Nutty roasted black sesame paste is infused all over this spongy, light, and fluffy black sesame chiffon cake. You can serve it as is or decorate it to resemble the adorable troll in a popular Japanese anime character known as Totoro.
Black sesame chiffon cake is one of my favorite chiffon cakes. It’s probably the second flavor I made after making pandan chiffon cake. I have had this black sesame chiffon cake for a while but decided to improve it by packing more black sesame flavor into the cake and boy I am happy with the tweak. When my hubby tested the cake, he took a sniff and he said the smell was amazing! Roasting the black sesame seeds before turning them into a paste really kicks it up a few notches!!
You might be familiar with white sesame seeds. The black sesame seeds pretty much taste the same with the white ones if you ask me. The black sesame seeds have their hulls intact and hence the color. When you roast it slightly, it gives you that amazing nutty flavor that I really like. If you are feeling adventurous, you can turn the black sesame chiffon cake into a totoro chiffon cake. My kids were heads over heels over this Totoro character. They love the show My Neighbour Totoro.
Black sesame paste or black sesame powder
I strongly encourage you to use black sesame paste instead of powder to make this black sesame chiffon cake. It is much better IMHO. The cake is moister and the aroma is amazing. The black sesame powder doesn’t deliver as much in terms of flavor.
How to make black sesame chiffon cake
1. DO NOT grease your chiffon pan, not anywhere on the pan. The cake needs to cling to the pan to rise.
Preheat your oven to 330 F (165 C) for a conventional oven. If you have a convection oven, I suggest lowering the temperature by 25 F (15 C)
2. Prepare black sesame paste. Toast the black sesame seeds and white sesame seeds on the pan over medium-low heat until you smell a nice nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. The white sesame seeds are there to help you see if the seeds are toasted enough. They should be lightly browned. Once toasted, let them cool down slightly
3. Transfer to a high-speed food processor (it makes your life easier if you have one) and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Pulse for a few seconds and keep repeating until the seeds gradually change from a very thick paste to just thick. We don’t want it too runny or too thick. You will have leftover. Store it in a clean container and keep in the fridge for about 3 months
4. I suggest separating the yolks and whites a bit earlier (about 30 mins or so)so that the egg whites have time to come to room temperature. It whips better at room temperature
In a mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks, with oil, milk and then add the black sesame paste and keep whisking until the paste is combined with the others.
5. Sift in flour and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside
The consistency of the batter is thick but flowy
5. Place the egg whites in a clean bowl. You will have trouble whipping your meringue if there’s a trace of grease in your utensils or bowls. Beat the egg whites on medium speed (speed 6 on KA) until it’s foamy, add in the cream of tartar or lemon juice and gradually add in the sugar as you beat, 1/3 at a time and wait for about 1 minute before adding the next. Keep the speed on medium (speed 6) and beat until the meringue has a stiff peak with a slight bent on the tip. Then lower the speed to speed 4 and beat for one minute to even out large bubbles
6. Gently fold in 1/3 of the meringue into the thick batter using a whisk and then swipe down and fold over to mix and then continue on with the second batch and fold again to mix
7. Continue to do this until you are on the last 1/3 of meringue. Switch to a rubber spatula and swipe down and fold over to make sure you scrape the bottom of the bowl so the batter really combines with the meringue. You will have a smooth batter that has tripled in volume and is airy. You shouldn’t see any more white meringue at this point
8. Pour the batter from a height into the pan. This helps to pop large bubbles. Give the pan a few shakes to even out the batter
9. I like to use a skewer to run zig zag through the batter to pop any bubbles inside. Bang the pan on the counter 3-4 times to pop any large bubbles
10. Pop into the oven and let it bake for 60 minutes on the middle rack. The cake will gradually rise slowly. If you insert a skewer or cake tester into the cake, it should come out clean with very few crumbs, but there shouldn’t be anything wet. If it is, bake it a bit longer, in a 5-minute increment and check again
11. Once out of the oven, bang the pan on the counter 3-4 times. This helps to prevent the cake from shrinking. Carefully invert the pan upside down. Please don’t be tempted to remove it from the pan if it’s still warm. It takes about one to two hours to cool down completely
12. Once it’s cool down completely, use an offset spatula to run through the edge of the cake and a skewer to loosen the cake near the tube. Gently push the base of the pan up. Use an offset spatula again to carefully run through the base of the pan. Gently release the cake and put on a serving plate
If you want to decorate it into Totoro, all the details are in the recipe card.
