This deep dark gluten-free chocolate black sesame cake is so moist that it's almost gooey in texture - just on the very edge of lava cake - while still cake-like and tender. Nutty whipped matcha mascarpone cuts the inky black richness of the cake while pairing with the smoky notes of the ground black sesame seeds. A chocolate cake made for grown-ups adapted from A Common Table: 80 Recipes & Stories from My Shared Cultures.
Since she started helping me in the kitchen more regularly, I've been joking that the first time Zoella bakes at a friend's house, she's going to wonder why they only measure one flour. Baking with at least three different gluten-free flours is the norm for her, though I'm not sure she knows why yet. She does, however, know that I can't eat gluten, whatever that means to her.
In the car yesterday, Zoella (3) said completely out of the blue, "you need to try gluten-free, mama." She repeated slowly, "glue-TEN free."
Impressed by her vocabulary and that she remembered that fact, I agreed, "Yes, you're right. I can't eat gluten."
"NO, Mama, you have to try gluten-free before you say you don't like it." Ha! Look at her throwing my philosophy on new foods (ahem vegetables) back in my face.
I have tried it. For years, and for years I had chronic migraines. So, I can't eat it. Like it? Sure, it's delicious! Like, you've eaten cake before, right? I've never met a cake didn't like (except for that one time my mom put shredded sweetened coconut "grass" all over my 5th birthday cake - I'm not going to let her forget).
When I saw this chocolate black sesame cake in my friend Cynthia's new book, I needed a slice. And I immediately got to work making a gluten-free version so I wouldn't miss out.
A Common Table Cookbook
I've been a long fan of Cynthia's work through her blog Two Red Bowls. The way she cooks, and weaves her stories and beautiful photographs through her cooking, moves me to want to make every single recipe she produces. Somehow, in my eyes, she does it all - a grown up lawyer, mother of two kids under 3(!!), award-winning food blogger, and now cookbook author. Goals.
When her cookbook A Common Table arrived on my doorstep, I leafed through it at least a dozen times, bookmarking all the recipes I couldn't wait to try. In her debut cookbook, Cynthia chronicles the varied cultures that have influenced her family - her, Chinese girl from South Carolina, and her husband, a Korean Irish boy who grew up in Hawaii. All of that family history tied together with the foods from places they've lived and traveled in getting to where they are now. The result is a collection of recipes that bridge these cultural distances in a mash-up of American and Asian flavors.
A few recipe that I've got my eye on next:
- Black Sesame-Stuffed French Toast
- Buttermilk Mochi Pancakes
- Sesame-Miso Potato Salad
- Sweet Sesame Skillet Cornbread
- Asian Pear & Jasmine Crumble
- Honeydew Bubble Tea
While the book has many naturally gluten-free friendly recipes (like a peanut butter mochi cake!!), I couldn't stop thinking about this chocolate loaf black sesame cake. I've taken her recipe and adapted it with gluten-free flours, a bit of salt to draw out the flavors of the gluten-free flours, and a matcha whipped mascarpone on top. This is my new favorite grown up chocolate cake.
How to make black sesame powder
This black sesame cake uses ground up toasted black sesame powder to infuse the chocolate notes with smoky nutty black sesame flavor. To make black sesame powder, you first need toasted black sesame seeds. Either buy them pre-toasted like me, or toast them yourself on the stove top. Then grind the toasted black sesame seeds in a food processor until it becomes a fine powder. If you don't have a food processor, a coffee grinder will work too!
How to Make Chocolate Black Sesame Cake
Combining black sesame powder with melted bittersweet chocolate and molasses-laden brown sugar makes a cake that's all at once rich in deep chocolate notes with an underlying nutty smokiness that makes you wonder what it is. Black sesame and dark chocolate both offer a pleasant bitterness that make them a surprisingly natural duo. In the version made with ½ cup of black sesame seeds, the cake it undeniably rich in chocolate flavor with a hint of black sesame's savory super-nuttiness.
When you pour this black sesame cake batter into the pan, it's liquid and runny. Almost like coffee. You'll think you've done something wrong and wonder how it can possibly bake into a cake. Almost like magic, it does.
