A Twist on the Classic German Bee Sting Cake: Honey Almond Layer Cake with Diplomat Cream
Here’s my unique take on the beloved German Bee Sting Cake—reimagined as a soft, honey-infused almond layer cake filled with airy diplomat cream and topped with crunchy almond praline.
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I’ll admit, I hesitated to share this recipe at first. It’s not the most visually perfect cake I’ve ever made. But what it lacks in polish, it more than makes up for in taste—so I figured, why not? Deliciousness always wins.
What Is a Bee Sting Cake?
Known as Bienenstich in Germany, this traditional dessert features a sweet yeast-based dough topped with caramelized honey almonds and filled with a rich cream. According to legend, it dates back to the 15th century when German bakers used beehives to fend off invaders—then celebrated their victory with this cake!
Why I Went Non-Traditional
There are two main reasons I strayed from the yeast dough:
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I don’t enjoy working with yeast-based recipes.
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I wanted a cake that stays soft and moist longer.
Yeast cakes, while delicious, tend to dry out quickly, especially when cream-filled. That’s not ideal unless you’re eating the whole thing immediately. So I reimagined the classic as a honey almond sponge-style cake with all the original flavors—just in a layer cake format.
Here’s What My Version Includes:
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Tender honey almond cake layers
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A flavorful honey-almond syrup
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Light and airy diplomat cream
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Crispy almond praline shards
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About the Honey Almond Cake
For the cake layers, I adapted my honey walnut cake recipe, swapping out walnut flour for almond flour. The result is a nutty, moist crumb that pairs beautifully with the other elements.
To deepen the flavor, I made a simple honey syrup to brush over the layers before assembling.
What Is Diplomat Cream?
Diplomat cream is a heavenly blend of silky pastry cream and whipped cream. On its own, pastry cream is a cooked custard made with milk, eggs, sugar, and cornstarch. Fold in whipped cream and it becomes luxuriously light and smooth—perfect as a cake filling.
Since diplomat cream is quite soft, you’ll need a way to contain it in the cake. I carved out a shallow well in each cake layer to hold the filling, flipping the top layer over to seal it in. You can also use a tart pan with a raised center—or pipe a dam of ganache or buttercream around the edges if you prefer.
The Almond Praline
Warning: this stuff is dangerously addictive. It’s just toasted sliced almonds stirred into a golden caramel with a little butter, spread out on a baking sheet to cool, then smashed into crunchy shards. Simple, but so good.
For extra flair, I used the praline shards to decorate the cake, inspired by a similar design I used for my Crème Brûlée Cake. I love the rustic, dramatic effect.
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How to Assemble the Cake
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Prep the Cake Layers – After baking and cooling, carve a shallow circle into each layer to create space for the filling.
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Syrup & Almonds – Generously brush with honey syrup and sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds.
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Fill – Spoon the diplomat cream into the well of the first layer. Top with more almonds.
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Stack – Invert the second layer on top, carved side down. A little cream oozing out is totally fine!
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Frost & Decorate – Use the remaining cream to give the cake a rustic finish, then chill. Finish with the praline shards for crunch and flair.
FAQs
Can I bake this in different pan sizes?
Yes! The recipe fits two 8" pans. To make three layers, multiply the ingredients by 1.5. Adjust baking time as needed.
Can I make this in advance?
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Cake layers can be baked ahead, wrapped tightly, and frozen for up to 3 months.
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Diplomat cream is best used the same day.
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Almond praline can be stored in an airtight container at room temp for two weeks.
Is there a metric version?
Yes! Most recipe cards include a toggle to switch to metric measurements.
Pro Tips
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Use a ganache dam or carve wells to hold the diplomat cream in place.
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Toasting the almonds adds extra depth to both the syrup and the praline.
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Brush your cake layers with simple syrup to keep them moist.
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Want flat layers? Bake with cake strips or refer to my tutorial on how to bake flat cake layers.
Ingredients Snapshot
Honey Almond Cake:
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All-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt
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Butter, sugar, honey, eggs, vanilla, almond extract, milk
Honey Almond Syrup:
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Honey, water, almond extract
Diplomat Cream:
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Milk, vanilla bean paste, sugar, cornstarch, egg yolk, whipped cream, powdered sugar, skim milk powder
Almond Praline:
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Sugar, water, butter, toasted sliced almonds
Assembly:
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Toasted sliced almonds, diplomat cream, honey syrup, praline shards
I hope you enjoy this rustic spin on the traditional Bee Sting Cake. It may not be picture-perfect, but it’s rich, nutty, creamy, and full of comforting flavor. Let me know if you try it out!