This recipe for the desert Bienenstich (bee sting cake) is sure to leave your mouth watering. The cake, which combines pastry with vanilla cream and honey glazed almonds (hence the unusual name!) is a traditional German favourite.
Bienenstich. Photo: chefpercaso, CC BY-NC 2.0
Bienenstich (via Quick German Recipes)
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients:
Cake layer:
2 large eggs
150g granulated sugar
130g all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
120ml milk
1 tbsp unsalted butter
Topping:
60g unsalted butter
50g granulated sugar
1½ tbsp honey
1 tbsp whipping cream
100g slivered almonds
½ tsp vanilla extract
Filling:
480ml whipping cream
28g instant vanilla powder
16g icing sugar
Instructions:
Cake layer:
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Into a large mixing bowl, mix eggs and sugar until thick and creamy.
Stir flour, baking powder and salt together and stir into the egg mixture.
Heat milk and butter to just about boiling (I microwaved for about 30 seconds), stir and mix into batter.
Pour into greased 9-inch springform pan. Bake for about 20 - 30 minutes until firm to touch and a wooden toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean.
Meanwhile, make the topping!
Topping:
In a small pan, melt butter over low heat. Add sugar, honey and whipping cream, stirring continually.
Bring to boil and boil gently for 5 minutes, stirring continually.
Stir in almonds and vanilla.
Set aside to cool slightly and carefully spread topping on cake immediately as it comes out of the oven.
Set oven to broil.
Broil cake for a few minutes until the top is nicely browned being careful it doesn't burn!
Let cake cool on a wire rack. Remove outer ring from spring-form carefully.
Filling:
Whip cream, sugar and instant vanilla pudding powder until stiff.
Cut the cold cake into 2 layers.
Spread filling on the bottom layer.
Place top layer on top of filling. To make it easier to serve, cut this top layer first into wedges and then place on top of the filling.
Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Notes/hints:
If the topping gets too thick before spreading on the cake, add an extra tablespoon of honey and/or cream and reheat.
Place the outer ring of the spring-form pan back around the bottom layer in order to neatly put the filling on the cake. Place the top layer into the pan. Let sit in the fridge until needed. Then remove the outer ring. Nice and neat!
Bienenstich with the "chewy" topping can be difficult to cut through neatly without the cream filling squeezing out. It really is best if you cut the cake into 2 layers, cut the top layer into serving-size wedges before you place them neatly on top of the filling. Makes for neater serving.
Another way to cut the cake (if you don't precut the wedges) is to use an electric knife.
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