Chocolate and Black Sesame Marble Cake

When I put the cake in the oven I did not know what to expect, I thought it might be one of those cakes that are much nicer before baking. When inventing a recipe one usually anticipates what the final look will be, but there is always this moment when there is a fear that the result may not be satisfactory.

So I photographed the cake before baking and told myself that maybe after it would be less beautiful. I started to explain to myself that this is the Covid-19 period and I have time for experiments and it’s not terrible if it ends up as a cake for afternoon coffee and not for publishing.

Then it started to rise nicely in the oven, every few minutes I checked its condition and saw the cake climbing on the sides of the mold and becoming tall and irritating. From the outside it looked exactly as I thought, but I did not know what was going on inside. 

Then we cut it and the whirlpools of black sesame and chocolate were revealed, a dramatic combination of gray and brown that I think makes the cake very special. But the taste, oh the taste, is basically the main thing for me in any cake or dessert. This combination of chocolate and black sesame turned out to be amazing, the chocolate imparts sweetness and the sesame balances it elegantly. The texture is also delicate and moist, we couldn’t stop eating it.

Black Sesame Chocolate Marble Cake
24-cm angel food cake pan

Ingredients 

120g dark chocolate, chopped
230g heavy whipping cream (first portion)
30g black sesame paste, sweetened (first portion)

200g butter, softened
200g sugar
240g eggs (around 4 medium eggs)
50g black sesame paste, sweetened (second portion)
370g flour, sifted
14g baking powder
230g heavy whipping cream (second portion)

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Preparation 

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. line a 24-cm angel food cake pan with parchment paper.
2. In a small pan heat dark chocolate and the cream (first portion), till chocolate is melt. Remove from heat, add black sesame spread (first portion) and mix till combined. cool to room temperature.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add black sesame spread (second portion) and mix till combined.
6. Add half the flour and baking powder over butter mixture. Stir to combine. Add half the cream (second portion). Stir to combine but not too much. Repeat with remaining flour, baking powder and cream.
* Note, at this point the mixture should be gray. If it looks too light, add another tbsp of black sesame spread and stir.
7. Take 5-6 spoons of this mixture and add to the chocolate and cream mixture. Mix until combined.
8. Put each mixture in a separate pastry bag.
9. Pipe alternately from both mixtures stripes along and across the mold. Yes, it requires a replacement of the pastry bag each time but it’s worth it 🙂 
10. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, until the cake is firm but not too dry.

Bon-Appétit
Sharon