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Black Sesame Cake with Sour Cherry Glaze

Black Sesame Cake with Sour Cherry Glaze

This jet black Black Sesame Cake is adorned with a hot pink Sour Cherry Glaze decorated with dollops of sour whipped cream and maraschino cherries.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Resting/Setting Time 2 hours
Servings: 8
Course: Dessert
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Black Sesame Cake
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¾ tsp sea salt
  • 2 tbsp black cocoa powder**
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp black sesame paste***
  • 4 large eggs
  • ½ cup whole milk
Sour Cherry Glaze
  • 1 cup confectioner's sugar sifted
  • 2½ tbsp tart cherry juice ****
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
Sour Whipped Cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp sour cream
  • 1 tbsp confectioner's sugar
To Serve
  • 4-5 maraschino, Luxardo, or bourbon-soaked cherries

Equipment

  • 1 Loaf pan
  • 1 Fine Mesh Strainer
  • 1 hand or stand mixer
  • 1 paddle attachment
  • 1 cooling rack
  • 1 Small Baking Sheet
  • 1 Large Piping Bag optional
  • 1 large closed star piping tip I used Wilton 1E

Method
 

For the Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan and set it aside.
  2. In a large bowl, sift and whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and black cocoa powder. Set the dry ingredients aside.
    1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ tsp baking powder, ¾ tsp sea salt, 2 tbsp black cocoa powder**
  3. Using a hand or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the black sesame paste until fully integrated. Add an egg to the butter mixture and beat until fully integrated. Repeat with the remaining three eggs.
    1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 tbsp black sesame paste***, 4 large eggs
  4. Pour half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and beat until just integrated. Be careful not to overmix. Add half of the milk and beat again. Repeat with the remaining two halves of the dry ingredients and milk. You should have a smooth cake batter.
    ½ cup whole milk
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and place it in the oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The cake is done when a toothpick can be inserted in the center of the cake and removed cleanly.
  6. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a cooling rack. Leave the cake to cool completely.
For the Glaze
  1. Sift the sugar into a large bowl and whisk in the salt. Add the tart cherry juice. Add as much juice as you need to achieve your desired consistency. I used 2 ½ tablespoons.
    1 cup confectioner's sugar, 2½ tbsp tart cherry juice ****, ¼ tsp sea salt
  2. Trim the dome off the bottom of your cake, so it sits flat. Set the cake on a cooling rack inside a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pour the glaze over the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Leave the cake to set for a minimum of 3 hours.
Finishing Touches
  1. Place the cream, sour cream, and confectioner's sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip the cream on high until stiff peaks form. Transfer the cream to a large piping bag with a large closed-star piping tip.
    1 cup heavy cream, 2 tbsp sour cream, 1 tbsp confectioner's sugar
  2. Pipe the cream onto the cake and garnish each dollop with a cherry of your choice. Serve the cake immediately with the remaining whipped cream on the side.
    4-5 maraschino, Luxardo, or bourbon-soaked cherries

Notes

** You can use regular cocoa if you can't find black cocoa. Your finished cake just won't be as dark as this one. 
*** Look for black sesame paste made with toasted sesame seeds. Make sure there are no added ingredients (e.g., sugar and salt) or emulsifiers. 
**** Make sure you buy 100% tart cherry juice with no added sugar.