Irresistibly Authentic German Bee Sting Cake to Savor Recipe
Delight in this Authentic German Bee Sting Cake, a perfect blend of creamy custard and caramelized honey almonds that offers a tender, fluffy cake base topped with a crunchy almond-honey glaze and a luscious vanilla custard filling.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 cake (10-12 servings) 1x
- Category: Desserts & Sweets
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: German
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 packet active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons) or instant yeast
- ¾ cup whole milk, lukewarm (for activating yeast)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Topping
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ cup sliced almonds (or chopped pecans as a substitute)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (for melting in saucepan)
- Pinch of salt
For the Custard Filling
- 2 egg yolks
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: Warm the milk until lukewarm (not hot), stir in the sugar, then sprinkle the yeast over the top. Let it rest for about 10 minutes until frothy, indicating the yeast is active and ready to work.
- Prepare Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the sifted flour, remaining sugar, and salt. Add softened butter, eggs, and the frothy yeast mixture. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, forming a soft, pliable dough.
- First Rise: Cover the dough and place it in a warm, draft-free spot. Allow it to rise for about 1 hour or until it doubles in size, becoming airy and puffy.
- Make Almond-Honey Topping: While the dough rises, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar, honey, and a pinch of salt until dissolved. Add sliced almonds and mix to coat evenly. Let this mixture cool slightly to prevent melting the dough when applied.
- Shape and Top the Dough: Once risen, gently punch down the dough to release air. Transfer it into a greased baking pan and spread it out evenly. Spoon the almond-honey topping over the dough, distributing it nicely.
- Second Rise: Let the topped dough rest for an additional 20 minutes to rise again slightly, which ensures a light, fluffy texture after baking.
- Bake the Cake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the almond topping is crisp. Remove from oven and allow it to cool completely.
- Prepare Custard: Heat the milk with vanilla extract in a saucepan until warm. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Slowly add warm milk to this mixture while whisking continuously, then return to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened to a custard consistency. Cover with plastic wrap and chill completely.
- Assemble the Cake: Once the cake is fully cooled, slice it horizontally into two even layers. Spread the chilled custard evenly over the bottom layer. Gently place the top layer back on with the almond side facing up, completing the traditional Bee Sting Cake look.
Notes
- Ensure your yeast is fresh and properly activated; it should bubble and foam to guarantee a good rise.
- For a nut-free option, replace almonds with a streusel topping made from flour, butter, and sugar.
- Use a serrated knife to slice the cake layers to avoid compressing the delicate crumb.
- Allow the almond-honey topping to cool slightly before spreading on dough to maintain a crunchy texture.
- Cool the cake completely before layering with custard to prevent melting and sogginess.
- Fresh berries or whipped cream can be added to the custard for extra flavor and texture.
Keywords: German Bee Sting Cake, Bienenstich, honey almond cake, custard filled cake, traditional German dessert, almond honey topping, custard filling