This chocolate black sesame cake is ultra-moist and, as Cynthia calls it, "squidgy" - on the verge gooey - with a dense jet black center. Yet still, it has cake-like structure and tender crumb. Almost like a brownie and a cake mash-up. Pillows of soft matcha whipped mascarpone offer a soft contrast to the chewy cake.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Recipe
I have a classic chocolate cake recipe here on my blog - posted both as a layer cake and as cupcakes. It's my go-to back pocket recipe that I make again and again and again.
This black sesame infused gluten-free chocolate loaf cake recipe offers something very different. Something luscious. Both in texture and flavor, this isn't your like a birthday party chocolate sheet cake or a standard chocolate loaf. This is a grown up chocolate loaf cake with deep smoky chocolate flavor.
What if you don't love black sesame dessert?
Rest assured, with 4 ounces of melted bittersweet chocolate folded into the batter, at its core with just ½ cup black sesame seeds, this is a chocolate-forward cake with black sesame in the offering subtle flavor notes. My husband, who is not a fan of black sesame dessert, actually loves this rendition of the cake.
For those who love black sesame desserts (me), increasing the black sesame seeds to ¾ cup at Cynthia's recommendation, will bring the black sesame notes forward. This is how *I* prefer the cake.
Charge ahead with your preference in mind!
Matcha March: Matcha Whipped Mascarpone
Because it's still Matcha March, I've added matcha to the whipped mascarpone. Matcha's sweet nuttiness is a natural partner for both black sesame and chocolate. As a trio, their flavors are harmonious together.
More Matcha Black Sesame Recipes
- Matcha Black Sesame Rice Krispie Treats with Chocolate Chunks
- Gluten-free Matcha Cheesecake with Chocolate Crust and Black Sesame Drizzle
- Matcha Black Sesame Nougat Chews
- Coconut Matcha Ice Cream with Black Sesame Brittle Chips
- Gluten-free Matcha Cake with Black Sesame Streusel
- And if you're vegan or dairy free, my friend Bella from Ful-Filled created a beautiful a vegan chocolate black sesame cake with matcha cream with Olive and Artisan.
Recipe
Gluten-Free Chocolate Black Sesame Loaf Cake with Matcha Mascarpone
Ingredients
- ½ cup black sesame seeds, *See notes
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon (101 g) sweet rice flour, also called mochiko, different from white rice flour or brown rice flour
- ½ cup (61 g) gluten-free oat flour
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon (46 g) millet flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used Guittard 70%)
- 1½ cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water or hot coffee
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon cold heavy cream
- ½ cup (4 ounces) mascarpone
- ¼ cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoons high-quality matcha powder, sifted
- Pinch kosher salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Gluten-Free Chocolate Black Sesame Loaf Cake
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease and line a tall, 9 × 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. Note: I used a regular 9x5 loaf pan here and was able to still use all the batter)
- If using untoasted black sesame seeds, toast the black sesame seeds over medium heat in a small dry skillet until a few seeds jump in the pan and they start to smell toasty (but not burnt!), 2 to 3 minutes. Place the toasted black sesame seeds in a food processor and blend until a finely ground powder forms, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together, the sweet rice flour, oat flour, millet flour, salt, and baking soda. 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 broiler for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Once the chocolate is melted, set aside and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, cream together the sugar, butter, and black 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.
- Alternate folding in the flour mixture and the hot water (or coffee), ¼ of the flour/water at a time, until the batter becomes smooth and liquid.
- 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°F and continue to bake for about 30-40 minutes more minutes until it springs back when touched (Note: Cynthia's non gluten-free version bakes up in about 15-20 minutes less time on the second bake). 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. Enjoy topped with matcha whipped mascarpone (below), whipped cream, or ice cream, if desired. The cake tastes even better on the second day.
- Store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge (though I left mine uncovered on the serving platter and it was still great!). Since this is a butter cake, leftover slices taste best when brought to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving.
Matcha Whipped Mascarpone
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer, combine the cream, mascarpone, salt. Whip on medium-high until the mixture begins to thicken.
