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Heavenly Honey Almond Bee Sting Cake: A German Bienenstich Delight Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 138 reviews

Heavenly Honey Almond Bee Sting Cake, also known as German Bienenstich, is a luscious dessert featuring a soft, yeasted cake layered with a creamy custard filling and topped with a rich honey-almond caramelized crust. This classic German treat combines a tender, slightly sweet dough with a decadent vanilla custard cream and a sticky, crunchy almond topping for an irresistible flavor and texture contrast.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough

  • 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
  • ¼ cup warm milk (about 110°F)
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Almond Topping

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • ½ cup sliced almonds

Custard Filling

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

  1. Prepare Yeast: In a small bowl, dissolve the active dry yeast in warm milk (about 110°F). Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
  2. Make Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract, and the yeast mixture. Mix all ingredients until a dough forms.
  3. Knead Dough: Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead it for 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a clean towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until it doubles in size.
  4. First Rise & Shape: Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air. Press the dough evenly into a greased 9-inch springform pan. Cover and let it rise again for 30 minutes.
  5. Make Almond Topping: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with sugar, honey, and heavy cream. Stir continuously until the mixture is combined and slightly thickened. Remove from heat and gently fold in the sliced almonds.
  6. Top Dough: Spread the prepared almond topping evenly over the risen dough in the pan.
  7. Bake Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes, or until the almond topping is golden brown and caramelized. Remove from oven and let cool completely in the pan.
  8. Heat Milk: In a medium saucepan, warm the whole milk and sugar over medium heat until it is hot but not boiling.
  9. Prepare Custard: In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks and cornstarch until smooth. Gradually add the warm milk mixture to the egg yolks while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Return this mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring continuously, until thickened to a custard consistency. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
  10. Cool Custard: Cover the custard with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely cooled.
  11. Whip Cream: Once the custard is chilled, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks and gently fold it into the custard until fully incorporated.
  12. Slice Cake: Carefully remove the cooled cake from the springform pan and slice it horizontally into two even layers.
  13. Assemble Cake: Spread the whipped custard filling evenly over the bottom cake layer. Place the almond-topped cake layer on top, almond side up.
  14. Chill: Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld and the custard to set.

Notes

  • Be sure the milk for activating yeast is not too hot to avoid killing the yeast.
  • Kneading the dough properly is essential for a soft, elastic texture.
  • Press plastic wrap directly on the custard surface to prevent a skin from forming while cooling.
  • The almond topping contains sugar and honey, so monitor browning closely during baking to prevent burning.
  • This cake is best served chilled but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Keywords: Bee Sting Cake, Bienenstich, German dessert, almond cake, honey almond topping, custard filling, baked cake

Find it online: https://famdishes.com/heavenly-honey-almond-bee-sting-cake-a-german-bienenstich-delight-recipe/