FOOD NEWS
What Is A German Bee Sting Cake, And How Did It Receive Its Name?
By Grace Allison
Bee sting cake, or bienenstich, is a German dessert that traditionally has two layers of buttery cake that sandwich a rich custard filling and is topped with honey-glazed almonds.
Yeast dough gives the cake a bread-like consistency, while the cream is infused with vanilla. There are two tales that speak of the cake's origins, although neither is confirmed.
One legend claims that, in 1474, Emperor Frederick III transferred toll-collecting rights from Linz to Andernach. Since it was a large source of income, the Linz citizens attacked.
Fortunately for the city of Andernach, two boys who had just finished a shift at a bakery were strolling home and snacking on honey from the beehives when they noticed the siege.
They threw the hives down, and the bees stung the assailants, saving the city. It is said that the cake served at the town's celebration was called the bee sting cake.
This story has a few flaws — the original tale never mentions the celebratory cake, and the filling must be stored in a chilled space that wasn't available during the 15th century.
Another is a more recent theory that suggests a baker, stung by a bee drawn to the cake's creamy vanilla custard, consequently bestowed the cake with its name.