Did you make this black sesame chiffon cake or Totoro chiffon cake recipe?
I love it when you guys snap a photo and tag to show me what you’ve made 🙂 Simply tag me @WhatToCookToday #WhatToCookToday on Instagram and I’ll be sure to stop by and take a peek for real!
This recipe was last published in 2017 and I have improved and updated the recipe on March 4, 2022.
Soft Fluffy Black Sesame Chiffon Cake (Original or Totoro version)
Ingredients
Black sesame paste (you will have leftovers):
- 200 gr black sesame seeds
- 1 tsp white sesame seeds
- 2 Tbsp oil
Thick batter:
- 5 egg yolks (room temperature) about 18-20 grams each without the shell
- 70 gr black sesame paste
- 25 gr cooking oil
- 125 ml coconut milk (not too thick not too thin) you can also use dairy or nut milk
- 100 gr cake flour
- ¼ tsp salt
Meringue:
- 5 egg whites (room temperature) about 28-30 grams each
- ½ tsp cream of tartar or 1 tsp of lemon juice or vinegar
- 80 gr sugar
Homemade whipped cream (optional):
- 120 ml heavy whipping cream
- 10 gr confectioner's sugar
To decorate the cake into totoro:
- Melted chocolate or black icing
- Black sesame seeds (toasted)
Instructions
- DO NOT grease your chiffon pan, not anywhere on the pan. The cake needs to cling to the pan to rise.
- Preheat your oven to 330 F (165 C) for a conventional oven. If you have a convection oven, I suggest lowering the temperature by 25 F (15 C)
Prepare black sesame paste:
- Toast the black sesame seeds and white sesame seeds on the pan over medium-low heat until you smell a nice nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. The white sesame seeds are there to help you see if the seeds are toasted enough. They should be lightly browned. Once toasted, let them cool down slightly
- Transfer to a high-speed food processor (it makes your life easier if you have one) and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Pulse for a few seconds and keep repeating until the seeds gradually change from a very thick paste to just thick. We don't want it too runny or too thick. You will have leftover. Store it in a clean container and keep in the fridge for about 3 months
- If you use store-bought black sesame paste, make sure it's not sweetened because we cannot cut down on the sugar for meringue. Please keep that in mind
Prepare cake batter:
- I suggest separating the yolks and whites a bit earlier (about 30 mins or so)so that the egg whites have time to come to room temperature. It whips better at room temperature
- In a mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks, with oil, milk and then add the black sesame paste and keep whisking until the paste is combined with the others. Sift in flour and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside
Whipping the meringue:
- Place the egg whites in a clean bowl. You will have trouble whipping your meringue if there's a trace of grease in your utensils or bowls. Beat the egg whites on medium speed (speed 6 on KA) until it's foamy, add in the cream of tartar or lemon juice and gradually add in the sugar as you beat, 1/3 at a time and wait for about 1 minute before adding the next. Keep the speed on medium (speed 6) and beat until the meringue has a stiff peak with a slight bent on the tip. Then lower the speed to speed 4 and beat for one minute to even out large bubbles
- Gently fold in 1/3 of the meringue into the thick batter using a whisk and then swipe down and fold over to mix and then continue on with the second batch and fold again to mix. Continue to do this until you are on the last 1/3 of meringue. Switch to a rubber spatula and swipe down and fold over to make sure you scrape the bottom of the bowl so the batter really combines with the meringue. You will have a smooth batter that has tripled in volume and is airy. You shouldn't see any more white meringue at this point
- Pour the batter from a height into the pan. This helps to pop large bubbles. Give the pan a few shakes to even out the batter. I like to use a skewer to run zig zag through the batter to pop any bubbles inside. Bang the pan on the counter 3-4 times to pop any large bubbles
Baking:
- Pop into the oven and let it bake for 60 minutes at the middle rack. If you insert a skewer or cake tester into the cake, it should come out clean with very few crumbs, but there shouldn't be anything wet. If it is, bake it a bit longer, in a 5-minute increment and check again
- Once out of the oven, bang the pan on the counter 3-4 times. This helps to prevent the cake from shrinking. Carefully invert the pan upside down. Please don't be tempted to remove it from the pan if it's still warm. It takes about one to two hours to cool down completely
- Once it's cool down completely, use an offset spatula to run through the edge of the cake and a skewer to loosen the cake near the tube. Gently push the base of the pan up. Use an offset spatula again to carefully run through the base of the pan. Gently release the cake and put on a serving plate
Decorating the cake (optional):
- Place the whipping cream and icing sugar in a cold mixing bowl. Make sure the heavy cream is chilled too. Whip on medium speed until the cream has a firm peak, but not too firm. The consistency should be glossy and can hold its shape when lifted up. Take care not to overbeat or it will turn grainy.
