Bienenstich Kuchen, also known as German Bee Sting Cake, is classic German sheet pan yeasted cake topped with honey and almonds and filled with a vanilla cream that is light and fluffy.
This cake is perfect for someone with a sweet tooth but doesn’t love the richness of chocolate. The yeast cake itself is not that sweet but the honey and almond topping balances it out. There are many different versions of this filling in Germany but this one – which I think is the easiest – is a combination of vanilla pudding (from a packet because why not?) and whipped butter. However, if you don’t want to use vanilla pudding mix, this Vanilla Pudding Recipe from my Donauwelle will work here!
Bienenstich is a traditional German, yeast risen cake, baked with a honey nut topping that is then sliced into two layers and filled with a light and fluffy vanilla cream.
In Germany, there are baking pans the size of our half size baking sheets with taller sides which make them perfect for this. But if you try to make this cake in an American rimmed baking sheet you will end up with honey overflowing all over your oven. I scaled this recipe down slightly to fit in a 9×13 brownie pan which prevents any overflow and helps get a beautiful rise on the cake.
Yes! In the section above I have linked my vanilla pudding recipe which does not use mix. That being said, vanilla pudding mix is actually incredibly common in Germany. Many people there, use these mixes because they are easy and delicious. You can definitely make your own vanilla pudding – just make sure the liquid amounts to a 1/2 liter. I prefer the Whole Foods pudding mix or the one from European Gourmet Bakery because they don’t make the filling yellow and have pretty good ingredients!
When I first made this recipe I had so much trouble with the surface becoming very “hilly” during baking rather than an even, flat layer. After a lot of testing, I found that the dough should not be kneaded as long to prevent it from becoming too stiff, this will allow the cake to bake up evenly.
Either type of pudding mix will work for this recipe! If using cooked pudding, make sure it cools to room temperature before adding it to the butter. If using instant pudding mix, once set, let it warm to room temperature. Otherwise it will cause the room temperature butter to clump and make a weird texture.
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Tips for making this classic German Cake
- Only knead the dough for about 10 minutes. It should have started to pull together into a ball and no longer look pebbly. It may still be stuck to the sides of the bowl.
- Place the cake in the oven immediately after pouring the warm honey almond mixture over the top.
- Allow the cake to cool fully before trying to slice it and cut the pieces of cake before splitting each piece into two slices. This will make it easier to slice them in half evenly rather than trying to cut across the entire cake.
- When making the filling, if your pudding is colder than the butter, you will be left with a clumpy mix. If this happens, don’t worry, just leave it to sit (or microwave BRIEFLY – 10 seconds or less) so that they become the same temperature and then beat again.
- The cake and pudding can both be made in advance. However, it is important to store the cake in an airtight container and make sure the pudding comes back to room temperature before making the filling.
Ingredients
- All Purpose Flour: Any all purpose flour should work for this bienenstich! I have not yet tried any other flours with this recipe.
- Sugar: There is a small amount of granulated sugar in the dough. But the majority of the sugar is mixed with honey and butter and then brushed on top of the dough before it is baked.
- Yeast: Instant yeast is used in this recipe but if you are using active dry yeast, simply sprinkle it over the warmed milk for 10 minutes and then add it into the flour with the remaining ingredients.
- Milk: Skim milk is used as the liquid in the yeasted dough and the pudding filling in this recipe but any milk, including non-dairy milks, will work here!
- Butter: Softened butter is used in the dough and more butter is used in the honey nut topping as well as the filling.
- Egg: One whole egg and one egg yolk are used in this bienenstich recipe. I use standard large eggs from the grocery store.
- Salt: a tiny bit of salt is added to the dough to balance out the sweetness.
- Honey: Honey is one of the most classic elements of a bienenstich and what gives it its name. I also use honey in the filling to add a little extra flavor.
- Sliced Almonds: Almonds are also a traditional element to this cake but it can be made with either sliced or slivered almonds.
- Vanilla Pudding Mix: This cake is usually made with a vanilla pudding mix so this recipe does the same. However, you can definitely make your own vanilla pudding using the pudding recipe from my Donauwelle!
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon adds a little extra flavor to the honey nut topping.
How to make Bienenstich
Make the Pudding
- Make the pudding according to the package instructions. If making cooked pudding, lay a piece of plastic wrap over the surface of the pudding to prevent it from forming a skin.
- To speed up the cooling process, the dish can then be placed in an ice bath. Just make sure that when you are ready to use the pudding that it is at room temperature, not cold.
Make the Honey Nut Cake
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, and yeast. Then add in the warmed milk, butter, egg and egg yolk, and salt. Knead with the dough hook attachment on medium low speed for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes the dough should be soft and stretchy but still a little sticky. Remove the dough and grease the bowl. Place the dough back in and cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic. Then place it somewhere warm to rest for 30 minutes.
Make the Honey Almond topping
- About 10 minutes before the dough is fully proofed make the honey almond topping.
