German

Serving

Bienenstich (German Bee Sting Cake)

Name: Bienenstich (German Bee Sting Cake)
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 300 g all-purpose flour; 7 g instant yeast; 60 g sugar; 1/2 tsp salt; 120 ml warm milk; 1 large egg; 60 g butter, softened; 80 g butter (for topping); 80 g sugar (for topping); 3 tbsp honey; 2 tbsp heavy cream (for topping); 150 g sliced almonds; 500 ml milk (for custard); 100 g sugar (for custard); 40 g cornstarch; 4 egg yolks; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 250 ml heavy cream, whipped (for filling)

A soft yeasted cake topped with a crunchy caramelized honey-almond crust and filled with rich vanilla custard cream.

90 minutes

Serves 10

Dessert

31 min prep

50 min cook

Contains common allergens

Egg Dairy Tree nut Wheat

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Instructions

7 steps

1
Mix flour, yeast, sugar, and salt, then add warm milk, egg, and softened butter, and knead into a smooth dough; let rise for 1 hour until doubled.
2
Press the dough into a greased round cake pan and let rise again for 20 minutes.
3
For the topping, melt butter with sugar, honey, and cream in a saucepan, stir in the almonds, and spread evenly over the risen dough.
4
Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 25-30 minutes until golden and the topping is caramelized; cool completely.
5
For the custard, whisk milk, sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, and vanilla in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick; cool completely, then fold in the whipped cream.
6
Slice the cooled cake horizontally into two layers.
7
Spread the custard cream filling over the bottom layer, replace the almond-topped layer, and chill before slicing.

Bienenstich (German Bee Sting Cake) — plated and served — Serving moment. How Bienenstich (German Bee Sting Cake) looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

58/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 60

Kid-friendly 55

Weeknight-easy 46

Budget-friendly 70

Great leftovers 87

Pantry-friendly 38

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

590

Calories

11 g

Protein

63 g

Carbs

34 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Bienenstich, or bee sting cake, is a German bakery classic built from a sweet yeast dough, a caramelized honey-almond topping, and a rich custard-cream filling. The name is often traced to old bakers' tales about bees drawn to the caramelized honey topping, though like many food legends the exact origin is more folklore than fact.

Listahan note

This version cools the almond-topped cake completely before slicing it into layers, since cutting a warm yeast cake is the most common way the layers collapse or tear during assembly.

Technique cues

Let the yeast dough rise fully, until doubled, both before and after pressing it into the pan; rushing the second rise gives a dense, tight crumb instead of a light one.
Cook the custard over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it visibly thickens; pulling it too early leaves a runny filling that won't hold its shape once cooled.
Cool the topped cake completely before slicing it horizontally; a warm cake crumbles under the knife instead of slicing into clean layers.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Make the custard while the dough has its first rise, then let both cool and finish on similar timelines.
Make-ahead: Bake the almond-topped cake a day ahead and store at room temperature; make the custard filling and assemble the day you plan to serve it.
Leftover move: Serve chilled slices with a cup of coffee; the filling firms up nicely overnight, making leftovers easy to slice cleanly.
Cleanup rhythm: Cook the custard in a heavy-bottomed pot and soak it immediately after pouring it out, before it has a chance to set on the pan.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Instant yeast

Leavening for the base

Purpose: Yeast gives the enriched dough its light, slightly chewy texture that supports the heavier almond topping and custard filling.

Handling: Mix with warm milk and let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled.

Adaptation: Active dry yeast works if proofed briefly in the warm milk first.

Sliced almonds

Signature topping

Purpose: Caramelized sliced almonds are the defining feature of Bienenstich, giving it its crackly, nutty top layer.

Handling: Stir into the hot butter, sugar, honey, and cream mixture just before spreading over the dough.

Adaptation: For a tree-nut-free version, toasted sunflower seeds mimic the texture, though the flavor will be noticeably different.

Honey

Topping sweetness and flavor

Purpose: Honey adds a floral sweetness and helps the topping caramelize into a glossy, slightly chewy layer over the almonds.

Handling: Melt together with the butter, sugar, and cream before stirring in the almonds.

Adaptation: Golden syrup or maple syrup can substitute for honey with a slightly different but still pleasant flavor.

Egg yolks

Custard thickener

Purpose: Egg yolks give the custard filling its rich, silky body alongside the cornstarch.

Handling: Whisk with the sugar and cornstarch before adding to the hot milk to avoid scrambling.

Adaptation: A dairy-free custard using cornstarch alone with a touch more thickener can work, though it will be less rich.

Heavy cream (whipped, for filling)

Lightening the custard

Purpose: Folding in whipped cream turns the dense custard into a lighter, mousse-like filling suited to a layered cake.

Handling: Whip to soft peaks and fold in gently once the custard has cooled completely.

Adaptation: A stabilized non-dairy whipped topping can replace the whipped cream for a dairy-free filling.

Technique notes

Watch the almond topping closely once it goes into the oven; it can go from golden to burnt quickly because of the sugar and honey content.
Whisk the custard constantly and don't walk away from the stove, since egg-based custards can scramble in seconds if left unattended.
Use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to slice the cooled cake horizontally into two even layers.

Ingredient swaps

Tree-nut-free direction: Replace the sliced almonds with toasted sunflower seeds for a similar crunchy, caramelized topping without tree nuts.
Dairy-free direction: Use plant-based butter, milk, and cream throughout, and a dairy-free whipped topping for the filling.
Lighter filling direction: Use a simple pastry cream without the folded whipped cream for a denser but less rich filling.

Serve alongside

Fresh berries on the side
Extra whipped cream
Sliced stone fruit in season
Filterkaffee (German drip coffee)
Milky black tea
Dessert Riesling

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate the assembled cake, covered, for up to 3 days.
Serve chilled straight from the fridge, since the custard filling softens quickly at room temperature.
Freezing is not recommended once filled; the custard separates on thawing.

Equipment

Stand mixer or hand mixer
Round cake pan
Saucepan for the custard
Long serrated knife for slicing layers

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