Lavender Bee Sting Cake

So Summer is over. I’m pretending it’s not because I plan on posting some of the best desserts I’ve made these past months, including Lavender Bee Sting Cake.  For the first time in over 5 years of writing this blog, I fell off the posting wagon in a significant way. First, it was just because I’ve had the most amazing spring and summer filled with fantastic travel, great work, glittering events, new friends, and experiences. Then it was because I was too damn exhausted from living such a great life to write about it. I felt guilty (what blogger doesn’t when they neglect their “baby”?), but I needed a blog break, physically and mentally.

Yeah. First world problems.

Bienenstich Kuche

Anyway, I will be posting about these adventures and recipes in the coming months, starting today by sharing this delicious Lavender Bee Sting cake.  Baby steps, people, baby steps.

In Germany, one of the most beloved and popular traditional cakes is Bee Sting Cake, or Bienenstich in German. You can find this beautiful yeasted cake in every bakery in the country.

The top layer has honey-encrusted almond leaves. Baked as one layer as a sheet cake,  it is then cut in half horizontally. The traditional filling is vanilla cream. And it’s delicious.

My flavor twist of substituting lavender pastry cream reinvents this classic in a big way. The combination of the crunchy honey, nutty top with the smooth, flowery pastry cream is heavenly. I want to take a bath in it. However, don’t misunderstand. It does not taste perfumy.  Frankly, it has just a hint of something special that kicks this Lavender Bee Sting Cake up a notch.

This recipe yields a significant amount. I mean, like 24 pieces. So I recommend making it for a party, or be sure you have lots of friends and family around to share it with.

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Lavender Bee Sting Cake

Course Dessert

Cuisine German

Keyword Bee Sting Cake, Bee Sting Cake Recipe, German Cake Recipe, Lavender Bee Sting Cake, lavender cake, lavender pastry cream, Lavender Recipes, Sheet Cake

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Chill & Rise Time 3 hours 30 minutes

Servings 24

Author Lora Wiley-Lennartz

Ingredients

For the lavender pastry cream:

• 1 tablespoon dried lavender plus more for garnish if desired
• 2 cups milk
• 3/4 cups white granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 3 large egg yolks slightly beaten.
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon butter

For the cake:

• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 teaspoons dry yeast
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup plus
• 1 pinch salt

For the topping:

• 1/2 cup plus three tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey I used lavender honey
• 2 cups blanched almond leaves
• 5 tablespoons milk

Instructions

Make the lavender pastry cream:

1. Place the egg yolks in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Warm the dried lavender, milk, sugar, and flour over medium heat.
3. Stir until the mixture starts to boil and has thickened.
4. Strain the dried lavender pieces out of the mixture.
5. Slowly pour the mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking constantly to temper them.
6. Add the tempered egg yolks back into the saucepan and stir to combine.
7. Stir in the butter.
8. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
9. Cover with plastic cling film. Make sure the plastic touches the surface of the pastry cream.
10. Chill for at least 2 hours.
11. Whip the heavy cream and fold it into the chilled lavender cream.

Make the cake:

1. Warm 1/2 cup of the milk.
2. Add the yeast and dissolve.
3. In a bowl, combine the flour, the egg, 6 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup white granulated sugar, and the pinch of salt.
4. Add the yeasted milk and knead it into a smooth dough.
5. Cover the bowl with a dish towel. Stow it in a warm place for 45 minutes.
6. Grease and flour a 12x14-inch baking sheet or jelly roll pan.
7. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead once more.
8. Transfer to the baking sheet. Roll out the dough to fit the pan.
9. Stow in a warm place for 45 minutes.

Make the topping:

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons butter, 3/4 cup sugar, and honey.
2. Stir in the almond leaves.
3. Stir in 5 tablespoons of milk.
4. Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool.
5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
6. Brush the honey-almond mixture over the top of the dough.
7. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Assemble the Cake:

1. Cut the cooled cake into quarters from the short side of the pan.
2. Working with one rectangle at a time, slice the rectangle in half horizontally.
3. Remove the top portion of the cake, fill it with the lavender pastry cream, and replace the top cake layer.
4. Once you have filled the four sections, cut the sections into smaller, serving-size rectangles.
5. If you like, sprinkle dried lavender over the top for garnish before serving.

So, do you like this Lavender Bee Sting Cake? Then also check out some of these other delicious recipes:

RHUBARB LAVENDER CAKE

EASY ORANGE THYME SORBET

VANILLA BOURBON BEE STING CUPCAKES