- Add the sifted sugar and matcha powder and continue whipping until soft thick peaks form.
Laura -
What would be the conversion be for 100% black sesame paste on hand?
Allie -
Would also appreciate this, as I usually buy Eden Foods Black Sesame paste/tahini
Sarah Menanix -
For millet flour, I would sub in by weight: light chestnut flour, brown or white rice flour, or all-purpose gluten-free flour. I think if you used additional oat flour, the cake might be a bit too gummy/moist, so you need a light neutral flour as a replacement.
Alternatively, you could sub in 26g coconut flour in place of the 46g millet flour. When subbing coconut flour, you need less coconut flour because it is much more absorbent.
To make a 9x13 sheet pan, I would scale the recipe up to use 3 eggs (1.5x the recipe).
allison -
would love to make this but don't have any millet flour - would more oat flour substitute? also if i'm trying to make a 9x13 sheet pan version of this cake instead of a loaf cake, would the proportions for this recipe still hold?
Poonam -
Hi this recipe sounds yummy!!! Just one question though. How do we make this vegetarian? Substitute for eggs please. Thanks.
Sarah Menanix -
Yay! I'm so glad you loved it. Ooo - I've actually never used black sesame powder, but now I need to go get some to try adding it to all the things! I use a similar ratio of flours for many of my cakes, and kind of slightly change the quantities of each flour depending on the recipe - this is my favorite standard chocolate cake with instructions to turn it into cupcakes and lemon cupcakes with a similar flour blend!. This cake is pretty moist so I'm not sure how it would bake up as cupcakes. If you wanted to try, I would suggest checking for doneness around 24 minutes, but I worry that because it's so moist, it would pull away from any liners. I would urge you to try the chocolate cake recipe linked above if gf cupcakes are what you're after - I've made that recipe as cupcakes well over 200x (I know...I know...) and it's always a hit.
Maria -
I recently made this cake and it is so far my favorite chocolate cake since I went GF (using a gluten free flour, on par with my favorite flourless cake but your recipe is more forgiving and easier). I skipped the sesame seed blending as mine doesn't grind stuff well and went straight to black sesame powder. Not sure if it made much difference as I haven't tried it with starting out with the toasted black sesame seeds. Was wondering if your flour mix would work for most cakes? What was the original flour ratio?
Maria -
Also, I forgot to ask. If I wanted to turn these into cupcakes, how long would you suggest they bake?
Linda -
Hi, I love black sesame. Would it work if I just added 3/4 cup of grinded black sesame seeds to a GF chocolate cake box purchased at the store? I'm thinking the Trader Joe's GF Chocolate cake mix box.
https://www.amazon.com/Trader-Joes-Fudgy-Chocolate-Quinoa/dp/B07PKFV6YK
Sarah Menanix -
Ooo - that's an interesting idea - I've not thought to do that! I have another recipe where I sub out 1/4 cup of the cocoa powder for 1/4 cup ground black sesame seeds. BUT, people mix poppy seeds into boxed cake without making other adaptions so I suspect that would work just fine with the ground black sesame seeds too - tho there's a caveat that I haven't tried it before so I can't say for certain! If you do try it, let me know!
Linda -
Thanks for the information. I'll try to make the cake from scratch (rather than using a boxed gluten-free chocolate cake mix). What would be a good substitute for millet flour, if any?
I saw that you mentioned in the bottom of your instructions that the cake tastes better the next day. Do we store the cake at room temp or in the fridge, and how long will it keep? And if we don't finish it on the day it's baked, should we hold off on putting on the whipped mascarpone topping over the entire top part of the cake?
I'm looking forward to trying out your recipe. The pictures look delicious.
Sarah Menanix -
If you can't find millet flour, I would recommend subbing in (by weight) an all-purpose GF flour (like Bob's 1-to-1), teff flour, or chestnut flour (full-disclosure, I have not tested these with this particular cake, but I have tested these substitutions in other cakes).
For storing, I put the whipped mascarpone topping on the whole cake, and stored it in the fridge (Probably best to cover it, but I just left it uncovered on the serving platter and it was fine!). Since it's a butter cake, the slices taste better when brought to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before eating. I'll update the recipe to include these tips - thanks!
