German Bee Sting Cake
A show-stopping, tender yeasted cake filled with creamy custard and topped with a crunchy honey-almond layer, perfect for brunch or dessert.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup milk Warm, not hot
- 1/2 cup butter Melted
- 3 large eggs Room temperature
- 1 packet active dry yeast Or instant yeast with slight adjustments
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Filling
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup custard or vanilla pudding thick custard can be used as a substitute
For the Topping
- 1 cup sliced almonds Classic ingredient for the 'bee sting'
- 2 tablespoons honey Will caramelize
Instructions
Preparation
- In a large bowl, mix the warm milk, yeast, and sugar; let it sit for 5 minutes until frothy.
- Add the eggs, melted butter, flour, and salt; mix until a slightly sticky dough forms.
- Knead the dough until smooth, then place in a greased bowl and cover. Allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Roll out the dough and place it in a greased baking pan, smoothing the edges.
- Let the dough rise again for 30 minutes, then bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.
Filling
- While the cake cools, whip the cream and fold it into the custard. Chill briefly if it gets too soft.
- Cut the cooled cake in half and fill it with the custard mixture.
- Top with the other half of the cake, pressing lightly.
Topping
- In a saucepan, melt honey with sliced almonds until golden; pour over the top of the cake.
- Allow cake to cool, slice, and serve.
Notes
Keep the milk warm but not hot to activate the yeast effectively. The cake can be made a day in advance and filled just before serving. Store filled cake in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.