Black sesame chiffon cake
Hello, the chiffons are back! Did you miss them? (Y/Y.)
Well, I did even if no one else did. π
After quite a long break, I got back into chiffons with a black sesame version.
Black sesame seeds are the unhulled seeds of the more common white sesame seeds, and are more fragrant and flavoursome. They’re mostly used in East Asian cuisine eg sweet black sesame soup, which is one of my favourite things.
The black sesame is quite savoury, so I don’t recommend decreasing the sugar in this recipe (that is true for all of the chiffons I make, but it’s particularly important for this one).
The black food colouring is optional, but it does help to make it a nicer colour. Without the colouring it’s more of a sludge-grey rather than a nice grey.
I filled and covered the cake with a black sesame whipped cream, thickened with extra gelatine. The gelatine is to strengthen the cream so it holds up.
Funnily enough, when I first ate some of this cake, I was disappointed. I didn’t like it. It seemed kind of boring.
But, after sitting in the fridge for a day, I could swear that the flavour improved.
In fact, it got so much better that every time I ate some, I kept saying, “This cake is so good!”
And it really is. The chiffon queen is back, everyone. π
Ingredients
- 7 eggs, separated (note: if you have large eggs, only use 6)
- 220g flour
- 350g caster sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 80g black sesame powder
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 5 drops black gel paste colouring (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 300ml thickened cream
- 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatine
- 1 heaped tablespoon icing sugar
- 1 heaped tablespoon black sesame powder (or more to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160Β°C and set aside a large 20cm tube cake tin that has a removable base.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Whisk together the sesame powder and water, then whisk in the egg yolks, and oil.
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Add the black gel paste colouring if using. Whisk until well combined.
- In a separate, clean bowl, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer to stiff peaks.
- Using a large metal spoon, fold in a spoonful of the egg whites to the cake mixture to lighten it.
- Add the rest of the egg whites to the cake mixture and fold in with your metal spoon until just combined.
- Pour the batter into your cake tin and bang it on your work surface a couple of times to bring any large air bubbles to the surface. (Note: if there is a lot of batter, don't add it all to the tin. You only want to fill it to 3/4 full. If you have extra, put them into cupcake liners and make small cakes. Small cupcake sized ones need to be baked for 15 minutes only.)
- Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and immediately invert the entire tin and cake upside down until it's cool - you can do this by resting the middle of the tube over a bottle, or (if your cake isn't too tall) by placing it over a high wire rack that will let air circulate underneath.
- To release the cake, run a thin knife around the edge of the cake and the tin. You will want to serve the cake upside down as it's prettier that way.
- When completely cool, cut cake horizontally into two layers with a serrated knife. Place bottom layer on a serving plate and spread with a thin layer of cream (see instructions for the cream below). Place the second layer on top and then spread cream over the top and the sides of the cake to cover.
- Store in the fridge.
- Sprinkle gelatin over ΒΌ cup of the cream and allow to soften 5 minutes. Stir.
- Dissolve gelatin by microwaving for 30 seconds. Stir well and remove from microwave and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes; gelatine must be liquid but not hot when added to cream.
- Remove bowl and beaters from refrigerator and pour in cream, sugar, and black sesame powder. Beat together for a few minutes and then add the gelatine mixture.
- Beat until stiff peaks form and spread over the cake.
Gourmet Getaways
July 22, 2014 @ 10:30 pm
Another perfect match for my afternoon tea! Looks so heavenly good!
Julie
Gourmet Getaways
Agnes
July 31, 2014 @ 5:25 pm
π It really was good!
Hannah
July 27, 2014 @ 4:59 am
This is everything. This is everything. This is life. This is at the top of my wishlist. The very top.
Agnes
July 31, 2014 @ 5:24 pm
You’re the top of everything. x
Catherine
July 27, 2014 @ 8:30 pm
I love anything black sesame! I’ll be bookmarking this one to make next weekend π
Agnes
July 31, 2014 @ 5:24 pm
Hooray I hope it goes well for you π
Nancy
October 28, 2014 @ 1:33 am
Did you use 2 tube cake tins? I notice the cream in between. Thank you.
Nancy
Agnes
October 28, 2014 @ 2:32 pm
Hello – no only one tube tin, and then I cut the cake into layers with a serrated knife π