Black Sesame Chocolate Cake (Easy Two-Bowl)
This black sesame chocolate cake combines the deep, nutty flavor of ground black sesame seeds with rich melted chocolate for a cake that’s dense, moist, and a little different from your typical chocolate cake. It comes together with simple pantry staples, and it’s ready in well under an hour.
Black sesame seeds have a more intense, earthier flavor than white sesame seeds, and they’re commonly ground into a powder and used to make a paste. After reading about the benefits of black sesame seeds, I have been trying to incorporate them more into my day-to-day. And I wanted to do this by using them in treats I love, and not just a paste. After I came up with this batch of delicious black sesame date cookies, I wanted to make a cake with them.
Instead of a cake with layers, I figured I would start with a simple snack cake. After several attempts, I ended up with the version you see here.
In this cake, the ground seeds are folded right into a simple chocolate cake batter, adding both flavor and a subtle, speckled texture. The result is a delicious chocolate cake with a nutty, toasted undertone rather than a straightforward sesame-flavored cake. It has such a delicious crumb and the best balance of black sesame and chocolate.
Why I love this Black Sesame Chocolate Cake?
- It is so easy to make and ready in about 35 minutes.
- It is a tasty way for me to reap the benefits of black sesame seeds.
- It isn’t too sweet, with layers of complex flavors.
- It is dairy-free and can be made gluten-free too (see substitutions and variations section).
Ingredients
- Large eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Pure vanilla extract
- Black sesame seeds
- All-purpose flour
- Aluminum-free baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Chocolate bar (chopped up roughly) or chocolate chips, divided (half melted into the batter, half folded in as chips or chopped pieces).
- Light brown sugar
Substitutions and Variations
- Black sesame seeds: Toasting them lightly before grinding can deepen the flavor further, though this recipe doesn’t require pre-toasting. White sesame seeds could be used instead.
- Oil: A neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil works well here, keeping the cake moist.
- Chocolate: Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips or your favorite chocolate bar chopped up. Using the same chocolate for both the melted portion and the folded-in portion keeps things simple, or mix it up with dark for melting and semi-sweet or milk chocolate for the chips. I would not replace the chocolate with cocoa in this recipe.
- Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar both work; dark brown sugar will add a slightly deeper molasses note.
- All-purpose Flour: A 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend can be used instead of AP flour.
- Cinnamon: This is a background note here, not a dominant flavor. I find it accentuates the black sesame and chocolate flavors well. However, it can be left out.
How to Make Black Sesame Chocolate Cake
- Grind the sesame seeds. Add the black sesame seeds to a blender and grind into a flour-like consistency.
- Beat the eggs. Place the eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl. Using a whisk or electric mixer (set to medium speed), beat the eggs for about 2 minutes, until slightly thickened and pale.
- Add the wet ingredients. Beat in the oil and vanilla.
- Melt and add the chocolate. Melt 1/2 cup of the chocolate. I microwave the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl for about 30 seconds, stir, and if not melted, I microwave it for another 20 seconds. The chocolate can also be melted in a double boiler or a bowl or saucepan set above another pan set over low heat. Then, beat the melted chocolate into the batter.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the ground black sesame seeds, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
- Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Fold in the remaining chocolate. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared 9×9 inch baking pan and bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes. Take the black sesame chocolate cake out of the oven and insert a toothpick into the center. It should come out with a few crumbs on it. That’s ok. As it cools, it will set.
- Cool and serve. Set the baking pan over a wire rack for the cake to cool. This black sesame chocolate cake can be served as is. Or, it can be smeared with a chocolate ganache, a simple chocolate frosting (like this small batch one) or dressed up with a chocolate mousse-like frosting.
(The full printable recipe card is below.)
Tips for the Best Black Sesame Chocolate Cake
- Grind the sesame seeds finely. A high-speed blender or spice grinder gives the best texture. Coarsely ground seeds can leave a gritty bite.
- Don’t overbake. Since this is a dense, fudgy-style cake, pull it from the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out mostly clean. A few minutes too long can dry it out. I speak from experience. While I experimented with this recipe, I baked it on several different settings and times. I found that the 25-minute mark on a gas stove results in a cake with the best crumb. Not dry nor too gooey.
