Delicious Bee Sting Cake: This German Bienenstich recipe features detailed instructions and a visual walk-through so you can make the perfect Bienenstich cake. With a slightly sweet yeasted dough base, this delectable treat is filled with creamy vanilla pudding and topped with a caramelized honey-almond glaze.
A family favorite, Bee Sting Cake was my German grandfather’s favorite cake. Tried and tested, the ingredients are listed in both US and metric measurements. You’ll also find pro tips for the perfect Bee Sting Cake.
From the Beehive to Your Plate: How Bee Sting Cake Got Its Name
According to the German website Chefs Culinar, the name Bienenstich (Bee Sting) dates back to a 15th century dispute in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
According to legend, in 1474, Friedrich III transferred the Rhine customs duty from Linz to Andernach, triggering an altercation between the citizens of Linz am Rhein and the citizens of the neighboring town of Andernach.
Citizens of Linz were so angry that they decided to attack the residents of Andernach early in the morning while they were still sleeping.
However, two boys from Andernach foiled their plans. They happened to be walking along the city wall at this time and were also nibbling on honey from the beehives hanging there.
When they saw the attackers, they threw the beehives at them. The angry bees then chased and stung the attackers from Linz, giving the citizens of Andernach a good reason to celebrate.
To mark the victory, they served a particularly delicious cake, which from then on they called the Bee Sting Cake (German Bienenstich) in honor of the brilliant trick.
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Or Does the Name Bienenstich Come from Eierstich?
Eierstich is the German word for egg (Eier) custard (Stich). Bees love to buzz around custard, so maybe that’s where the Bienenstich recipe got its name from. We’ll never know for sure.
A Slice of Heaven: Exploring the Layers of the Bee Sting Cake Recipe
The cake’s base is made using a soft and slightly sweet yeast dough. After rising, it is baked until golden brown to create a light and fluffy texture.
Then, the filling typically consists of vanilla custard cream, which adds a smooth and creamy contrast to the cake’s airy base.
Of course, the crowning glory of Bienenstich cake lies in its almond glaze. A mixture of sliced almonds, butter, and honey is spread over the top of the German cake and baked until caramelized. This creates an irresistible crunchiness that perfectly complements the softness underneath.
You might also like my Quark Stollen Recipe with optional marzipan.
Celebrating with a Bite: When and Why Germans Enjoy Bee Sting Cake
You can enjoy Bienenstich Kuchen at any time of day – whether for breakfast or as an afternoon treat alongside coffee or tea.
Bienenstich has become a popular choice for special occasions like birthdays and weddings in Germany due to its unique taste and elegant appearance.
So, enjoy this delicious Bienenstich recipe!
Traditional vs Modern Variations: Different Takes on the German Bee Sting Cake Recipe
While traditionally prepared with vanilla custard cream filling, Bienenstich recipe variations have emerged over time.
Some bakers prefer to use other fillings such as stabilized whipped cream or pastry cream flavored with chocolate or fruits like berries or cherries.
So, if you’re feeling adventurous in the kitchen, why not try making your own German Bee Sting Cake?
Whether you’re celebrating Oktoberfest or simply looking for something new to satisfy your sweet tooth, this Bienenstich cake recipe will surely leave you buzzing with delight!
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What You’ll Need to Make This Bienenstich Recipe
Here’s what you need to make this German Bee Sting Cake Recipe.
- A bowl
- A stand mixer with dough hook or knead by hand
- Two round 8-inch cake pans or one 8-inch springform pan – In other words, bake two cakes or make one cake and slice it horizontally into two cakes.
PRO TIP: When you add the creamy pudding layer, a springform pan makes it easier to make a perfect pudding layer – more on this below under Assemble the Bee Sting Cake. - Kitchen scale (optional) – I provide the measurements in both US and metric measurements, so you can replicate my Bee Sting Cake exactly.
Ingredients in This Bee Sting Recipe
Here are the ingredients in this delicious recipe for Bee Sting Cake.
The Yeasted Dough for This Bienenstich Recipe
- 2¼ cups all purpose flour (270 grams)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sweetener of choice (36 grams) – Sugar or opt for a zero-calorie sugar replacement such as monk fruit.
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast (7 grams)
- ½ teaspoon salt (2 grams)
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (57 grams), melted
- ¼ cup warm milk (57 grams)
The Honey-Almond Glaze for Bee Sting Cake
- ¼ cup butter (57 grams)
- 3½ tablespoons honey (63 grams)
- 1½ cups sliced almonds (135 grams)
The Creamy Vanilla Pudding Filling in this Bee Sting Recipe
- 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin – To stabilize the filling in Bee Sting Cake
- 2 tablespoons water (24 grams)
- 1 cup heavy cream (237 ml) – Heavy whipping cream adds richness and stability to the filling of a Bee Sting Cake, helping it hold its shape while staying smooth and creamy.
- 1 ounce (28 grams, small box) instant vanilla pudding mix – To keep the carbs and calories down, opt for instant sugar free vanilla pudding.
- 1½ cups milk (354 ml) – Lowfat or whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla (4 grams)
You might also like my scrumptious no bake vegan pumpkin tart.
