Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich)

Bee Sting Cake or Bienenstich is a German Custard Cake made of honey and almonds with a vanilla custard or buttercream/cream filling to suit.

Rumour has it, (or Wikipedia, rather!) there is a legend of 15th century German Bakers throwing beehives (poor bees!!!) at raiders from a village nearby. This worked as a successful deterrent and the bees were celebrated for their sacrifice, with this cake!

Feel free to celebrate the bees and maybe even this years successful honey crop, by giving the recipe below a try:-

Ingredients

 

For the cake mix:

4 eggs

150g caster sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla sugar

125g plain flour

2 level teaspoons baking powder

50g ground almonds

 

For the topping:

50g unsalted butter

50g sugar

4tbsp honey

Pinch of salt

50g sliced almonds

 

For the custard filling:

400ml double cream

1 (75g) sachet instant custard powder

 

Method

 

Prep: 15 min > Cook 30 min

 

1. 1. For the pastry, add eggs to a bowl and beat until pale and fluffy (for about 6 minutes) Gradually add sugar and vanilla sugar whist beating.
   2. Preheat oven to 170 C / Gas Mark 3-4
   3. In another bowl, mix flour and baking powder and fold into egg mixture. Fold in ground almonds last.
   4. Grease a 26cm springform tin and dust with flour. Spread mixture in tin.
   5. For the topping: Put the butter, sugar, honey and salt into a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the sliced almonds. Evenly spread this over the cake mixture.
   6. Bake in a preheated oven until golden brown for about 30 mins and let cool for at least 2 hours.
   7. Prepare the custard following the packet instructions, replacing boiling water with the double cream.
   8. Slice cake in half horizontally and spread filling.
   9. Refrigerate until serving.

 

Please feel free to comment and let us know if it tastes as good as it looks!