Aldi Bienenstich Indulgent Cakes (Deutsche Küche) Review
I do not feel indulged.
I have this theory that anytime a product self-describes as “gourmet” or “luxury” or whatever, it probably isn’t. These cakes proclaim themselves “Indulgent,” and unfortunately, I found them no such thing.
I bought these frozen desserts during Aldi’s semi-annual “German Week” event, and according to Wikipedia, the Bienenstich, or “Bee Sting Cake,” is a traditional German confection made with yeast dough, custard, and a hot caramelized almond crust. Sounds promising?
I’m not ashamed to admit that I like pudding in my cakes. I like it a lot. I’m a big fan of Boston Cream cakes, and their entire family tree. Frankly, the custard is the only redemptive thing about these Aldi Bienenstich cakes. It’s creamy, delicate, and light, with a slight vanilla flavor. Similar to a whipped mousse. It’s not as heavy or viscous as typical American bakery pudding — less like artificial, chemical-laden mucus, and more like silk. Discovering the custard in the middle of the cake feels like a reward with each mouthful.
And I need that reward, because the actual cake tastes like an old kitchen sponge. It has a stale, stiff, salty taste. This is particularly true for the top layer of the cake, which is weirdly rubbery, and obstinately chewy. In fact, the top cake layer is so ornery that when I try to stick my fork in it, it squashes the entire cake slice, and squirts the pudding out the sides in an undignified manner. I have to wonder if something went wrong at the Aldi cake factory, because the BOTTOM cake layer is much more congenial. It’s softer, and less stale. It has a tender, bread-like texture. They’re technically the same cake, so it doesn’t quite make sense. They’re like mis-matched siblings from the same parents.
Looks can be deceiving. The almond crust looks amazing. It’s the Siren of the discount cake world, luring my taste-buds to a disastrous conclusion. This seductive crust is a glossy caramel-brown color with a sultry, syrupy texture, and layers of translucent, jewel-like almonds. This is the part of the cake I want to feast my eyes upon. Sadly, it’s also the most disappointing part of the entire dessert. The crust is laminated to the top cake layer, and strangely leathery. The almond flakes only vaguely recall their nutty origins. They’re flaccid, stale, and soggy. Defeated, in fact. And even with the caramel glaze, they somehow manage to be tasteless. Life has dealt these almonds a cruel blow.
I certainly ate all of my cake, but I begrudged every unfortunate calorie. I do appreciate how the Bienenstich cakes are only lightly sweet, and the saltiness — although unexpected — is enjoyable.
Okay, that’s it. I’ve run out of nice things to say.
Thawing and Serving Instructions for Aldi’s Bienenstich Cakes
These are frozen cakes, so you have to thaw them before serving. The four servings are pre-sliced and packed together in a single cellophane bag. I would vastly prefer they were individually sealed — so I can open them and eat them one by one. However, I do like how convenient they are. It’s wonderful (or dangerous?) to have single-serve cake on hand, anytime. You need about an hour pre-planning, to allow them to thaw on your counter, but otherwise they’re a quick dessert fix.
The instructions say to thaw at room temperature for 3-4 hours. It only took one hour in my Florida home. I tasted these at room temperature AND after chilling in the refrigerator, and I personally liked them better chilled. The pudding and cake tastes sweeter when served chilled. They need to be wrapped in plastic wrap before refrigerating, or else the cake dries out rapidly on the sides, and becomes hard.
Ingredients in Deutsche Küche Bienenstich Cakes
Here are the ingredients:
- Water
- Wheat Flour
- Vegetable shortening (vegetable fat [palm, coconut], water, vegetable oil [canola, palm], mono- and diglycerides)
- Sugar
- Almonds
- Food starch – modified
- Dry whole milk
- Egg
- Glucose syrup
- Cream
- Coconut fat
- Yeast
- Palm oil
- Mono- and diglycerides
- Natural flavor
- Salt
- Dextrose
- Egg powder
- Nonfat dry milk
- Whey
- Carotene (color)
- Carrageenan
I appreciate that there are no preservatives, artificial flavors, or colors in these cakes. The cakes are leavened with actual yeast, which is in keeping with the traditions of the yeasty “Bee Sting” cake origins. This is what gives it the unusual bread-like texture.
Nutrition Facts in Aldi’s Frozen Bienenstich Cake
Impressively, there are only 10 grams of added sugar per serving, which is fantastic for a dessert. There’s also a respectable 5 grams of protein, and 1 gram of fiber. Predictably, these are heavy on the fat calories, with 16 grams of fat per slice. Pudding consequences.
Price and Shelf-life
This is made in Germany. Mine expires more than a year from the date of purchase, so it has a decent freezer-life. I paid $3.79 for the box of four slices, which is only $0.95 per serving. A good value — if you actually enjoy them.
So, would I buy these Aldi cakes again?
No.
Or, more accurately: Heck, NO!
More Reviews of Aldi Desserts You Might Like (or Hate)
Check out these other reviews of Aldi bakery desserts I’ve recently written:
Author’s note: I have no affiliation with Aldi, and I was not compensated in any way for this review.