- In a small/medium sauce pot, combine the sugar, butter, and honey. Bring to a boil over medium/high heat, stirring frequently. Once at a boil, continue to cook for an additional minute before removing it from the heat.
- Then stir in the almonds and cinnamon and leave in the warm pot. Immediately start on the cake.
Bake the Bienenstich
- Grease a 9×13 metal baking pan. Place the rested dough in the center of the pan and gently press the dough out from the center using your hands. Do this until the dough reaches all four sides. If it is pulling back and won’t stay in the corners, allow it to rest for five minutes before stretching it again.
- Scoop the honey nut filling out onto the outer edges of the dough. Then gently use a rubber spatula to spread the topping over the surface of the dough. If it’s easier, spoon out a little topping on to the dough and spread it out before scooping out any more of the topping.
- Immediately place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 20-22 min, rotating halfway through.
- Once the cake is golden brown, remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack until it is fully cooled.
- To remove the cake from the pan, slide a knife around the cake to loosen it. Then gently flip the bienenstich out of the pan and turn it right side up onto a cutting board.
Make the Cream filling
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the honey and butter on medium/high speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- With the mixer running on medium/high speed, slowly spoon the pudding into the bowl. Make sure to let the mixer run for at least 30 sec to a minute after every 4 additions of pudding.
Assemble the Bienenstich
- Cut the cooled cake into 12 rectangles by first cutting it into 4ths and then cut each quarter into 3rds.
- Slice each piece of cake in half so that you are left with two layers – a top and a bottom of each rectangle of cake.
- Either pipe, using a piping bag, or an offset spatula to evenly spread the cream filling mixture onto the bottom layer of each piece of cake. Then, top with the corresponding top layer. You now have 12 slices of assembled bienenstich cake.
Bienenstich | German Bee Sting Cake
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
Ingredients
Cream Filling
- 1 packet vanilla pudding mix
- 500 ml milk
- 250 grams butter softened
- 2 tbsp honey
Dough
- 375 grams AP flour
- 50 grams granulated sugar
- 8 grams instant yeast 1 packet
- 200 ml milk lukewarm
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 egg yolk room temperature
- 40 grams butter softened
- 1/4 tsp salt
Honey Nut Topping
- 75 grams butter
- 90 grams granulated sugar
- 90 grams honey
- 120 grams slivered almonds
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon ground
Instructions
Make the Vanilla Pudding
- In a medium sauce pot combine the milk and pudding mix. Cook over medium heat – stirring frequently, until it comes to a simmer.
- Then cook for one minute longer.
- Remove the pudding from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
Make the Dough
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar and yeast.
- Then add in the milk, butter, egg, egg yolk, and salt.
- Use the dough hook attachment to knead the dough on medium/low speed for 10 minutes. It should be smooth but still stick to the bowl.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl that is at least twice the size (you can use the same mixing bowl) and cover it with a towel or plastic. Place the bowl somewhere warm for 30 minutes to allow the dough to proof.
Honey Nut topping
- Start about 10 minutes before the dough is ready. In a small sauce pot combine the butter, sugar, and honey.
- Heat over medium/high heat, stirring frequently, until it comes to a boil. Continue cooking for one minute longer, then remove it from the heat.
- Stir in the almonds and cinnamon.
Bake
- Grease a metal, 9"x13" baking pan. Place the proofed dough in the center of the pan and gently stretch it out from the center using your hands.
- Continue stretching until the dough reaches the edges of the pan. If the dough shrinks back, let it rest for 5 minutes and then continue stretching.
- Spoon the honey nut topping onto the dough around the edges of the rectangle.
- Use a rubber spatula or an offset spatula to gently spread the topping over the dough as evenly as possible.
- Immediately, bake the bienenstich in the oven for 20-22 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.
- It is done when it has become a deep golden brown color.
- Once fully baked, remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
Cream Filling
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to cream together the butter and honey. Mix on medium/high speed until the butter is light and fluffy. Scraped down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Very slowly, while the mixer is running, spoon in the room temperature pudding. Allow the mixer to run for at least 30 seconds after every 4th addition of the pudding.
Assemble the Bienenstich
- Once the cake is cooled, run a knife along the edge to loosen it from the baking pan. Then gently, tip the cake out and place it face up on a cutting board.
- Cut the cake into 12 slices by first cutting it in half lengthwise and then crosswise. Then cut each quarter into three slices.
- Cut each slice in half so that you have two layers.
- Use a piping bag or offset spatula to spread the cream filling onto the bottom layer of each slice of cake.
- Then lay the top layer of each piece over the filling and press down gently.
Notes
Nutrition
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My dad, who is full blood German and 3rd generation American, and I made this recipe last weekend and fell in love with it! After one taste he said “you can’t buy something like this in the store”. It was delicious and surprisingly easy to make! I am gluten sensitive so we swapped the flour with a 1 to 1 gluten free flour mix and still it was amazing!!
Hi Naomi! I am so happy to hear that both you and your dad liked this recipe – it’s also amazing to hear that it worked with Gluten Free flour! Thank you so much for your review!