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Bienenstich (Bee-sting cake)

Bienenstich was a specialty of my husband's Aunt Sue and I think of her whenever I make it.
Bienenstich is German for bee-sting and although the original recipe somewhere back in time may have had honey in it, this one doesn't.
This yummy dessert starts with a "Lazy Daisy" or Hot Milk Cake to which
you add a broiled topping and cream filling.
I usually double or triple the recipe as it freezes well and is a good cake to have ready for
unexpected company.
Laisy Daisy Cake:
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup scalded milk
  • 1 tablespoon butter
Broiled Topping:
  • 4 tablespoons butter melted
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons  cream
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds
Cream Filling:
  • 1/2 pint whipping cream
  • 1/3 cup icing sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla instant pudding powder (opt.)
  • 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  1. Beat the eggs and gradually add sugar. Beat until thick and light
  2. Add vanilla and mix in.
  3. Sift dry ingredients and add to mixture, mixing only until blended.
  4. Scald milk (I do it in the microwave) and add butter, stirring until it is melted.
  5. Slowly add milk and incorporate into batter.
  6. Pour into a greased 8 inch pan.
  7. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out dry.
  8. Mix all topping ingredients together and, spooning onto cake in small amounts, spread mixture gently over cake. Be sure to spread topping right to the edges of the pan.
  9. Place back in oven and bake until topping bubbles. You can broil it if you like but you will need to watch it carefully as it will burn quickly.
  10. When cake has cooled, put it in the freezer for an hour or 2. This makes it easier to slice the cake into layers.          
  11. Remove cake from freezer and slice horizontally into 2 layers.
  12. Beat filling ingredients together until cream holds firm peaks.
  13. Fill cake with cream filling.
  14. Replace top of cake and freeze until firm.
  15. Remove from freezer and cut into serving pieces about 1/2 - 1 hour before serving. 
  16. Refrigerate any leftovers.



27 comments:

  1. Sounds Amazing!! I have never heard of this type of cake before... and it looks just as delish!! I will have to try it sometime. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Hmm... you've never noticed any 'missing' from the freezer, have you Mom? Because I seem to recall this tasting FABULOUS as a frozen stolen treat! oops.

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  3. This looks fantastic....and bonus...seems easy enough to do even though it looks so fancy. I admit, I've never made Bienenstich but I sure don't know why....I bet it is a hit and I can see by the comments here that apparently it WAS in your home!

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  4. OH MY GOSH, this looks irresistable.

    Just what I need, decadent carbohydrate calories...I DO thank you though!!!

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  5. Oh that topping sounds wonderful. The whole cake looks fabulous!

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  6. Just had to share that I'm so excited about this cake! Haven't had it since we lived in Germany. Look forward to making this for my family. I also wanted to say how much I enjoy this blog. The recipes are phenomenal and they all look so good. I'm especially pleased that there's GF recipes also. Keep up the good work!

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  7. We love it...and I have also made the one from the Greendale cookbook!

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  8. I remember the first time I had Bienedstich.... My husband's brother's wife's sister had made it for a family function...and after my first bite it has always been a favorite with me!!!

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  9. this is my ignorant-in-the-ways-of-the-mennonites mennonite husband's FAVOURITE menno food. :) thanks for posting!

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  10. Bienenstich always reminds me of my Oma, I can taste it now, sittimg around her table with a glass of milk, sigh

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  11. Please let me pass on a helpful tip;instead of cutting the cake horizontally, just cut the cake down the middle so you have two pieces both with the topping. Put the filling on top of one half, cover with the second half. When you eat the cake you get a double hit of the yummy topping. This makes for a taller piece of cake but maybe you will cut the pieces smaller?
    Love your site,
    Dorothy

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    Replies
    1. I found this is the ONLY way to deal with this cake as I don't get nearly enough rise with this recipe to cut the cakes in half horizontally. I doubt it has stopped me from eating any less though....

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  12. Dorothy, thanks for the suggestion. It sounds awesome. Especially if you make the cake in a larger pan.

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  13. I am always happy to find german recipes, thanks so much for sharing!

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  14. I have that recipe in an old Kitchen Aid cookbook and I have made it before and ....OH MY! It is delish! I haven't thought about it for years! Now I'm hungry for it! Thanks!

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  15. This is still one of my mom's favorites to make and spoil the family with, so I mostly just let her make it. This (small) size recipe also works well in a round 8-inch spring form pan.

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  16. Great recipe! Reminded me of my Grandmothers Bienenstich. She was Schwaebisch (south german). She though made the cake only with almonds so I substituted the coconut with almonds! I took the tip too and cut cake in half and sandwiched the halfs together! YummY! Great recipes&site! Thank You!

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  17. This case looks absolutely wonderful! I'm leaving for Germany in three days, but will make it when I return home. I'm sure I'll be thinking of it a time or two though!

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  18. I have also been looking for a light raisin bun recipe. The one you have is perfect - Today I made only 1/2 the recipe and used 2 cups of raisins - mixed them in with the dough hook and it worked well - I think I will add more raisins next time. Also brushed them with egg and water wash before baking to give them a shiny top - they are excellent - thank you ... Ella

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  19. Bienenstich was a favourite of mine as a child growing up in Australia as I had a German grandmother and we lived near an area with many German settlers. Looking at this recipe and having tried this cake in Canada, I think an important and unfortunate substitution has occurred. The filling should be vanilla custard, not whipped cream with optional 'instant pudding powder'. My Canadian-German friends would agree; real custard or don't call it 'Bienenstich'.

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    1. I just saw your comment now and would agree that the real German version would have used some kind of home made custard. This is the recipe as given to me by my aunt and I quite like the lightness of the filling.

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  20. How do you get the cake out of the cookie sheet in one piece, so that it can be cut through the centre?

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  21. Looks yummy..................but I really like the blue hen!

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  22. This looks to be in a sheet pan? What did you do to the recipe to make it like this, and how did you assemble it?

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    1. When I look at the second picture, I see you are right - it was made in a sheet pan. I seem to remember that it was made for a crowd. I would have doubled the recipe for the sheet size and then made a second cake without the broiled topping, For the 8x8 inch size or the large sheet cake, freezing the cake before assembly makes handling the layers much easier. Spread the prepared filling on the plain cake layer, top it with the layer with the broiled topping and freeze until serving..

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  23. Decorating can be as simple as using a stencil and dusting confectioner's sugar or cocoa powder on the top of a cake.Lady M Singapore

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