- Beat the eggs fully. The full 2 minutes of beating helps give the cake some lift, since there isn’t a large amount of flour or leavening in this recipe.
- Let the melted chocolate cool slightly before beating it into the egg mixture, so it doesn’t scramble the eggs.
- Use room-temperature eggs if possible, for a smoother batter.
More Recipes with Black Sesame Seeds
If you love the flavor of black sesame, you might also enjoy these Black Sesame Cookies Recipe, a no-bake cookie made with dates and chocolate.
Black sesame seeds can also be used as a garnish, the way they’re used in this Miso Glazed Cod with Sautéed Spinach and Onions or this Spiced Rice Pilaf.
They can also be stirred into noodle and rice bowls, like in this Mango Avocado Soba Buckwheat Noodle Bowl.
How to Store this Black Sesame Chocolate Cake
Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
This cake can also be frozen. Wrap the cut pieces in plastic wrap or place them in a plastic or reusable freezer bag. Frozen, they last about a month. To thaw, remove them from the freezer and let them come to room temperature on your kitchen counter. If you prefer them warm, you can microwave them for about 10 seconds after they reach room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Black sesame seeds have a toasty, slightly bitter, nutty flavor that’s more intense than white sesame. In this cake, that flavor works similarly to the way espresso deepens chocolate, adding richness without overpowering the chocolate itself.
No, this recipe doesn’t require toasting before grinding. If you’d like a deeper, more toasted flavor, you can lightly toast the seeds in a dry pan for a couple of minutes before grinding, similar to the toasting step in these black sesame cookies.
This recipe is written and tested with whole seeds ground fresh. If you only have black sesame paste on hand, the texture and moisture of the batter will likely be different, so I would not recommend it.
Can I make this cake gluten-free?
Yes, a 1-to-1 gluten-free all-purpose flour can be used instead of the regular AP flour.
This hasn’t been tested at double quantities, so if you try it, you may need to adjust the baking time and pan size accordingly.
This cake is not overly sweet. With 3/4 cup brown sugar plus the sweetness from the chocolate, it’s moderately sweet rather than intensely sugary, similar to a dark chocolate dessert.
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 cup oil (vegetable or canola oil works well)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup black sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped up chocolate bar -divided (half melted into the batter, half folded in as chips or chopped pieces)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare a 9×9 baking tray with parchment paper and spray the parchment paper with any cooking spray.
- Add the black sesame seeds to a blender and grind into a flour-like consistency.
- Place the eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl. Using a whisk or electric mixer (set to medium speed), beat the eggs for about 2 minutes, until slightly thickened and pale.
- Beat in the oil and vanilla extract.
- Microwave the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl for about 30 seconds, stir, and if not melted, microwave it for another 20 seconds. Then add the melted chocolate to the egg mixture and beat the batter well.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the ground black sesame seeds, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and use a spatula to fold the ingredients together until just combined.
- Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate with the spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared 9×9 inch baking pan and bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes. Take the black sesame chocolate cake out of the oven and insert a toothpick into the center. It should come out with a few crumbs on it. That’s ok. As it cools, it will cook.
- Set the baking pan over a wire rack for the cake to cool.
- This black sesame chocolate cake can be served as is. Or, it can be smeared with a chocolate ganache, a simple chocolate frosting, or whipped cream.
Video
Notes
Don’t overbake. Since this is a dense, fudgy-style cake, pull it from the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out mostly clean. A few minutes too long can dry it out. I speak from experience. While I experimented with this recipe, I baked it on several different settings and times. I found that the 25-minute mark on a gas stove results in a cake with the best crumb. Not dry nor too gooey.
Beat the eggs fully. The full 2 minutes of beating helps give the cake some lift, since there isn’t a large amount of flour or leavening in this recipe.
Let the melted chocolate cool slightly before beating it into the egg mixture, so it doesn’t scramble the eggs.
Use room-temperature eggs if possible, for a smoother batter.
Would You Like to Save This?
Enter your email and I’ll send you this recipe to you. Plus you’ll get new recipes from me every week!
Nutrition
Would You Like to Save This?
Enter your email and I’ll send you this recipe to you. Plus you’ll get new recipes from me every week!
