough

In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, instant yeast, and fine salt. Add the lukewarm milk, egg, and softened unsalted butter, then stir until a shaggy dough forms. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding just a dusting more flour only if it sticks badly.

Let dough rise

Cover the dough and leave it in a warm spot until it has roughly doubled in size, about 60 minutes. It should feel puffy and spring back slowly when you poke it with a fingertip.

Cook almond topping

While the dough rises, combine the sliced almonds, butter, sugar, honey, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture turns glossy, bubbling, and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Scrape the spoon along the bottom as you stir so the almonds stay coated and the syrup does not scorch.

Heat the oven

Heat the oven to 350° F and line a deep 9-inch round cake pan with parchment, leaving a little overhang if you can. Having the pan ready before the dough goes in helps you move quickly while the topping is still warm.

Bake the cake

Press the risen dough evenly into the prepared pan. Spoon the warm almond topping over the surface and spread it gently to the edges with the back of a spoon. Bake until the cake is golden and the topping is bubbling and deep brown in spots, about 25 minutes.

Cool completely

Let the cake cool in the pan for 60 minutes, then lift it out carefully and move it to a rack so it can finish cooling without steaming. Don’t rush this step — the cream filling will melt into the crumb if the cake is still warm.

Make pudding

While the cake cools, whisk the remaining whole milk, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla extract in a saucepan until completely smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the pudding thickens and starts to bubble, about 8 minutes. Keep whisking for 1 minute more so the starch cooks out and the filling tastes clean, not pasty.

Chill the pudding

Transfer the pudding to a shallow bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and chill it until completely cool, about 30 minutes. Stir once if a skin starts to form at the edges.

Beat the filling

Beat the cooled pudding with the very soft butter until the mixture turns smooth, pale, and fluffy. If it looks a little split at first, keep beating; it usually comes together after another minute or so.

Split the cake

Use a long serrated knife to cut the cake horizontally into two even layers, sawing gently so the crisp almond top stays intact. Lift off the top layer carefully and set it aside.

Fill and serve

Spread the buttercream evenly over the bottom layer, then set the almond-topped layer back on top and press it down very lightly. Let the filled cake sit for 15 minutes so the cream firms up, then cut into 12 servings and serve.