BEE STING CAKE

Bienenstich, aka Bee Sting Cake, because I’m pretty sure I would butcher the pronunciation of the original. After blessing (tormenting?) my parents with my presence for the summer, I decided to make a cake as my last recipe trial for the summer as a way to say thanks for all that they do. I’m not sure if ANOTHER baked good was the best idea since my mother always complains about how many sweets she has to eat when I’m around, but it’s the best way I know. This looked like something my parents would enjoy with their morning coffee - a moist cake filled with pastry cream and topped with crunchy, caramelized honey almonds - so hopefully it’s not too hard for them to finish off…

Some notes from the process: this takes a while to make because of all the resting time for the cake batter, so plan accordingly, especially since this tastes best day of. When making the pastry cream, it’s important to whisk continuously if you want a smooth cream. If you see a scrambled egg type consistency forming on the bottom of your saucepan, take it off the heat immediately and whisk as if your life depended on it. If I made this again, I think it would be just as good and less sweet without the pasty cream altogether, so if you’re pressed on time and can’t make it to the filling, a-okay!

Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich)

From Smitten Kitchen

Makes 1 two layer 9-inch cake

Cake

2 ¼ teaspoons (or 1 ¼-ounce package) instant yeast (not active dry)

¾ cup whole milk, room temp

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon table salt

2 large eggs, room temp

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp

Honey-Almond-Crunch Topping

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 ½ cups (4 ¾ ounces) sliced almonds

Two pinches of sea salt

Pastry Cream Filling

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or ¼ teaspoon almond extract

3 large egg yolks

¼ cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or cornstarch

2 pinches sea salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

To make cake: Combine all of the cake ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl, stirring at low-medium speed till the mixture becomes cohesive, then stirring for two minutes more. Scrape down sides, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place for 60 minutes, till it’s a little puffy. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan. Stir the batter a few times to deflate it slightly, then scrape it into the prepared pan and nudge it until it fills the bottom. Cover again with plastic wrap (don’t let it drape in and touch the top) and set aside for another 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the honey-almond-crunch topping.

To make topping: In a small or medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the butter, sugar, honey, cream and salt until the butter is melted. Bring to a simmer and let it boil for 3 to 5 minutes, until the mixture becomes a shade darker (it should go from a yellowish tone to a light beige), stirring frequently. Stir in the almonds - mixture will be thick. Set it aside to cool slightly.

Cake continued: Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Once the cake has finished its second rise, use a small spoon to scoop out small amounts of the almond topping and distribute it over the top of the cake. Bake cake on a foil-lined tray to catch any caramel drips, for 20 to 25 minutes, until top is bronzed and toothpick inserted into the center comes out batter-free. Transfer to a cooling rack and let it sit in the pan for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, run a knife along the outside of the cake, making sure no places are stuck and invert the cake onto the cooling rack. Don’t worry, all the almonds won’t fall off. Reverse it back onto another rack to finish cooling, replacing any stray almonds right back on top.

To make pastry cream: Warm milk in a medium saucepan. Pour into a small bowl or cup, ideally with a spout. Set aside. Rinse saucepan with cool water, to rinse and cool; wipe to dry. Off the heat, whisk the yolks and sugar vigorously together for a minute, until pale and ribbony. Whisk in flour and salt until smooth. Drizzle in warm milk mixture, a spoonful at a time, whisking the whole time. Once you’ve add half of it, you can add the rest in a more steady stream, again whisking the whole time. Return the saucepan to the stove and cook on medium-high heat until it bubble, then simmer for one to two minutes, more whisking the whole time. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and any extracts you may be using. Cool custard completely before using.

To assemble: Once both the cake and pastry cream are fully cooled, place the cake on a serving platter and divide it horizontally into two layers with a long serrated knife. Spread pastry cream over bottom half. Place top half on pastry cream. Serve in wedges, refrigerate any leftovers.