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This German Bienenstich Kuchen or Bee Sting Cake is the vegan version of grandma’s traditional recipe – It’s a delicious fluffy yeast cake with a creamy vanilla pudding filling and crunchy caramelized almond on top that everyone will love!
German Bienenstich Kuchen is one of those classic cakes that my grandma bakes very often to serve for an afternoon dessert because everyone in the family loves it! Though the cake may look a bit complicated, it’s easier to make than you might think. The great thing about grandma’s recipe is that it not only works just as well in the vegan version but also tastes just as heavenly! The yeast dough only needs some resting time to rise, but it can also be prepared ahead.
What is a bee sting cake?
Classic bee sting cake is a delicious German cake made of yeast dough filled with a vanilla custard cream and topped with a caramelized almond topping. It is often baked in a sheet pan and then served as a sheet cake. However, you can also bake it in a round springform pan to serve as an elegant torte as I did.
While traditional bee sting cake recipes often use eggs, dairy milk, heavy cream, and butter, I used only plant-based ingredients for my vegan version. Since vegan yeast dough becomes super nice and fluffy as it is, we can simply skip the eggs!
How to make Bee Sting cake (German Bienenstich)
As always I recommend watching the recipe video and checking out this step-by-step guide first. Then you’ll find the full recipe with exact measurements in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Prepare the yeast dough
First, warm the soy milk, vegan butter, and vanilla extract in a saucepan until lukewarm. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, dry yeast, sugar, salt. Then add the lukewarm milk mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until the liquid is absorbed by the flour. Then transfer to a work surface and knead for 5-10 minutes with your hands until a smooth dough forms (or use a food processor with a dough hook).
Now place the yeast dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a damp tea towel or cling film (which will help the dough doesn’t dry out). Leave to rise for 45-60 minutes (or overnight in the fridge) until the dough has doubled in size.
Step 2: Cook the pudding
In the meantime, cook the pudding for the filling. To do this, remove 3-4 tablespoons of the dairy-free milk and dissolve the vanilla pudding powder in it. Heat the remaining dairy-free milk in a saucepan. Just before it starts to boil, whisk in the sugar, vanilla sugar, and the pudding powder mixture and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly, until the vanilla pudding thickens.
Then pour it into a bowl and immediately cover the top of the pudding with plastic wrap to prevent the pudding from forming a skin. Allow to cool completely in the fridge.
Step 3: Prepare the bienenstich kuchen
After the resting time, lightly grease the sides of a 10-inch (26-cm) springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Roll out the yeast dough on a floured work surface into a 10-inch (26-cm) circle and place it in the springform pan. Cover again with the damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let it rise for another 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven and make the almond topping.
Step 4: Make the almond topping and bake!
To a saucepan, add the vegan butter, non-dairy cream, sugar, vanilla sugar, a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil briefly. Then stir in the sliced almonds, let cool briefly, and spread over the yeast dough.
Bake the Bienenstich Kuchen in a preheated oven to 356°F (180°C) for 25-30 minutes. Then immediately use a knife to carefully loosen the edges of the cake from the pan (because later the almond mixture will become hard and will stick to the pan). Let it cool completely.
Step 5: Assemble the bee sting cake
Place the cake on a cake plate and cut it in half horizontally using a large sharp knife. Use a handheld mixer and beat the non-dairy cream with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Remove the chilled pudding from the fridge and mix again briefly until smooth, then carefully fold in the whipped cream using a spatula.
Spread the pudding cream on the bottom half of the cake. Then place the top half of the cake on top. If you like, you can pre-cut the top cake or use a cake ring for cutting which will help to hold the filling inside. Otherwise, the filling may squeeze out the sides when cutting the cake. Refrigerate for another 2-3 hours to set before serving. However, I usually serve it immediately because I love that soft and creamy filling!
How to store German Bienenstich?
Vegan bee sting cake should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within 2 days. Individual pieces can also be frozen and thawed in the refrigerator if needed.
Can I make the cake ahead?
You can prepare the yeast dough the day before! Simply place it in the refrigerator after kneading. The cool temperature will cause it to rise slowly, so it will be done rising the next day.
You can also bake the yeast cake the day before and cook the vanilla pudding beforehand and refrigerate it overnight. The next day, just cut the cake in half, whip up the cream and fold it into the chilled pudding. Then fill and assemble the vegan bee sting cake.
Recipe Notes
- If you use fresh yeast, you should first dissolve it in the lukewarm milk mixture as instructed in this recipe.
- The custard cream filling is fluffy and airy. If you want a more sliceable and stable cream for your Bienenstich Kuchen, you can use soft vegan butter instead of vegan whipped cream.
- Instead of 40 g cornstarch + 1 tsp vanilla extract you can also use an equal amount of vanilla pudding or custard powder.
This Vegan Bee Sting Cake recipe is:
- Dairy-free (lactose-free)
- Egg-less
- Simple
- Soft & fluffy
- Filled with creamy vanilla pudding
- Topped with crunchy caramelized almonds
- Totally delicious
- The perfect cake as a dessert for the coffee table, birthday party’s, Easter, or any occasion!
