Bienenstich German Bee Sting Cake

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cakes cupcakes Vanilla: Extract Medium

A soft yeast cake topped with honey-caramelized almonds, split and filled with vanilla pastry cream lightened with whipped cream. The honey almond crust is the signature. Makes 12 slices in about 3 hr 55 min.

Prep 45 min

Cook 40 min

Cooling 2 hr 30 min

Total 3 hr 55 min

Yield 12 slices

Ingredients

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slices

2 ⅓ cups (300 g)all-purpose flour
¼ oz (7 g)instant yeast
3 tbsp (40 g)granulated sugar, for the cake
½ tsp (3 g)salt
⅔ cup (150 ml)whole milk, lukewarm, for the cake
3 ½ tbsp (50 g)unsalted butter, melted, for the cake
1 (50 g)egg
1 ½ tsp (3 g)lemon zest
⅓ cup (75 g)unsalted butter, for the almond topping
⅓ cup (75 g)granulated sugar, for the almond topping
1 ½ tbsp (30 g)honey
2 tbsp (30 ml)heavy cream, for the almond topping
1 cup (100 g)sliced almonds
1 ⅔ cups (400 ml)whole milk, for the cream filling
3 (54 g)egg yolks
⅓ cup (70 g)granulated sugar, for the cream filling
¼ cup (35 g)cornstarch
1 tsp (5 ml)vanilla extract
¾ cup (200 ml)heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks, for the cream filling

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Instructions

Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and lemon zest. Add the milk, melted butter and egg and knead 6 minutes to a soft dough. Cover and let rise 1 hour.
Press the dough into a greased 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan, building up the edge slightly. Cover and rise 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Simmer the topping butter, sugar, honey and cream 2 minutes, stir in the almonds and cool 5 minutes.
Spread the topping evenly over the dough and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until the topping is deep golden. Cool completely in the pan.
For the cream, whisk the yolks, sugar and cornstarch with 100 ml of the milk. Heat the rest of the milk to steaming, whisk into the yolks, return to the pan and cook, stirring, until thick and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla, chill with plastic on the surface, then fold in the whipped cream.
Cut the cooled cake in half horizontally. Fill the base with the cream and replace the top.
Chill at least 2 hours before cutting with a serrated knife.

Tips

Don't leave the topping on the heat too long or it turns hard.
Cool the cake fully before splitting or the filling melts.
Cut the top into slices first so it does not crush.
Cook the pastry cream until thick and bubbling so eggs reach 160 F (71 C); keep the cake refrigerated.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make bienenstich german bee sting cake?

Plan on 45 minutes of prep and 40 minutes of cooking, plus 2 hours 30 minutes to chill. The recipe makes 12 slices.

How should I store bienenstich german bee sting cake?

Keep refrigerated and eat within 2 days.

Can I make bienenstich german bee sting cake ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Bienenstich, or bee sting cake, is a classic German yeast cake with a caramelized almond topping and a cream filling. Serve it with coffee.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.

435 Calories / serving

22.1g Fat

51.9g Carbs

8.1g Protein

24.0g Sugar

Whole recipe (12 servings): ~5220 cal · 265g fat · 623g carbs · 97g protein · 288g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.