- I cut out two small triangles for Totoro ears from the bottom of the cake. Place the cake on a cake stand or wherever you want to. Use a sharp knife to make a small slit where the ears suppose to go. Dab a little bit of whipped cream on the base of the ears and then gently push the ears into the slit
- Use a medium size offset spatula to spread the whipped cream over the lower half of the chiffon cake, both on top and the sides. The crumbs of the cake will show. This is the crumb layer. If you don't want any crumb to show, pop the cake in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Clean your offset spatula to make sure there's no crumb. Spread more whipped cream on that crumb layer and it will cover the crumbs now. You don't have to do this though. You can use a piping bag to draw the eyes and then use the melted chocolate or black icing writer to draw the black eyeballs and the details on the body. Sprinkle some black sesame seeds over the white part if you like. Simple as that 🙂
How to store:
- If the cake is undecorated with whipped cream, you can wrap it up and keep it at room temperature for 2-3 days
- If you decorate it with whipped cream, then it needs to be kept in the fridge. Cover it with a cling wrap to prevent the cake from drying out. Try to consume within 2-3 days
Notes
- Â For 6 inch tube: use 2 eggs and multiply 0.4 the rest of the ingredients. Bake for 40-45 minutes , then lower temperature to 300 F (150 C) for 5-10 minutes
- For 7 inch tube: use 3 eggs and multiply 0.6 the rest of the ingredients. Bake for 50-55 minutes
- For 9 inch tube: use the same recipe with 8-inch tube pan recipe (the one I posted on the recipe card)
- For 10 inch tube: use 8 eggs and multiply 1.6 the rest of the ingredients. Bake for 65-70 minutes, then lower temperature to 300 F (150 C) for 10-15 minutes
28 comments
I think someone else might have asked this but exactly how much of the paste is added if you’re saying they’ll be some left over? Any arbitrary amount of the total volume?
I prepare about 200 grams of black sesame paste because it’s hard to blend a small number of seeds in my blender and that’s why I said you will have some leftovers because we only need 70 grams for the recipe.
instructions says add flour sugar and salt to yolk mixx but sugar is not in yolk ingredient list
It’s an error. There shouldn’t be any sugar in the yolk batter. I have removed that. Thank you for asking!
This cake have a subtle taste, and you can definitely taste it is black sesame. It also have just the right amount of sweetness. I love anything with black sesame so I knew I HAD to make this! I was wondering if I can put more black sesame paste for a stronger taste and how much? I am also curious if you have made this recipe using black sesame powder, and if the flavor is stronger or less? I think the next time I make this cake again I would try to use black sesame powder as I have that at home too. I make my morning smoothie using the powder sometime. Also, I was wondering if I can line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper because I find it very difficult to wash the bottom of the pan after taking out the cake. Thanks!
You can try to up to black sesame paste another 10 grams (I haven’t really tried this myself, but I think it should be safe to do so). If you want to use black sesame powder, you can use the same amount. I feel like using black sesame paste gives a stronger flavor than the powder, just my opinion. I will experiment with this again in the near future. If you want more black sesame flavor, if you do the whipped cream, you can add about 10 grams of black sesame paste in there too for more black sesame flavor.
Oh, I forgot to answer you parchment paper question. I strongly suggest not to line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. when you invert the cake upside down, the cake will “concave”, which you don’t want because that will be the top of your cake. The cake needs to cling to the pan and the parchment can’t cling to the pan and the cake’s weight is pulling on the parchment paper. I hope that makes sense.
It was my first time making a chiffon cake, so I didn’t get the meringue right qnd the cqke was too dense. But the flavor was amazing, perfect amount of black sesame!! I can’t wait until I get the meringue part down…this will definitely be a favorite cake in my house!!
Hi Leslie, please don’t get discouraged 🙂 Just make sure you beat the meringue to the stiff peak but still have a slight bent on the tip. When folding the meringue into the batter, try to use a whisk to do the folding first (less chance of deflating the meringue) and then switch to a spatula so that everything is scraped at the bottom of the bowl and fold-over. There’s definitely a learning curve with meringue, but practice makes perfect 🙂 I’m glad you like the taste though.