More German Cake and Dessert Recipes to try:
- Danube Wave Cake (Donauwelle)
- Mole Cake (Maulwurfkuchen)
- Apple Crumble Pizza (Streuseltaler)
- Apple Stuffed Buns (Buchteln)
- Chocolate Cream Sandwiches (Kinder Milchschnitten)
- Black Forest Cake (Schwarzwälder-Kirsch-Torte)
- Crunchy Nut Corners (Nussecken)
- Vanilla Crescent Cookies (Vanillekipferl)
- Almond Horns (Mandelhörnchen)
If you try this vegan bee sting cake recipe, feel free to leave a comment and a rating! And if you take a picture of your German Bienenstich Kuchen and share it on Instagram, please tag me @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka because I love seeing your remakes! Happy baking!
German Bienenstich Kuchen
Author: Bianca Zapatka
This German Bienenstich Kuchen or Bee Sting Cake is the vegan version of grandma's traditional recipe - It’s a delicious fluffy yeast cake with a creamy vanilla pudding filling and crunchy caramelized almond on top that everyone will love!
4.75 von 4 Bewertungen
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Prep Time 45 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Resting Time 1 hour hr
Course Cake, Dessert, Torte
Cuisine German
Servings 12 Servings
Calories 319.3 kcal
Ingredients
Yeast dough
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour or spelt flour 250 g
- 1 tsp (3,5 g) dry yeast or ¼ cube fresh yeast (1 tbsp)
- ½ cup (125 ml) soy milk or other dairy-free milk
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 packet vanilla sugar
- 3 ½ tbsp (50 g) vegan butter
Pudding cream
- 5 tbsp (40 g) cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla sugar optional
- 1 ⅔ cup (400 ml) soy milk
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) dairy-free whipping cream cold, e.g. (Schlagfix) or sub vegan butter*
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar optional if needed
Almond topping
- ⅓ cup (80 g) vegan butter
- ¼ cup (50 ml) dairy-free cream e.g. soy or oat cream
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla sugar optional
- pinch of salt
- 1 ⅓ cup (150 g) slivered almonds
Instructions
*Note:For the best results, I recommend measuring the ingredients in grams. Simply click on the word "metric" right above the ingredient list.Also, make sure to check out the tips, recipe video + step-by-step pictures above!
Prepare yeast dough
In a saucepan, warm the soy milk, vegan butter, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, dry yeast, sugar, and salt.
Add the lukewarm milk mixture, and mix with a wooden spoon until the liquid is absorbed by the flour. Then transfer to a work surface and knead for 5-10 minutes with your hands until a smooth elastic dough forms (or use a mixer with dough hooks attached).
Then place the yeast dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel or cling film and leave to rise for 45-60 minutes (or overnight in the fridge) until doubled in size.
Cook the pudding
In the meantime, cook the pudding for the filling. To do this, remove 3-4 tablespoons of the milk and dissolve the cornstarch in it.
Heat the remaining milk in a saucepan. Just before the milk starts to boil, whisk in the sugar, vanilla sugar or vanilla extract, and the cornstarch mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
Then pour it into a bowl and immediately cover the pudding surface with plastic wrap to prevent it from forming a skin. Allow to cool completely.
Prepare the cake
After the resting time, lightly grease the sides of a 10-inch (26-cm) springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Roll out the yeast dough on a floured work surface into a 10-inch (26-cm) circle and place it in the springform pan. Cover again with the damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let it rise for another 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C) and prepare the almond topping.
Almond topping
Add the vegan butter, dairy-free cream, sugar, vanilla sugar, and a pinch of salt to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then stir in the sliced almonds, let cool briefly, and spread on the yeast dough.
Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Then immediately use a knife to carefully loosen the edges from the pan (because later the almond mixture will become hard and will stick to the pan). Let cool completely.
Assemble the cake
Place the cake on a cake plate and cut it in half horizontally using a large sharp knife.
Use a handheld mixer and beat the cold non-dairy whipping cream with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Remove the chilled pudding from the fridge and mix again briefly until smooth, then carefully fold in the whipped cream using a spatula.
Spread the pudding cream on the cake base. Then place the top half of the cake on top. (You can pre-cut the top cake or use a cake ring for cutting which will hold the filling inside. Otherwise, it may squeeze out the sides).
Place a cake ring or cake foil around your cake and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve (to make sure the cream won’t melt).
Enjoy!
Notes
- If you are using fresh yeast, you should first dissolve it in the lukewarm milk mixture as instructed in this recipe.
- If the yeast dough looks a bit dry, you can brush it with a little oil.
- The filling is fluffy and airy. If you want a more firm cream, you can use soft vegan butter instead of vegan whipped cream.
- Please do not use oat milk for the pudding, or it may not solidify! Soy, nut, or coconut milk is best. You can also use vanilla pudding powder instead of cornstarch + vanilla extract.
- More information about the recipe can be found in the blog post above.
Nutritions
Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 319.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 39.8g | Protein: 6.5g | Fat: 15.3g | Saturated Fat: 2.6g | Sodium: 103.4mg | Potassium: 217.9mg | Fiber: 2.5g | Sugar: 18.1g | Vitamin A: 562.1IU | Vitamin C: 3.1mg | Calcium: 94.8mg | Iron: 1.6mg
Nutrition is calculated automatically and should be used as estimate.
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