German Bee Sting Cake Recipe: Classic Bienenstich with Cream Filling

Bee sting cake is a classic German dessert: a light yeasted cake topped with a honey-almond glaze and filled with a creamy, sweet pastry cream—an excellent choice for Oktoberfest or any celebration.

When my friend Milena invited me to join her Oktoberfest Bash recipe roundup, I immediately said yes. Planning festive Oktoberfest recipes with blogger friends sounded like a lot of fun. Then I paused: what do Germans typically serve for dessert?

As someone who is part German, I should probably know more German desserts. The only one I initially remembered was herrencreme, a rum-spiked vanilla pudding my dad loves. The name—“gentleman’s cream”—always made me hesitate, so I set out to find something else that felt authentically German and appealing.

After a bit of searching I found bienenstich, or bee sting cake, and I loved the name right away. Beyond the name, it’s a wonderful dessert: a mildly sweet yeasted cake topped with a sticky, honey-sweet almond crust, then sliced and filled with a rich pastry cream once cooled.

I had planned to include a chocolate beer sauce to serve with this cake but ran out of time to retake photos. If you want a chocolate accompaniment, there are many recipes for chocolate porter sauces that pair nicely with baked desserts.

With Oktoberfest right around the corner, my friends and I have rounded up lots of Oktoberfest-friendly recipes covering everything from pretzels to roast pork and traditional desserts. I checked their contributions and everything looks delicious—no creamed herring in sight.

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Bee Sting Cake

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Rising time

1 hr

Total Time

2 hrs

 

Bee sting cake combines a tender yeasted cake, a honey-and-almond topping, and a smooth pastry cream filling for a dessert that is sweet but balanced.

Course:
Dessert

Cuisine:
German

Servings: 10

Author: Kelsie

Ingredients

Filling:

• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cubed

Dough:

• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons tepid water

Topping:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds

Instructions

Filling:

1. Place the milk in a medium heavy saucepan and warm it over medium heat until very hot but not boiling.
2. In a bowl, combine the eggs, egg yolks, and salt. Beat with an electric mixer on medium until thickened, about 3–4 minutes. Gradually add the sugar a few tablespoons at a time, beating after each addition, until the mixture is very thick and pale.
3. On low speed, beat in the vanilla and cornstarch until smooth. With the mixer on low, slowly add the hot milk—start with about 1 teaspoon at a time, then increase the flow, beating well after each addition.
4. Pour the combined mixture back into the saucepan, add the cold butter, and heat over medium while stirring constantly. As it thickens, switch to a whisk and continue stirring gently for 7–8 minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to very low and cook 1 more minute, stirring.
5. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl, and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.

Dough:

1. Combine the dough ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and mix on low until combined. Increase to medium and knead until smooth and supple, about 5–10 minutes. If mixing by hand, knead until smooth.
2. Lightly grease a large bowl, place the dough inside, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise for 1 hour until puffy.
3. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and set aside.
4. Deflate the dough on a lightly greased surface and pat it into an 8-inch circle. Place it in the prepared pan.
5. Cover the pan loosely and allow the dough to rise 30 minutes. Gently stretch the dough so it reaches the pan edges.
6. About 10 minutes before the rise finishes, prepare the topping and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Topping:

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the sugar, honey, and heavy cream. Bring to a gentle boil and cook 2–3 minutes until lightly golden, then remove from heat and stir in the sliced almonds.
2. Spread the topping evenly over the dough and bake 20–25 minutes, until the top is golden. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, remove the cake, and cool completely almond-side up.
3. When cool, slice the cake horizontally with a serrated knife. Spread the chilled pastry cream on the bottom layer. Slice the top layer into wedges and arrange them on top of the filling—slicing the top first helps prevent the filling from oozing when you cut the cake. Serve and enjoy.

Cake adapted from King Arthur Flour. Pastry cream adapted from Fine Cooking.