If you love black sesame anything (hi, same), this is the loaf for you. This Black Sesame Pound Cake is soft and buttery with a deep roasted flavour, a hint of nuttiness from almond flour, and a perfect crumb that holds up for days. It’s the kind of bake that looks simple but somehow feels like it came from your favourite Asian bakery. 🙂
This Black Sesame Pound Cake gives you that truly good texture: dense and rich from the butter and eggs, yet still tender enough that you just keep going back for another slice.
It’s got that signature pound cake crumb infused throughout with the black sesame flavour! It’s the kind of loaf that makes you wonder why you haven’t been baking with black sesame all your life. 🙂
Getting to Know Black Sesame Paste
If black sesame is new to your baking obsession, welcome! You’re in for a treat 🙂 Black sesame paste is essentially ground, roasted black sesame seeds. It’s thick and smooth, with a deep, complex flavour profile. It brings this wonderful earthiness and a deep, complex nuttiness that pairs incredibly well with the richness of a pound cake.
You can usually find black sesame paste in Asian grocery stores or sometimes in larger supermarkets in the international foods aisle. Make sure you’re getting paste and not just seeds, or an unroasted version.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Almond flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Sour cream
- Black sesame paste
*These are the main ingredients. The full list of ingredients and measurements can be found at the bottom of this post!*
The Texture of a Good Pound Cake
The goal with a pound cake is always that specific texture: a dense, close crumb that still manages to be incredibly tender. It’s not airy like a sponge cake, but it shouldn’t be brick-like either. Getting that balance right comes down to a few key things, and I really mean it when I say they make ALL the difference.
First: room temperature ingredients. I know, it feels like an extra step, but seriously, butter, eggs, and sour cream that are all at the same temperature emulsify so much better. What does that mean for you? A smoother batter, fewer lumps, and ultimately, a much more even and soft texture in your finished cake. Cold ingredients just won’t come together properly, leaving you with a curdled batter and a tougher crumb. Do yourself a favour and plan ahead a bit for this one. 🙂
Next: creaming your butter and sugar. This isn’t just about mixing them. You’re actually beating air into the butter and sugar mixture, which incorporates tiny air bubbles that help lift the cake and contribute to that tender crumb. You want to beat them for a good 2-3 minutes until the mixture looks noticeably lighter in colour and much fluffier.
Equipment
- Kitchen scale (I like to weigh out most of my ingredients for accuracy, I also think it’s more efficient when measuring things out over measuring cups!)
- Large and small mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- 9×5 inch loaf pan
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
The steps for this pound cake are straightforward, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind to ensure everything comes together beautifully.
Once you’ve got that butter and sugar creamed, and your eggs incorporated, you’ll be alternating between the dry ingredients and the sour cream + black sesame paste.
When you add the dry ingredients (the flours, baking powder, baking soda), mix them in gently. Use a rubber spatula and fold just until you no longer see streaks of flour. Overmixing at this stage is the quickest way to develop too much gluten, which means a dense, tough cake instead of that light, tender crumb we’re aiming for. So, be gentle, be quick.
And that little line you score down the centre of the batter before baking encourages the cake to rise evenly and split cleanly as it bakes, making for a prettier loaf overall.
Tip for Your Best Black Sesame Pound Cake
Room temperature is KEY: Seriously, I cannot stress this enough. Butter, eggs, and sour cream all need to be at room temperature. It allows for better emulsification and a smoother, more uniform batter, which translates to a much better texture in the final cake. Plan ahead and take them out of the fridge a couple of hours before you start.
Don’t overmix the dry ingredients: Once you add the flour mixture, fold it in gently with a spatula until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make your pound cake tough and chewy instead of tender.
Know your oven: Oven temperatures can vary quite a bit. Your loaf might need a couple of extra minutes or might be done a bit sooner than the recommended 50-55 minutes. Keep an eye on it, and rely on the toothpick test for accuracy.
I genuinely hope you make this Black Sesame Pound Cake. It’s been a firm favourite around here, and I think it might just become one of yours too. If you do make it, remember to tag me @theflournook on socials or leave a review below (it really helps!). You can also save the black sesame pound cake recipe for later using the pin button on the recipe card or any of the photos in the post.
Happy baking!
For more easy dessert recipes, check out these:
Black Sesame Pound Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf (9×5″) 1x
Description
This Black Sesame Pound Cake Loaf offers a dense, tender crumb with a distinctive, earthy black sesame flavour. Made with both all-purpose and almond flours, this easy-to-make loaf has a unique depth of flavour that stands out.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup (150 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (55 g) almond flour
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) baking soda
- 1/4 cup (60 g) sour cream, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (60 g) black sesame paste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, sift the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with a hand mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Beat until the mixture is visibly lighter and fluffier; this creates air for a tender crumb.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until emulsified. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Fold in half of the dry ingredients gently with a rubber spatula until just combined.
- Add the sour cream and black sesame paste. Mix with a hand mixer on low speed for about 30 seconds until smooth and glossy.
- Fold in the remaining dry ingredients gently with a spatula until no flour streaks remain.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter a few times to release air bubbles. Use a spatula to create a shallow line along the centre of the batter lengthwise.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Carefully remove it from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
I know it takes a little extra planning, but room temperature butter, eggs, and sour cream really make a difference here. They emulsify better, which leads to a smoother batter and a much better texture in the finished cake.
When I add the dry ingredients, I mix just until the flour disappears. Overmixing develops gluten, and that means a tougher cake, which I don’t want.
The shallow line I score along the centre of the batter helps the cake crack neatly as it bakes, giving it that classic pound cake look.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 55 mins
- Category: Loaf
- Method: Baking
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