Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Grease and line a tall, 9 x 5-inch Pullman-style loaf pan with parchment paper. A regular height loaf pan may overflow - if this is all you have, take care to fill the pan less than 1 inch from the rim, and save the excess for muffins or mini cakes.
- In a small, dry skillet toast the black sesame seeds over medium heat until a few seeds jump in the pan, and they start to smell toast (but not burnt!), 2 to 3 minutes. Place in a food processor and blend until a finely ground powder forms, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.
- Melt the chocolate, either in the microwave in 15 to 30 second increments, stirring between each interval, until fully melted and smooth, or over a double boiler for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Once the chocolate is melted, set aside and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, cream together the brown sugar, butter, and ½ cup sesame seed powder until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed or 3 to 4 minutes by hand. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating well. Fold in the melted chocolate until just incorporated.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda. Alternate folding in the flour mixture and the hot water (or coffee), ¼ cup of each at a time, until the batter becomes smooth ad liquidy.
- Pour the batter into the lined loaf pan, taking care not to fill the pan higher than 1 inch from the rim.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325℉ and continute baking for about 15 more minutes. The cake should still be relatively moist in the center, and a skewer or cake tester should not come out completely clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely before turning the cake out onto a plate. The cake may fall; this is NORMAL, as it is so moist. As it cools, the top of the cake will crack a little more, and it will sink, leaving a frilly edge. I opted to invert the cake for decorating, but it's not necessary. Serve with *whipped cream, mascarpone, or ice cream, if desired. The cake tastes oven better on the second day.
Notes
The loaf's sesame flavor is subtle, so Cynthia suggests adding 3/4 cup of ground sesame powder for a stronger taste. I found that using 1/2 cup sesame powder in the loaf and adding 1/4 cup black sesame powder (or to taste) to the whipped cream topping achieves a perfect balance of sweet sesame flavor. This allows for optional customization, catering to preferences like my husband's, who enjoyed his slice with coconut ice cream without sesame flavor.
Whipped Cream:
Ingredients:
1. 1 cup very cold heavy whipping cream.
2. 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
3. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4. (Optional: Add 2-3 tablespoons of leftover sesame seed powder from the beginning of the recipe for both taste and to achieve a cookies and cream appearance). Instructions:
1. Ensure the whisk and bowl are ice-cold.
2. Whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed just until frothy, billowy, and smooth, aiming for soft peaks. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can also freeze it for longer storage.
1. 1 cup very cold heavy whipping cream.
2. 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
3. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4. (Optional: Add 2-3 tablespoons of leftover sesame seed powder from the beginning of the recipe for both taste and to achieve a cookies and cream appearance). Instructions:
1. Ensure the whisk and bowl are ice-cold.
2. Whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed just until frothy, billowy, and smooth, aiming for soft peaks. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can also freeze it for longer storage.