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I've fallen head over heels for this German Bee Sting Cake! It's a magical combination of pillowy yeast cake filled with silky vanilla custard and crowned with a honey-almond topping that gets perfectly crunchy and caramelized. During my visits to German bakeries, this cake always caught my eye and now I love making it at home just like they do for their traditional coffee and cake time.
What Makes This Cake Special
Picture biting into cloud-soft cake filled with the smoothest vanilla cream and topped with golden honey-glazed almonds. It's pure dessert heaven! The best part is how each layer brings its own personality to create something truly unforgettable. This cake never fails to wow my guests whether I'm hosting coffee hour or celebrating something special.
What You'll Need
- Yeast Dough: Made with all-purpose flour, active dry yeast, warm milk (105-110°F), softened butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt for a soft, tender base.
- Vanilla Cream Filling: A mix of whipped heavy cream, sugar, and smooth vanilla pastry cream (store-bought vanilla pudding works as a quick substitute).
- Honey Almond Topping: Honey, sugar, butter, and sliced almonds, caramelized into a golden, crunchy layer.
- Optional Add-Ins: Lemon zest (for brightness) or powdered sugar (for an extra sweet touch).
Let's Start Baking
- Create Your Dough
- Mix warm milk sugar and yeast until it gets foamy about 5 minutes. Mix in your flour butter egg and salt then knead until smooth. Let it rise until puffy and doubled.
- Make That Amazing Topping
- Melt butter and mix with honey sugar and almonds until everything's coated and glossy. Let it cool a bit so it spreads nicely.
- Shape and Bake
- Press your dough into a springform pan spread on that gorgeous almond topping and bake until golden. Let it cool completely no rushing!
- Whip Up the Filling
- Beat your cream until fluffy then fold it into your cooled vanilla custard for the dreamiest filling ever.
- Put It All Together
- Split your cake layer that cream filling inside and pop the almond-topped half back on. Chill it well before serving for the best texture.
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My Best Tips
Make sure your milk is just warm enough to make the yeast happy but not so hot it kills it. Always let your cake cool completely before filling it trust me on this one! Want to mix things up? Try adding lemon zest to the cream or swap the almonds for crushed cookies if you need a nut-free version. Each twist makes it special in its own way!
Common Questions About Cooking
- → Why is it called Bee Sting Cake?
The German name "Bienenstich" means bee sting, likely named for its honey-almond topping that's as sweet as honey, or because the crunchy almonds look like little bee stingers.
- → Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Yes, you can make the components a day ahead. Store the baked cake at room temperature and keep the cream filling refrigerated. Assemble just a few hours before serving.
- → How do I know when the yeast is properly activated?
After about 5-10 minutes in warm milk, the yeast should be foamy and bubbly. If it doesn't foam up, your yeast might be old or the milk was too hot or cold.
- → Why did my topping slide off?
Make sure to press the almond topping gently into the dough before baking. Also, don't make the topping too thick or it might become too heavy for the cake.
- → How should I store leftovers?
Store the assembled cake in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The cream filling will keep the cake fresh during this time.