Bienenstich (Bee Sting Cake)

I’ve seen photos of this cake on Pinterest and Instagram for years and was always curious about it. It’s a very eye catching cake and the recipe is so different. It looks like a cake but is a yeast dough, but it’s not “bread”. I had added it to my “must try” list a long time ago but never got around to it until just recently. Our mom was reading a novel (forgive me, I can’t remember the title of it!) in which the author included recipes among the pages. A bee sting cake was one of the recipes and our mom was intrigued. I tried it, as written in the book, and it was a flop. It didn’t work at all and I ended up throwing it out. I took the book recipe, did a little more research online about bienenstich and came up with the recipe here.

Are you ready for a culinary adventure? This cake is a roller coaster of flavors and textures and scents that will have you hooked after just a few bites!

2 tsp active yeast

1/2 cup very warm water

2 cups flour

4 Tbsp butter, soft

2 Tbsp honey

scant 1 tsp salt

2 eggs

6 Tbsp butter

1/3 cup sugar

3 Tbsp honey

pinch salt

2 Tbsp whipping cream (heavy cream)

1 1/2 cup sliced almonds

2 cups whipping cream (heavy cream)

1 pkg vanilla instant pudding

1 Tbsp honey

Lightly grease a 10 inch springform pan. Place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom. Set aside.

Prepare dough – place yeast and warm water in small bowl and stir. Let sit for about 5 minutes to activate yeast.

After 5 minutes, place flour, butter, honey, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and turn on low. Add in the eggs. Then add in the yeast mixture. Turn mixer to medium and beat for about 5 minutes, until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. If dough is really sticky you may need to add up to 1/2 cup more flour. (Add it about 2 Tbsp at a time, if needed.)

Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and place somewhere warm for an hour.

After an hour it should be risen. NOTE – it won’t double in size like regular bread would BUT it should still rise so you notice it.

Place the risen dough into the prepared 10 inch springform pan and press it out to cover the bottom.

Cover and let rest while you prepare the topping.

Prepare topping – Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add in sugar, honey, salt, and cream and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 – 5 minutes, until it starts to turn golden. Stir in the almonds. Cool about 2 minutes and then gently spread on top of the dough in the springform pan.

Bake at 350 for 25 – 30 minutes. Toothpick inserted near center should come out clean and top should be golden brown. (NOTE – if topping still looks a little pale but the cake is done; simply turn oven to broil for a minute and watch cake closely! It should brown very quickly.)

Let sit in pan on wire rack to cool down to room temp.

When cool, carefully remove sides of springform pan and bottom of pan. Let cool completely.