Have you ever heard of a Bee Sting Cake?
According to Wikipedia: “this traditional Bavarian dessert may have earned its name from its honey topping: according to one legend, a bee was attracted to it, and the baker who invented the cake was stung. Another source cites a legend of German bakers from the 15th century who lobbed beehives at raiders from a neighboring village, successfully repelling them, and celebrated later by baking a version of this cake named after their efforts.”
Hence the name Bienenstich, which translates to Bee Sting.
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But whatever you decide to call this cake, I can promise you your friends and family will be calling it delicious and asking for seconds!
The cake isn’t quite like any American cake you may have had. It has more of a pastry texture, filled with pastry cream, and is topped with honey-glazed almonds.
Pastry cream might sound daunting, but it really isn’t difficult to make.
Ingredients
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make a Bee Sting Cake. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the up cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Honey-Almond Topping
For the topping, you’ll need sliced almonds, butter, honey, sugar and a pinch of salt.
How to Make Bee Sting Cake
Follow along with my easy directions so you can see how to make bee sting cake at home.
The first step is making the pastry cream for the cake.
In a saucepan bring the milk just to boiling (just until milk starts to foam up.) Remove from heat and add slowly to egg mixture (tempering), whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Then, pour the egg mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling, whisking constantly.
When it boils, whisk the mixture constantly for another 30 – 60 seconds until it becomes thick. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the liqueur (if using). Stir in vanilla bean extract or extract) Pour into a clean bowl and immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming.
Cool to room temperature. If not using right away, refrigerate until needed, up to 3 days. Whisk or stir before using to get rid of any lumps that may have formed.
Next is the pastry dough for the cake.
The brioche dough isn’t too complicated to make and is what makes the Bee Sting Cake so special.
If you have a stand mixer, it’s really easy to do, but you can mix this by hand because the dough isn’t as thick as bread dough.
Warm the whole milk and honey to 110 degrees F. (any hotter will kill the yeast). Add the active dry yeast to the mixture and wait 10 minutes. The mixture will become foamy and is ready to make the dough.
To the yeast mixture, add two room-temperature eggs, granulated sugar, salt, and the mixture of all-purpose flour and bread flour, combining until just blended. Then add one stick(4 ounces) of softened butter until just blended. The dough will be very soft.
Place the dough into a buttered bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to double in volume (it should take about 2 hours). Gently press the dough down and knead a few times (with floured hands). Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.
**If the dough appears too wet, add 2-3 tablespoons of bread flour to the mixture. Some of the issues seem to be with the metric equivalents.
When the dough is ready, place it in a 9” buttered springform pan. Shape it into a ball, and gently press it to fit the pan.
Cover and allow the dough to rise in a warm environment for about an hour. Start making the honey almond topping.
Preheat the oven to 350°F when the dough has risen.
Combine the unsalted butter, sugar, honey, and salt in a small pan.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil on the stovetop, then remove from the heat. Add the sliced almonds and pour the mixture over the dough.
Place the pan on a parchment-covered baking sheet (the honey mixture will seep through the bottom) and bake for 22-25 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Place the finished cake on a cooling rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, remove the Bee Sting cake from the pan.
The cake’s aroma is intoxicating, and there is a beautiful sticky caramelization on top and all around it. You’ll be tempted to cut into it, but it’s important to let it cool completely.
After the Bee Sting cake has thoroughly cooled, carefully slice the cake in half with a serrated knife. Spread the pastry cream on top of the bottom half, covering it with the top half of the cake. Now it’s ready to serve.
Like most European cakes, the Bee Sting Cake is not very sweet. Its pastry texture goes well with the mildly sweet pastry cream.
But the honey almond topping takes this cake to the next level. The butter in the topping gives it a delicate richness that perfectly finishes this Bavarian classic.
*Make sure to use a sharp knife to slice the cake.
More Cake Recipes You’ll Love!
While you are making cakes, try my delicious carrot cake recipe or some of the ones below.
Bee Sting Cake
Ingredients
Pastry Cream
- 1¼ cups milk whole or 2%
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
- 3 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ tablespoon liqueur (Grand Marnier Brandy, Kirsch or Amaretto) (optional)
Brioche dough:
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons bread flour divided
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
Honey-Almond Topping:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (4 tablespoons)
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup honey
- pinch of salt
- ¾ cup sliced almonds
Instructions
Pastry Cream:
- In a medium-sized heatproof bowl, mix the sugar and egg yolks together. (Don’t let the mixture sit too long or you will get pieces of egg forming.) Sift the flour and cornstarch together and then add to the egg mixture, mixing until you get a smooth paste.
