Sting of the Bee German Cake
It’s a beauty! Rich and decadent with oodles of caramelized almonds on top and a smooth, buttery filling in the middle. The raspberry tang adds freshness. A German treat that can be served as cake slices or cut into smaller squares for a handheld treat.
Sting of the Bee Cake (Bienenstich)
For the Topping
1/2 cup butter, salted
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp. milk
1 cup almonds, slivered
2 teaspoons vanilla pinch of salt
-In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Add honey and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Slowly add milk, so it doesn’t sputter on you. Return to a boil and add almonds. Bring to a boil once again. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature. (Can be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to use. Heat the mixture up to room temperature before using.
For the Cake
1/4 cup whole milk 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened 3 tablespoons honey 2 large eggs 2 1/3 cups all-purpose or bread flour 1 3/4 teaspoons yeast 1/4 teaspoon salt
-Pour the milk and place the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the honey, eggs, flour, yeast, and salt. Mix on low speed for about 1 minute until everything is combined and forms a rough dough. Increase the speed to medium level and let knead for 6 minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic and just a bit sticky.
-Transfer the dough to a lightly greased mixing bowl. Cover and let it rise in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour. Grease a 9-inch springform pan lightly with butter the dust the bottom and sides with flour.
-At the end of the rise, punch down the dough, then transfer it to the prepared springform pan and gently press and stretch to evenly cover the bottom of the pan. Gently spread the cooled almond topping over the dough to cover the entire surface. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let the cake rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 40 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the topping is bubby.
-Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes to allow the topping to firm up. Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake and place it on a wire rack to cool completely before filling.
For the Buttercream Filling:
1 cup butter (no substitutes)
2 cups powdered sugar
2 eggs yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup raspberry preserves
-Soften butter to room temperature. Place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat in powdered sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla until fluffy. (This is easiest to do in an electric mixer.) Set aside. (May be made in advance, covered and refrigerated but bring it back to room temperature and whip it until it is smooth again.)
To Assemble Cake:
-With a long serrated knife, cut the cake in half, horizontally. Carefully remove the top layer to the side. Spread the raspberry preserves on the bottom layer of the split cake, then spread the buttercream over the raspberry preserves. (Or, if you prefer, spread half the raspberry preserves on the cake, then the buttercream then spread the remaining preserves over the top of the buttercream.) Replace the top of the cake. Chill the cake for up to 1 hour before serving. (For smooth outside edges, assemble the cake in the springform pan, pushing the cream filling and raspberry preserves to the edges, so that the layers will be seen when the cake is removed from the pan. When ready to serve, remove the ring from the springform pan and cut the cake into wedges to serve.) Serves 10 - 12
PERSNICKETY NOTES:
For a more authentic cream filling for the cake, make a creme patissiere (or what we call in the U.S., Vanilla Pie Filling.) You can even go one step further and make it a “diplomat” filling which is another French filling and can be made by folding 1 cup slightly sweetened, stiffly whipped cream into the cold creme patissiere. Recipe for creme patissiere below:
Creme Patissiere (filling for Sting of the Bee Cake)
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
Yolks from 3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Pinch of salt
-To make the filling, in a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the egg yolks and whisk (or beat with an electric mixer) until the mixture is pale and smooth, about 1 minute. Keep whisking it until it becomes smooth. Whisk in the milk gradually, a bit at a time, whisking constantly until all of the milk has been incorporated.
-Pour the milk mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the custard begins to simmer and thickens, about 5 minutes. Once it begins to gently bubble, continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat then whisk in the vanilla extract and salt. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. Cover the top with plastic wrap touching the surface of the cream, then refrigerate until ready to use.
In a saucepan, combine ingredients for the almond topping and bring to a boil. Set aside and let cool completely.
Combine cake dough ingredients, then let rise in a greased bowl until doubled in size.
Punch down dough, then place in a well-greased or parchment paper lined spring-form pan and let rise again.
Bake until done, let cool briefly, then remove from springform pan.
When cake is completely cool, carefully slice cake in half, horizontally.
Spread raspberry preserves on top of the bottom layer of the cake.
Spread the vanilla buttercream over the raspberry preserves.
Mounds of buttery and fluffy light buttercream!
A delicious combination of raspberry and buttercream sandwiched in between the layers of cake.
Chill the completed cake then slice into servings.
A sweet contrast of flavors and textures create this German unique dessert, with caramelized almonds on top, jumbled like busy bees sweetening the whole with their luscious honey!
