Here’s a traditional, bakery-style recipe that’s doable at home.
German Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich)
Ingredients
Yeast cake
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2¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
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¾ cup warm milk (not hot)
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¼ cup sugar
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3 tbsp butter, melted
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1 egg
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2½ cups all-purpose flour
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½ tsp salt
Honey-almond topping
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6 tbsp butter
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⅓ cup sugar
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2 tbsp honey
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2 tbsp heavy cream
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1½ cups sliced almonds
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Pinch of salt
Filling (choose your classic)
Traditional pastry cream
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1½ cups milk
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⅓ cup sugar
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3 egg yolks
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2 tbsp cornstarch
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1 tsp vanilla
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2 tbsp butter
OR lighter cream filling
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1 cup heavy cream, whipped
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½ cup vanilla pudding or pastry cream (folded in)
Instructions
1) Make the dough
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Dissolve yeast in warm milk with 1 tbsp sugar. Let foam 5–10 min.
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Add remaining sugar, butter, egg, salt, and flour.
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Knead until smooth and elastic (8–10 min).
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Cover and let rise 1–1½ hours until doubled.
2) Shape & second rise
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Press dough into a buttered 9-inch springform pan.
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Cover and rise 30 minutes.
3) Honey-almond topping
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In a saucepan, melt butter, sugar, honey, cream, and salt.
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Stir in almonds. Cool slightly.
4) Bake
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Spoon topping evenly over dough.
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Bake at 350°F / 175°C for 25–30 minutes until golden.
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Cool completely before slicing (important!).
5) Filling
Pastry cream:
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Heat milk. Whisk yolks, sugar, cornstarch.
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Temper with hot milk, return to pan, cook until thick.
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Stir in vanilla and butter. Cool fully.
6) Assemble
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Slice cake horizontally with a serrated knife.
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Spread filling on bottom layer.
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Replace top carefully (it’s crunchy — go slow).
Pro tips from German bakeries
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Cut the top before filling or the almonds will smash the cream.
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Chill 30 minutes before serving for clean slices.
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Best eaten same day, but still great next day.
Want a sheet-pan version, no-yeast shortcut, or extra-custardy bakery style?