Tahini Loaf Cake

This Tahini loaf cake is such a delightful tea cake with the nuttiness of the sesame butter (tahini) and the moist crumb with that crisp coat...yummy... just makes this cake irresistible. 😋 You have to try this tahini cake recipe to know it.

I have been baking this Tahini cake since 2018 and honestly lost the count. In one instance, my friend carried it with her to India and kept it for days! Whoever had this cake, loved it in the very first bite! I thought kids won't like this but my niece and nephew ate without any reservations! So, it is high time you use that jar of tahini lost in your fridge and make this cake. 

Every time I shared a Tahini cake picture on Insta stories, I had dozens of followers ask me the same question - tahini in a cake? does that taste good? Hello! hasn't anyone heard about Halawa /halva? And not to forget the trending tahini chocolate cookies being baked! But let us talk about this Tahini cake recipe today!

Ingredients used

1. Flour: I have used all-purpose flour (maida) and have not tried any other type of flour. 
2. Baking powder: You cannot replace this with baking soda. 
3. Salt: a pinch will do.
4. Sugar: I have used the usual white granulated sugar and have not tried any other type of sugar. 
5. Egg: 2 large or 2 medium or 3 small eggs
6. Vanilla extract: You may use vanilla extract or rose water or orange blossom water or cardamom powder
7. Oil: I have used sunflower oil. Any cooking oil that does not have flavour can be used.
8. Milk: You may use full-fat milk or full-fat buttermilk/laban. 
9. Tahini: Mostly labelled as Tahina. If you cannot source, make your own at home. You just need some sesame seeds! 
10. Sesame seeds: little to coat the cake top. You may use white or black or both.

How to make Tahini cake?

This is actually a very forgiving recipe so you don't have to be super precise with the ingredient measurements. It is better to use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to make the batter easily else you need to have a strong arm and be prepared for the workout. 😜

Prep the oven and pans

Firstly, you will need to preheat the oven to 180°C with the wire rack in the middle. Then make sure to grease and line with baking paper at least 2 mini loaf pans or you may use one 8×4 inch loaf pan or one 6×2 inch round pan. I would guess this batter would be okay even on a madeleine pan but please use your discretion. 

Prepare the wet batter

Prepare the batter by first mixing the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium-sized bowl and keeping it aside. Then, in a larger bowl and add the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract or rose water or cardamom powder. Use an electric hand whisk or stand mixer to whisk the egg mixture on medium speed for about 2 to 3 minutes or until the mixture is pale and sugar is not too grainy. Next, add the oil, milk and tahini and whisk again until combined. Now, add the flour mixture in two to three batches whisking each time. 

Pour batter into lined pan

It is a good practice to use a rubber spatula to transfer the batter into the lined pan(s) making sure you fill only ¾th of the pan as the cake will rise considerably. Rubber spatula makes it easy and reduces any waste. Next, sprinkle the top with sesame seeds. You may use white sesame seeds or black sesame seeds!

Bake the tahini cake

My two mini loaf pans took almost 45 minutes to get baked. If using round pans, then do check the cake at 30-35 minutes. If the loaves are browning too fast, but the toothpick is coated with wet batter, then you may reduce the temperature a bit or place some aluminium foil on top of each pan. (I never had to do this but stating it here as ovens act differently.) Remove the pan only if the toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean or with dried crumbs. 

Cool the cake and then slice to serve

Remove the cake from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely before you try to slice. Use a bread knife or sharp knife to slice the loaf and serve with coffee or tea or nothing. Store any leftover cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The cake tasted and sliced better the next day. 

📖 Recipe

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5 from 2 votes

Tahini Loaf Cake

Tahini cake is a delightful tea cake with the nuttiness of the sesame butter and a moist crumb with a crisp coat making this cake irresistible.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: middle eastern

Keyword: egg and butter tea cake, holiday baking, sesame butter cake, tahina cake, tahini pound cake

Servings: 8 slices

Author: Famidha Ashraf

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (maida)
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs (or 2 medium or 3 small) room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or rose water or orange blossom water
• ½ cup oil
• ¼ cup milk room temperature
• ¼ cup tahini measured and whisked lightly
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C with the wire rack in the middle.
• Grease and line with baking paper two 5x3 inch mini loaf pans. (you may use one 8×4 inch loaf pan or one 6×2 inch round pan.)
• Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium-sized bowl and keep aside.
• Take a large bowl and add the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract or rose water.
• Use an electric whisk to whisk the egg mixture on medium speed for about 2 to 3 minutes or until the mixture is pale and sugar is not too grainy.
• Add the oil, tahini and milk and whisk again until combined.
• Add the flour mixture in two to three batches whisking each time to incorporate.
• Use a rubber spatula and pour the batter into the lined pan(s) making sure you fill only ¾th of the pan as the cake will rise considerably.
• Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds.
• Place the loaf pans in the preheated oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. If using round pans, then do check the cake at 30-35 minutes. If using one big loaf pan, bake for close to an hour. If the loaves are browning too fast, but the toothpick is coated with wet batter, then you may reduce the temperature a bit or place some aluminium foil on top of each pan.
• Remove from the oven only if the toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean or with dried crumbs.
• Remove the cake from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
• Slice the loaf and serve with coffee. Store any leftover cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The cake tasted and sliced better the next day.

Recipe inspired and adapted from Nadia's Instagram PotsnBites