Bee Sting Brioche Coffee Cake

With burnt honey custard!

Hi! Today’s recipe takes inspiration from bienenstich, or bee sting cake. Bienenstich is one of many yeasted cakes that originated in Europe (in this case, Germany). Its defining features are rich, fluffy brioche, creamy filling (either pastry cream or diplomat cream), and a caramelized almond topping.

A more classic version of bee sting cake!

I started out making a classic version (and you can use today’s recipe to do this as well; I’ll leave some notes). It was creamy, crunchy, and fluffy and I’d certainly make it that way again. But for me, part of what makes baking so enjoyable is adding your own creative twist.

In this case, I’ve tinkered a little with both the form and flavor of bienenstich. Instead of making a brioche sandwich, everything is simply layered and baked together in the pan (similar to another family of German yeasted cakes, streuselkuchen). And I’ve doubled down on the honey aspect by making a burnt honey custard — don’t be surprised if this rich, toasty element snakes its way into many other bakes. It’s a keeper.

Perfect for breakfast or dessert, or any time between.

Baker’s Notes:

• I tried baking this at different thicknesses and in different pans, and settled on a quarter sheet pan as my favorite (I have this one — actually, several! I use them so much.). You will definitely want to bake on a sheet pan to catch drips. I think it would also work fine in a 9”x13” pan, though the cake will be a little thinner and the baking time slightly shorter.

• Want to make this into a classic bienenstich?

  • Make a burnt honey (or regular honey) simple syrup by combining 80g burnt honey (or regular honey) with 80g hot water and a pinch of salt. Stir until honey and salt are dissolved. Cool before using.

  • Bake the brioche portion, covered with the almond topping, at 400F in a 9x9 pan (baking time may differ). Remove from the pan and cool completely, then slice in half through the equator.

  • Brush both sides of the bread with honey syrup (the exposed crumb sides). Stir the pastry cream until smooth, then spread over the bottom half of the bread.

  • Use a serrated knife to slice the top (almond-crusted) piece of bread into however many pieces you’d like — a 3x3 or 4x4 grid works well. Place back on top of the custard. This makes slicing the cake much easier.

  • Chill briefly to re-firm custard, then slice and serve. Best the day you make it! Refrigerate leftovers; bring to room temp before enjoying.

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Bee Sting Brioche Coffee Cake

Makes one quarter-sheet / 9”x13” coffee cake