Cindy -
Hi there!!
This cake is so beautiful. I’m so excited to make this, but I don’t have the oat and Millet flours. I don’t have a gluten allergy. Was wondering if you think below substitutes could work...
substitute oat flour with Almond flour and substitute the millet flour with all purpose flour?
Thanks!
Sarah Menanix -
If you don't have a gluten allergy, you can make the original recipe as written in my friend Cynthia's cookbook! Just replace the oat, millet, and sweet rice flours with 156g (1.25cups) all-purpose flour!
Tatevik Torossian -
Made this earlier in the week, and used coconut sugar! To be honest, I’ve been using coconut sugar in all of SnixyKitchen recipes and love it! In some I powder it in my coffee grinder, but works all well.
This cake was deadly*** So so good, my husband kept moaning over it haha I used 3/4 black sesame, the larger portion as my household loves Black sesame and so happy I did! Thank you for that note! And love the coffee touch. And the cream—— can’t say enough, seriously. Amazing. Loved every minute of eating it!!!
Sharon -
What could I use instead of rice flour for this recipe? I am allergic to rice.
Sarah Menanix -
Unfortunately, I don't have a great recommendation for you here. Sweet rice flour adds the stickiness. You could try replacing all three of the flours with the flour ratios in these muffins (scaled by weight to match the total flour weight of this recipe!) - I haven't tried it, but that's what I would do!
Lucy73 -
Loved the dark colour, and moistness. The black sesame adds a layer of complexity without being overpowering. The matcha mascarpone is delicious and brings a stunning colour to the cake. That it is gluten-free is an added bonus for those who need it to be. I am fine with gluten but will still make this again ... and again.
Carol -
I tried making this cake with coconut sugar. It worked! What a fantastic recipe!!
Jane -
Delicious even though I didn't frost it ,had a little extra batter so I made baked donuts with it. I am going to make mini loaves and freeze them today. For three years I have tried to bake gluten free and everything tastes a bit metallic. Not this recipe. I used Trader Joes Fair Trade organic Belgian Dark Chocolate bar, because it is soy and lecithin free and used a tad less brown sugar. Thank you for converting the recipe.. It is wonderful.
M -
This looks gorgeous. I want to dive right into it. Thanks for sharing!
Sabrina -
so many interesting ingredients here and difference flavors from them like matcha and black sesame seeds, that both add to these really nice and dare I say Easter-ish colors, thank you
Carol -
This sounds fantastic! I am wondering if this could be made with a substitution for brown sugar. I son’t eat white or brown sugar. I do use coconut sugar, which is a similar texture to brown sugar... but is the creaming of brown sugar and butter important to the texture of this cake? Could agave perhaps be a suitable substitution?
Sarah Menanix -
I haven't tried it with another sugar, and while I do like the molasses notes from the brown sugar, I think coconut sugar would work. The cake batter ends up so creamy and smooth with the baked up cake very dense so I don't think beating the air into it doesn't seem necessary to the texture of the cake. If you do try it with coconut sugar, please let me know what you think!
Emily R -
I saw this recipe this morning and just had to make it tonight (conveniently I had all the ingredients)! This is such an intriguing flavour. Like chocolate cake but with a little extra something something that's hard to place your finger on. The loaf pan size is a nice amount since it's hard to eat too much at once. I went with the 1/2 cup of black sesame but would be curious to try out the higher amount next time. The matcha icing on top is really nice too. It's a good flavour combo. My boyfriend thought that there should be even more of the icing since it was so yummy. I only had an 8.5 by 4.5 loaf pan so I made 6 extra regular size cupcakes with the leftover batter. They took around 25/30 minutes to cook. My loaf pan took around 60 minutes.
Thanks for converting and sharing this recipe!
Karen @ The Food Charlatan -
oh my gosh, Zoella!!!! This is hilarious. Haha!! I love how she's throwing it back at you. Ha!! Also, seriously, what was your mom thinking with the coconut ;) This cake looks super moist! Love the green frosting!