Black Sesame Pound Cake (Dense Roasted Sesame Grey-Crumb Cake)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 65 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Black sesame pound cake is built on the classic equal-ratio formula of butter, eggs, sugar, and flour, with a generous addition of black sesame paste worked into the batter.
Read more
The paste shifts the color to a deep grey-brown and fills the kitchen with a roasted, nutty fragrance as the loaf bakes. Only a small amount of baking powder is used, keeping the rise modest and the crumb tight - the result is a dense loaf that still yields softly when bitten, with a texture that holds together cleanly on the fork rather than crumbling apart. Milk regulates the moisture balance, preventing the dense structure from turning stiff or dry at the edges. When sliced, every cross-section shows finely ground sesame particles distributed evenly throughout, visible as tiny dark flecks against the grey crumb. The loaf pairs best with green tea or black coffee, beverages whose bitterness echoes and sharpens the sesame flavor without overwhelming it. Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, it holds its moisture for two to three days and often tastes better on the second day once the sesame has had time to settle fully into the crumb structure.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Bring the butter, eggs, and milk to room temperature so the batter mixes evenly.
Preheat the oven to 170°C, then line a loaf pan with parchment, leaving enough overhang to lift the cake out later.
- 2Season
Beat 120g softened unsalted butter with 110g sugar on medium speed for at least 5 minutes.
Stop and scrape the bowl once or twice, continuing until the mixture looks paler, lighter, and creamy rather than grainy.
- 3Prep
Lightly beat the 2 eggs, then add them in two or three portions.
Mix fully after each addition before adding more; if the batter starts to look curdled, lower the speed and mix slowly until it smooths out.
- 4Prep
Add 45g black sesame paste and 30ml milk, then mix just until the color is even.
The batter should turn deep grey-brown and smell roasted; scrape the bottom so no plain butter mixture remains.
- 5Season
Sift in 130g cake flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1g salt.
Fold with a rubber spatula only until dry flour disappears; overmixing will make the dense crumb tougher instead of softly tight.
- 6Heat
Transfer the batter to the pan, level the top, and score the center shallowly with a knife.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean, then cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing it to cool fully and slice.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Deeply aromatic Black Sesame Pound Cake yields a dense grey-brown crumb with a rich toasted finish.
- Finish cue
- Transfer the batter to the pan, level the top, and score the center shallowly with a knife.
- Avoid this
- Mix fully after each addition before adding more; if the batter starts to look curdled, lower the speed and mix slowly until it smooths out.
- Storage and reheating
- Flavor deepens after resting the cake overnight.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
65min, 8 ingredients
Category median
55min, 8 ingredients
Based on 248 recipes
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