How to Make This Authentic German Bee Sting Cake Recipe
Here’s how to make this recipe for bee sting cake.
Make the Yeasted Dough for Bienenstich Cake
1. Combine flour, sugar or monk fruit, instant yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Then, add the eggs, melted butter (after letting it cool for a few minutes), and warm milk. Mix well, using the dough hook.
2. Then knead by hand or using the dough hook of your stand mixer until smooth, supple dough forms.
3. Shape into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Then, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise for 1 to 1½ hours in a warm place, specifically in a draft-free place.
4. Line two 8-inch nonstick cake pans or one 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper and butter the sides. Then transfer the dough.
For two 8-inch cake pans: Use a kitchen scale to divide the dough equally. Make two balls and place each one in a cake pan. Stretch dough so it reaches the sides but don’t worry if it pulls back from the sides a little bit.
5. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for another 1 to 1½ hours.
For one 8-inch springform pan: Place dough ball in pan and stretch dough so it reaches the sides but don’t worry if it pulls back from the sides a little bit. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for another 1 to 1½ hours.
How to Make the Honey-Almond Glaze for Your Bee Sting Cake
1. When the dough has risen, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low to medium heat. Once the butter has melted, turn off the flame and mix in the almonds and honey. Stir until well combined. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). After baking the cake for 15 minutes, use a spoon or small spatula to spread the honey-almond mixture onto one of the two cakes or onto the single cake in the springform pan.
3. Put the cake back in the oven and bake another 10-15 minutes until golden brown. To check how brown the sides of the cake are, use a small spatula or knife to peer down the side of the cake.
4. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Let the cake cool for 30 minutes so the honey-almond mixture on top of the cake can set. While it’s cooling, run a thin spatula or plastic knife along the edges.
5. After 30 minutes, unlatch the pan and remove the springform sides.
The Creamy Vanilla Pudding Filling in German Bee Sting Cake
1. When the cake is cool, combine water and gelatin. It will thicken quickly. Then spoon the thickened gelatin into a tiny saucepan and melt it. Let it cool a bit.
2. Whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
3. Mix the instant vanilla pudding and milk. It thickens quickly. Before it thickens, add the whipped cream. Drizzle in the gelatin and vanilla. Then, gently fold the whipped cream, gelatin, and vanilla into the pudding.
Assemble the Bee Sting Cake
1. Release from pans. Yes, after 30 minutes, you can flip the cake with the caramelized almonds on it and remove the bottom of the pan.
2. If you use a springform pan, wait for the Bee Sting Cake to fully cool before slicing it horizontally with a long serrated knife or a bread knife.
3. When the cake is cool, spoon or pipe the vanilla custard filling onto the bottom layer.
TIP FOR A PERFECT PUDDING LAYER: If you used a springform pan, put the piece that latches back around the bottom cake and lock the pan’s latch. Cover with an even layer of the creamy pudding.
4. Then, gently open the latch and remove the springform pan.
5. Put the top layer on and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving, so the gelatin in the filling can set.
Pro Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Bee Sting Cake
- The creamy pudding filling makes the cake a little tricky to serve. Slice the top cake from the center pressing outwards rather than down. After cutting the top cake, go back and cut through to the bottom.
- You can also slice the top cake into pieces. Then put the individual slices on top. That way you only have to slice through the bottom cake when you serve it.
- If you have an electric knife, it’s a good cake to slice with one.
- For a perfectly even layer of filling, use a springform pan. Put the piece with the latch around the baked bottom cake and latch it.
Then, cover the Bienenstich cake with an even layer of custard filling.
Next, gently unlatch the springform pan and remove it. Now put the second cake on top and you’ll have a perfect Bee Sting Cake. - Don’t forget to add the gelatin to the creamy pudding filling, since this helps stabilize the Bienenstich filling.
- Add the honey-nut mixture 15 minutes into the baking process: If you add the nuts when you first put the cake in the oven, they will get too brown and you’ll find yourself covering the cake with aluminum foil towards the end. So I wait 15 minutes and then add the nuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best thing about Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich) is the contrast of textures and flavors: the fluffy, slightly chewy yeast cake, the rich and creamy vanilla pudding filling, and the crunchy honey almonds on top. Together, they create a unique and satisfying dessert that’s both comforting and elegant.
The name comes from a legend in which townspeople used bees’ nests to fend off attackers, then celebrated with a cake topped with honey and almonds – hence the name Bee Sting Cake.
The first step is to prepare the yeast dough by combining dry ingredients like flour, sugar, and yeast in a large mixing bowl before adding wet ingredients and letting the dough rise in a greased bowl.
It isn’t necessary for this cake since I use instant vanilla pudding which is also what Germans frequently use for the filling.
The caramelized almond topping should be slightly crisp once cooled, offering a nutty crunch that contrasts perfectly with the soft layers below.
How to Store Your Bienenstich Cake
- Refrigerate German Bee Sting Cake for up to 4 days.
- Freeze the cake for up to 2 months – Yes, the creamy filling freezes.
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Want More Recipes?
Check out my traditional German cakes or the recipes below.
