Bee Sting Cake – Bienenstich

I adore reviewing cookbooks and have done many, many of them on the site. Although the internet is a vast resource for all recipes there is nothing like the feel and vision of going through a cookbook. Today I bring to you this amazing Bee Sting Cake – Bienenstich from Poh Bakes 100 Greats by Poh Ling Yeow.

The Bee Sting Cake or Bienenstich is a German dessert with a golden brown honey almond topping. It is a very traditional not too sweet cake that is sliced in half with a serrated knife so that a filling can be added. I think this would be perfect served over Easter!

It is in a category of yeasted cakes which I will explain more of. This is just one of the wonderful recipes in Poh’s cookbook that is interesting and different for the reader/cook/baker to explore.

See that topping!! Isn’t it amazing!! That creamy filling just calls your finger into the picture for a little swipe and lick. It is flavored with a touch of orange liqueur, quite sublime!

Besides being baked in a round spring form cake pan I have also seen it baked in a square cake pan or doubled up and baked in a 9×13″.

What is Bee Sting Cake?

Bee Sting Cake is different from many as it is not a cake batter at all but made from a yeasted dough like a brioche bread. The top is made from crunchy almonds and honey and the interior is a light and creamy custard filling or Creme Patissiere.

I made double the Creme Patissiere which is the filling and made the other half into ice cream for my daughter to enjoy!

This is a perfect cake for afternoon tea as it is for dessert. The wonderful topping makes this cake so special. It is crunchy and ooey gooey together and it caramelized to perfection. Simply heavenly!!

Why is it Called Bee Sting Cake?

This scrumptious cake is perfect for spring! The name attracted me right off the bat being playful and fun. I have never heard of Bee Sting Cake before. You do not want to get stung from a bee but you sure do want to eat this cake.

There are two versions of why this is called Bee Sting Cake. The first version of where the name came from was that a bee was attracted to the sweet honey topping. The baker who invented the cake was stung by the bee!

Another source for the name was that a group of German bakers in the 15th century lobbed beehives at raiders from a neighboring village. They were successfully able to get them to retreat. The cake was then baked to celebrate.

Well, there are no bees here at this time of year but spring is on the horizon as we are quickly moving through January already.

It is suggested and this is a great tip, to slice the top before putting it on as the cream filling will just all ooze out and become a big mess.

Then you only have to cut through to the bottom to slice a piece, very clever for serving. We just sliced ours in to 6 pieces but the recipe does recommend 10.

Poh Bakes 100 Greats

After a meteric rise in fame after Australian MasterChef, Poh Ling Yeow returns with this amazing cookbook. This cookbook is perfect for any budding baker to whip up masterful creations.

Poh Ling Yeow’s must-have recipes have been tried and perfected over her years of baking experience, both as a TV personality and the owner of her café and bakery Jamface.

From sweet to savory here are a few picks to try first. Baked Lime & Chocolate Tart, Malaysian Pineapple Tarts, Orange Kisses with Cream Cheese Centres, and Beef Stout Pie with Blue Cheese Crust.

Put this cookbook on your top 10 must haves list. Publishing date is February 5, 2019.

My custard did turn out a bit too loose as I forgot to whip the cream instead of just adding it. My error, not that it made one bit of difference in it being gobbled down.

Bee Sting Cake Recipe

Courtesy of Poh Bakes 100 Greats by Poh Ling Yeow. Reprinted with permission from Murdoch Books. Available where books are sold February 5, 2019.

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