Original Bee Sting Cake Recipe

This original Bee Sting Cake - Bienenstich is one of the classic traditional cake recipes in Germany. There are many ways of preparing it. The simple version is a sweet yeast dough with a caramelized almond topping (pictured on the left), in some regions also known as butter cake - Butterkuchen. A more advanced version has a filling with either a buttercream or a vanilla custard (pictured on the right). I chose to prepare the family recipe which is the simple version with a vanilla custard filling. The amount of dough is either for one cake on a baking sheet size 11″ x 17″ or for two cakes in round spring-forms 11 inches in diameter or square springforms 9.4 inches.

Ingredients for dough of bee sting cake:

• 500 g (17.63 oz) of all-pupose flour
• 1 package of dry yeast rapid rise
• 250 ml (8.45 oz) of milk
• 75 g (2.64 oz) of sugar
• 1 Paeckchen Vanillezucker (OR) 5-6 drops of vanilla extract
• 100 g (3.52 oz) of butter
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 egg size xl

Ingredients for topping of bee sting cake:

• 200 g (7.05 oz) of butter
• 200 g (7.05 oz) of sugar
• 1 package of Dr. Oetker vanilla sugar or 5-6 drops vanilla extract
• 4-5 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 200 g (7.05 oz) of sliced (OR) slivered blanched almonds

Ingredients for filling of bee sting cake:

• 1100 ml (1.16 quarts) of milk
• 1 vanilla bean (OR) 2 packages of Dr. Oetker Vanilla Sugar (OR) 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 3 packages of Dr. Oetker Vanilla Pudding or Jell-O (85 g - 3 oz) Vanilla Cook&Serve pudding&pie filling
• 100 g (3.52 oz) of sugar
• 2 packages of “Whip it” stabilizer for whipping cream
• 300 ml (10.14 oz) of heavy whipping cream

Preparation of dough:

Mix flour, yeast, vanilla sugar, sugar and salt. Add in melted butter, lukewarm milk, and egg and work it into dough using the hooks of your electric hand mixer. Continue until the dough is smooth. It should loosen from the sides and show some bubbles. Cover the dough with a towel and keep it in a warm place. Allow it to rise for about an hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Click on pictures to enlarge.

When ready, line the bottom of a baking sheet (I used size 11” x 17”) with baking/parchment paper. Add an extra 5 inches on the smaller sides so that the paper overlaps the baking sheet. Spread the dough evenly onto the sheet using a small rolling pin or using your hands. Fold the overlap of the paper so that it stands up on the sides. It makes it easier, to take the cake with the paper from the baking sheet after baking. Set the cake aside.

Preparation of topping:

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add 4-5 tablespoons of whipping cream and stir with a whisk. Add sugar and vanilla sugar or vanilla extract to it. Once the sugar is dissolved add almonds and stir with a wooden spoon until the ingredients are combined. Take from your heat and let it cool down. Spread the caramelized almonds on top of the dough. Let the cake rise for another 20-25 minutes.

Click on pictures to enlarge.

Preheat the oven to 200°C - 225°C (392°F - 437°F). Place the cake on the rack one level above middle rack and bake for about 15–20 minutes. Immediately after the cake has finished baking use a metal spatula to loosen the cake on each side of the baking sheet so that the caramelized almonds cannot harden and stick to the sheet. Leave the cake on the baking sheet to cool. After the cake has cooled down, the unfilled version is finished and you can place it on a final plate. If you want the filling, lift the cake with the paper and place it on a cooling rack to finish it with the custard.

Preparation of filling:

Add vanilla pudding powder and sugar to the milk and mix it until the vanilla powder is dissolved. Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise in half and scrape the seeds out. Add vanilla seeds to the milk mixture. Pour into a saucepan and slowly bring to a boil while continuously stirring with a whisk. When it is boiling remove from heat.

Pour the pudding in a ceramic or glass bowl and cover it with a cellophane wrap that has been rinsed under cold water. (This will help eliminate the skin that can develop on the pudding’s surface.) Add “whip it” to the whipping cream and beat until stiff. Add the whipped cream to the chilled pudding and mix with your handheld mixer until the filling is smooth.

Use a large knife to cut the cake in the horizontal all the way through while rotating the cooling rack. (You could also cut the cake in half before cutting it horizontal, which might make it easier). Spread the custard on the bottom of your cake. Use a larger spatula along the outsides of the cake and a smaller spatula to spread the filling inside.

Click on pictures to enlarge.

Cut the top of your cake into equal pieces (about 20 pieces if you use the baking sheet) before placing them back onto your cake on top of the filling.

With the help of two large spatulas or cake lifter, place your bee sting cake on the final plate. You could also sprinkle some powdered sugar on top.