If you’ve never had a slice of bee sting cake before, get ready for a flavor explosion. It’s got a caramelized, crunchy almond top. A thick layer of creamy, custard-like filling. And a fluffy, not-too-sweet, yeast-raised cake to hold it all together. This Bienenstich is everything you want in a dessert: crunchy, creamy, and oh-so-satisfying. It's a staple of German food culture and an authentic treat that always brings a bit of celebration to the table.
You’ll see bee sting cake pop up in German bakeries, at springtime brunches (think Mother's Day brunch!), or next to a strong cup of coffee in the afternoon. And it’s not just the flavor that makes this one memorable.
The story behind the name is just as fun. Legend has it that a group of bakers defended their town from intruders by throwing beehives at them. Later they celebrated their victory with this very cake. I love a cake with a bit of drama!
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What makes this cake stand out
The Almond Topping: It gets simmered, caramelized, and baked into the top layer. No spreading sticky toppings post-bake.
Homemade Vanilla Pudding Cream: We’re skipping packaged mixes. This is the real deal, made with vanilla bean paste and stabilized with gelatin.
Structure That Holds: Cutting the top layer before assembling (like I also do with my Käse-Sahne-Torte) keeps the cake from squishing out all that creamy filling.
Simple yeast dough: Soft, light, and not too sweet. Just right to balance the rich filling and crunchy topping.
100% authentic: This is a true German recipe tested to work with simple ingredients and it makes a great addition to your baking repertoire.
Ingredients
Here’s everything you need to make this authentic bee sting cake. The full ingredient list is at the bottom in a printable version.
- Milk. Use whole milk for the best flavor and richness. You'll need it for both the yeast dough and the pudding filling. Warm it slightly to activate the yeast properly.
- Butter. I use unsalted butter in all parts of this recipe - from the dough to the almond topping. It gives the cake a rich, classic taste without overwhelming the other flavors.
- All-Purpose Flour. This recipe is adapted for U.S. kitchens, so you don’t need special flour. Just your everyday all-purpose flour will work perfectly.
- Sugar. Regular granulated sugar sweetens the dough, the almond topping, and the pudding cream without making the cake overly sugary.
- Salt. A pinch in the dough brings out the buttery, yeasty notes. Always worth adding!
- Dry Yeast. I use instant or active dry yeast - just a half packet is all you need to get a lovely rise.
- Egg. One egg helps bind the dough and gives it a nice golden color after baking.
- Cornstarch. This is the thickener for the homemade vanilla pudding cream. No boxed mixes here!
- Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract. Vanilla bean paste gives the pudding an extra-rich, almost floral aroma. If you can’t find paste, real vanilla extract works too.
- Heavy Cream. You’ll use this twice: once in the pudding topping and again to make the whipped cream that gets folded into the filling.
- Gelatin. This little addition stabilizes the pudding filling so it doesn’t ooze out when sliced. It makes for a cleaner, bakery-style look.
- Honey. Adds floral sweetness and a beautiful caramelized finish to the almond topping. I love using wildflower honey here.
- Sliced Almonds. These are the stars of the crunchy topping. Use blanched, sliced almonds for the best texture and visual appeal.
How to make Bee Sting Cake
Don’t be intimidated! This cake is easier than it looks! It just takes a few steps and a little patience. The full printable recipe card is at the bottom of this post.
- Make the dough: Mix milk, yeast, and sugar. Add flour, melted butter, salt, and knead until smooth. Let it rise for 45 minutes.
- Cook the pudding: Heat the milk. Mix the rest with cornstarch, sugar, and vanilla. Boil until thick, cover, and cool in the fridge.
- Shape and rise again: Roll the dough to fit your springform pan, press it in, and let it rise again.
- Add the topping: Simmer butter, cream, sugar, and honey. Stir in almonds and spread over the dough.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Immediately run a knife around the edge and let it cool.
- Prep the filling: Dissolve gelatin, mix into the cooled pudding, and chill again.
- Layer and fill: Slice the cake in half. Whip the cream, fold it into the pudding, and spread on the bottom half. Chill again.
- Top it off: Slice the almond top into pieces and arrange on top just before serving.
What to serve with Bienenstich
This Bienenstich pairs beautifully with a cup of coffee. It’s a cozy, indulgent combo that will transport you straight to a German café.
In the mood for more German sweets to fill out your cake arrangement? My Mama Ute’s Rhubarb Streusel Cake is a spring favorite, full of tart-sweet flavor. Or try my dreamy strawberry cream cake and the simple but stunning Erdbeerboden, a classic German strawberry cake. You’ll find even more inspiration in my full collection of German cake recipes.
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Bee Sting Cake Recipe (Bienenstich)
Equipment
Ingredients
Yeast Dough
- 150 milliliters milk
- 3 grams active dry yeast ½ pouch
- 50 grams granulated sugar
- 60 grams butter
- 325 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- some butter for the springform
- some all-purpose flour to roll out yeast dough
Pudding-Cream-Filling
- 400 milliliters milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
- 26 grams cornstarch
- 80 grams granulated sugar
- 250 grams heavy whipping cream
- 2 pouches gelatin or 5 to 6 sheets
Crunchy Almond Topping
- 60 grams butter
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoons honey
- 100 grams sliced almonds
- 50 grams heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Mix together luke warm milk, yeast and a tablespoon of the sugar. Melt butter. Sift together flour, remaining sugar and salt. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and knead (I use my electric mixer) for 5 minutes until you end up with a smooth dough. Cover bowl and allow to rise in a warm spot for 45 minutes.150 milliliters milk, 3 grams active dry yeast, 50 grams granulated sugar, 60 grams butter, 325 grams all-purpose flour, 1 pinch salt
- In the meantime, warm the milk for the pudding filling in a pot until boiling. Remove from heat. Whisk together a few tablespoons of the milk and vanilla with the cornstarch and sugar and whisk in with the milk, and return to heat to bring to a boil again, stirring constantly. Transfer pudding to a bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap to avoid a skin from forming. Put in the fridge to cool.400 milliliters milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste, 26 grams cornstarch, 80 grams granulated sugar
- Grease a spring form with some butter (I used a 10 inch diameter form), preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Knead the dough on a floured surface and roll out to a circle to fit the bottom of your spring form. Transfer to the spring form, cover, and allow to rise for 15 more minutes.some butter, some all-purpose flour
- For the almond topping, bring butter, cream, sugar and honey to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the almonds and distribute evenly onto the surface of the rolled out yeast dough.250 grams heavy whipping cream, 60 grams butter, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoons honey, 100 grams sliced almonds
- Bake for 30 minutes, then with the help of a knife, cut away from the sides of the spring form immediately before it cools. Then allow to cool completely.
- While the cake is baking, bring half a cup of water to a boil, then add in the gelatin pouches and whisk until dissolved. Whisk together with the pudding mixture to bring down the temperature, then transfer to the fridge to allow it to gel up some.2 pouches gelatin
- Cut the cake into 2 layers and place the bottom layer on a cake platter. Secure a cake ring around it (you can also use the ring of your spring form). Beat the whipped cream and fold in the pudding-gelatin mixture (making sure it has cooled down completely).50 grams heavy whipping cream
- Spread onto the bottom layer and transfer to the fridge for at least 1 hour to set up. Cut the top layer into 10 to 12 slices. Immediately before serving, add the top layer pieces. Guten Hunger!
Melissa
So delicious! Just like I remember having when I lived in Germany. Not overly sweet, and the perfect dessert to bring to Easter brunch. Danke!
dirndlkitchen
Thank you Melissa! I love Bienenstich and haven't made this in way too long!