- Meanwhile, in a saucepan bring the milk to a light boil(just until milk starts to foam up.)
- Remove from heat and add slowly to egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. (If you get a few pieces of egg (curdling) in the mixture, pour through a strainer.)
- Pour the egg mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling, whisking constantly. When it boils, whisk mixture constantly for another 30 – 60 seconds until it becomes thick.
- Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the liqueur (if using). Stir in vanilla extract.
- Pour into a clean bowl and immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming. Cool to room temperature. If not using right away refrigerate until needed, up to 3 days. Whisk or stir before using to get rid of any lumps that may have formed.
Brioche dough:
- In a small saucepan (or a small cup if you want to use the microwave), combine milk and 1 tablespoon honey and heat until it registers between 110 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Pour the mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer and sprinkle over yeast. Let mixture stand for 10 minutes until yeast is creamy/foamy.
- Transfer bowl to mixer stand and attach paddle (or hook) attachment. While mixing at low speed, gradually add eggs, all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt, and mix until blended.
- Gradually add all but 2 tablespoons of bread flour. Mix at medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. The dough should not stick to sides of bowl; if it does, add some of all of the remaining 2 tablespoons of bread flour until dough cleans sides of the bowl.
- Add butter 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing at medium speed until it is blended into the dough. (Dough will be very soft.) Transfer dough to a work surface and knead by hand a few times to ensure that butter is completely incorporated into the dough. Shape dough into a ball and transfer it to a medium buttered bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for 1 ½ to 2 hours, until it has doubled in volume.**If the dough appears too wet add 2-3 tablespoons of bread flour to the mixture. Some of the issues seem to be with the metric equivalents.
- Punch dough down to deflate it, and knead it a few times. Return dough to the bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or up to 12 hours). The dough should have doubled in volume. If it hasn't, let it stand at room temperature until it has. (NOTE: I made the dough the night before.)
- Butter bottom and sides of a 9” spring-form pan. Shape dough into a ball and arrange it, smooth side up, in center of the pan. Flatten ball gently with your palm until it covers the bottom of the pan. Cover the pan and let the dough rise until it is puffed, about 1 hour.
Honey-Almond Topping:
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine the butter, sugar, honey, and salt, and bring to a gentle boil on the stovetop.
- Remove from the heat, and stir in the almonds.
- Place the cake pan on a parchment-covered baking sheet (the honey mixture will seep through the bottom) and pour the mixture evenly over the dough.
- Place the pan on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 22-25 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.
- Place on a cooling rack, and allow to cool four 10 minutes. Remove from the Springform Pan and allow it to cool completely.
Assembly:
- Using a serrated knife, cut the cake in half. I place the cake on a rotating cake stand and being by rotating the cake and creating a cut line midway through the cake. Continue rotating, allowing the knife to cut deeper until the cake is completely sliced in half.
- Spread the pastry cream, leaving a narrow edge. Gently replace the top layer of the cake. Serve with coffee or tea.
Mary says
Wonderful recipe! Was a Huge hit with my family. I did get a few lumps in custard….but soon fixed with stab blender! Can’t wait to make again.
Thanks so much chef Dennis.
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the cake! It does require a little work, but its definitely worth the effort.
Marie says
I would love to know the reason for the long cold rise in the fridge. I didn’t have time to wait that long so left it to rise in the window for 2h and it came out beautifully. I did use fresh yeast instead of dry (3:1 conversion) which might be more active/better for brioche but is there another reason?
Chef Dennis Littley says
It’s the way I was taught to make it. I’ve made brioche a few different ways but this was the recipe handed down to me, and its the way I’ve made it for almost 50 years. Its good to know that you were able to adjust the recipe and it came out great.
Zo says
Looks delicious. Do we need to let it rise twice, once as stated at point 4 and then again as stated at point 5 (under the brioche dough section)? I am asking because the steps shown in the video seem different from the written recipe. Thank you.
Chef Dennis Littley says
Always go by the recipe. The video is a guide but doesn’t always reflect every step in the recipe.
Ruby says
I have been searching for this cake for years! A German family owns a bakery in the town I grew up in (Australia) and this unassuming cake was to die for! I’ve tried it from other places here in the US and even in Europe, but I guess the recipe (and even region of Germany) can vary how it’s made. I have made this cake a number of times and have heard “this is the best dessert I’ve ever had!”numerous times. It is also my favourite dessert, most importantly! Brings back so many memories of this delicious decadence that my dad would bring home and our family would demolish it so fast. Perfect treat and fancy enough for a dinner party!