- Avocado Keto Dessert Recipes
- Gluten Free Bee Sting Cake
- German Mandarin Orange Cake
- Stollen Recipe
- Vegan Blueberry Pudding
Bienenstich Recipe Card
Bee Sting Cake (German Bienenstich) Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Stand mixer with dough hook or knead by hand
- 2 Round 8-inch cake pans or one 8-inch springform pan. If you use 1 springform pan, you will slice the cake horizontally into two cakes. – TIP: A springform pan makes it easier to create a perfect pudding layer. Simply place the ring of the pan around the bottom cake layer and lock the latch. Spread an even layer of pudding over the cake. Then, gently unlock the latch and remove the springform pan.
- 1 Kitchen scale (optional) – I provide gram measurements, so you can replicate my cake exactly.
- 1 Wire Cooling Rack
Ingredients
The Dough
- 2¼ Cups All-Purpose Flour (270 grams)
- 3 Tablespoons Sugar or Zero-Calorie Monk Fruit (36 grams)
- 2¼ Teaspoons Instant Yeast (7 grams) (1 packet)
- ½ Teaspoon Salt (2 grams)
- 2 Large Eggs at Room Temperature
- ¼ Cup Unsalted Butter, Melted (57 grams)
- ¼ Cup Warm Milk (57 grams)
The Honey-Almond Glaze
- ¼ Cup Butter (57 grams)
- 3½ Tablespoons Honey (63 grams)
- 1½ Cups Sliced Almonds (135 grams)
The Pudding Filling
- 2 Teaspoons Unflavored Gelatin Powder (5 grams)
- 2 Tablespoons Water (24 grams)
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream (237 ml)
- 1 Ounce Instant (Sugarfree) Vanilla Pudding Mix (28 grams)(Small Box)
- 1½ Cups Milk, Lowfat, or Whole (354 ml)
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla (4 grams)
Instructions
The Dough: Please See the Instructional Photos in the Main Post.
- Combine flour, sugar or monk fruit, instant yeast, salt, and mix well.
- Add the eggs, melted butter (after letting it cool for a few minutes), warm milk, and mix well. Then knead by hand or using the dough hook of your stand mixer until the dough is smooth and supple.
- Shape into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours.
- Use two 8-inch nonstick cake pans or one 8-inch springform pan. Line with parchment paper and butter the sides. For two 8-inch cake pans: Use a kitchen scale to divide the dough equally. Make two balls and place each one in a cake pan. Stretch dough so it reaches the sides but don't worry if it pulls back from the sides a little bit. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for another 1 to 1½ hours.For one 8-inch springform pan: Place dough ball in pan and stretch dough so it reaches the sides but don't worry if it pulls back from the sides a little bit. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for another 1 to 1½ hours.
The Honey Almond Glaze
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). After baking the cake for 15 minutes, use a spoon or small spatula to spread the honey-almond mixture onto one of the two cakes or onto the single cake in the springform pan. Put the cake back in the oven and bake another 10-15 minutes until golden brown. To check how brown the sides of the cake are, use a small spatula or knife to peer down the side of the cake.
- Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Let the cake cool for 30 minutes so the honey-almond mixture can set. While it's cooling, run a thin spatula or plastic knife along the edges.
The Creamy Vanilla Pudding Filling
- When the cake is cool, combine water and gelatin. It will thicken quickly. Then spoon the thickened gelatin into a tiny saucepan and melt it.
- While the gelatin cools a bit, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
- Mix the instant vanilla pudding and milk. It thickens quickly. Before it thickens, add the whipped cream. Drizzle in the gelatin and vanilla. Then, gently fold the whipped cream, gelatin and vanilla into the pudding.
Assemble the Bee Sting Cake
- Release from pans. Yes, after 30 minutes, you can flip the cake with the carmelized almonds on it.
- If you use a springform pan, wait for the Bee Sting Cake to fully cool before slicing it horizontally with a long serrated knife.
- When the cake is cool, spoon or pipe the filling onto the bottom layer. Tip for a perfect creamy pudding layer: If you used a springform pan, put the piece that latches back around the bottom cake and lock the pan's latch. Cover with an even layer of pudding. Then, gently open the latch and remove the springform pan.
- Put the top layer on and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving, so the gelatin in the pudding layer can set.Tip: The pudding filling makes the cake a little tricky to serve. Slice the top cake from the center pressing outwards rather than down. After cutting the top cake, go back and cut through to the bottom.Tip: You can also slice the top cake into pieces. Then put the individual slices on top. That way you only have to slice through the bottom cake when you serve it.
Notes
What a yummy cake! Thanks for the recipe. The instructions were so helpful. I will definitely make it again.
Thanks for your feedback! I’m glad you enjoyed the cake!
Excellent cake, the Bienenstich was delicious, can’t wait to make another one. Loved the honey and almond decoration. Cathy, you are a creative and talented baker.
Thank you, Anna. I’m glad that you love the Bienenstich too.
This is a really tasty cake, just like I remember in Germany. I’ll make it again soon. The instructions are clear and the cake is delicious.
Thank you for letting me know. Glad to hear you are enjoying the cake!