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m happy to hear you’ve been enjoying the cake and especially happy that to hear it brings back memories of your dad and family.
Nancy Kirsch says
Couldn’t you make this is two cake pans so you don’t have to cut the one cake in half? Even tho I’m a longtime baker, I’ve never done the cake splitting thing!
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m not sure how the dough would react being cut in half and placed in two pans. Splitting the cake is really easy, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Insert the knife halfway through in the center and just turn the cake to cut it.
Caitlin says
Do you think I could make this without a stand mixer? Can I mix it by hand?
Chef Dennis Littley says
You can definitely make it by hand, but it’s going to harder than you might think.
Mrs Joy says
I had a customer ask if I could make this. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!!!! I used buttermilk as I ran out of whole milk with the pastry cream. I added an extra tsp of salt (I quadrupled the recipe). I baked in a 10” cake pan lined with parchment and a parchment collar.
LISTEN!!!! This is my new fav dessert!!!! It was HEAVENLY!!!! Thank you for the recipe! I’m in LOVE!!!
Jennie says
Best and most authentic recipe I can find online for the Bee Sting cake. Thank you Chef Dennis!
Carol Jones says
Hi Chef Dennis. I adore this pastry but I feel compelled to tell you what I was always taught as the origins.
It’s not “Bee Stings” rather it’s “Beestings” – one word.
Beestings is an ancient word meaning the first milk produced by a cow or goat after giving birth, as this was used to make the super rich pastry creme.
As with most words that are no longer in common use, it makes perfect sense that the name has morphed to give rise to the myths and legends that you (and countless others) have used in your introduction here!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thank you for letting me know the true origins of this dessert.
missy says
Brioche- one trick with the Brioche dough is after adding the butter the dough must be beaten until it passes the window pain test this will give you a much lighter and airy bread. I’m not a fan of straight pastry cream so I folded in 1.5 cups of already whipped heavy cream stabilized with gelatin after the pastry cream cooled to give me a lighter diplomat cream instead. Used 1 full tablespoon diserono. Delicious!! TY!!
Simona says
I would try this recipe, seems the most logical of all the others I’ve seen. But I love pastry cream too much so I want to DOUBLE the amount.
Chef Dennis Littley says
That might be too much pastry cream between the layers but you can try it. You could also make the extra and use it as topping for a slice of the cake.
Maria says
Very good cake
I had it in the past and the home almond topping was like a hard shell
I’d love to know how this was done
Brittany says
Hi! I was wondering if you had any suggestions on how to substitute the egg and egg yolk in this? It looks absolutely delicious and I really want to try to make it, but unfortunately my son is highly allergic.
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m sorry Brittany, but I have never made this type of dough without eggs, and I wouldn’t know where to begin to make the adjustment. It’s fairly easy with cakes or muffins but this brioche dough makes it a little more difficult.
Cary says
I’ve made this in the past and has always been delicious. Recently I made this twice for church functions over the holidays — one cake the first time and two cakes for the second time it was that popular! I’ve been asked to make it again for an event next week. People’s faces light up when they see it it’s that good! The directions (and video) are straightforward. Takes a bit of time as does anything with two rises, but it is worth the effort for sure!
Wendy Hays says
I wanted to make a dessert for our German-Ukrainian family, so I found this recipe and followed it exactly. This cake was the biggest hit of the dessert table at Thanksgiving and everyone wants it for Christmas now too! I did refrigerate the dough overnight. Just keep in mind that if you do this to leave plenty of extras time for the final rise before baking. EXCELLENT TREAT with the honey baked almonds & pastry cream.
ISS DIESEN KUCHEN “eat the cake”
AJ says
I’m confused on the amount of butter and bread flour. Butter is 1/2 a cup which is a whole stick and bread flour 1 cup. However, the video shows both using significantly less, could these items be converted incorrectly as well? Or am I missing something.
Chef Dennis Littley says
follow the recipe, the video is for instruction so you can see the process.
Tia says
This recipe is incredible! My German in laws love it:) I’m making two for my Mother in laws 87th birthday party today, per her request. I’d love to try more of your recipes, thank you for this one!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thank you for letting me known your in-laws enjoyed the cake. It’s an old family recipe that was passed down to me.