Sesame seeds cake, a cake flavoured with sesame seeds and berries is sure to tickle your taste buds and provide you with the required warmth at the same time.
Comes Makar Sankranti and we all get hooked to sesame seeds preparations, be it Til Chikki or Til laddu or Tilkut. And if Makar Sankranti coincides with a Birthday then it definitely calls for Sesame cake and this is exactly what I did.
It's my blog's 3rd birthday and to commemorate the occasion I decided to bake a sesame seeds cake. Though I followed my fruit cake recipe only by making the required changes in terms of sesame seeds but before going for it, I tried a mug cake just to see how it would taste with black sesame seeds.
As you know this is my latest fad. Whenever I try a new cake recipe then just to be sure I try out a mug cake first. This gives me an idea as to how it would taste and then I proceed confidently. In this case too, the Sesame Mug cake turned out superb. Thus I can say with great pride that this recipe is created by me only.
Makar Sankranti
Before we proceed towards the recipe let's talk a little about Makar Sankranti as I firmly believe that reasoning about anything makes things enjoyable for us.
Makar Sankranti, the festival of Lord Sun, is celebrated every year on 14th January. It is known by different names in different parts of India, like Pongal In Tamil Nadu, Bihu in Assam, Uttrayan in Gujarat and Lohri in Punjab. Whatever the name be, it is celebrated as a harvest festival and is marked by a shift in the position of Sun.
On this day, the Sun enters Capricorn (Makar in Hindi) and starts on its Northward journey, thus this day marks the end of the winter season and moving on to the pleasant and beautiful spring season. My mother in law, who used idioms very often used to say ''Til Chatka, Jaada Patka'' meaning, as sesame seeds (til) splutter the chill (Jaada) also starts fading.
All our festivals are associated with some or the other delicacy. Modak means Ganesh Chaturthi is there, Gunjia means Holi, Paag means Janamashtmi and so on. Similarly, it is a common tradition to make sweet preparations using sesame seeds and jaggery on Makar Sankranti. Along with these, kite flying and Khichdi (preparation using rice and lentils) are also associated with Makar Sankranti.
Benefits of Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds are termed as one of the healthiest foods. Rich in fiber and a storehouse of calcium, these seeds are good not only for the body but for hair and skin as well.
- Good for bones as it is rich in calcium.
- Keeps you young as these are rich in antioxidants.
- Good for the skin because of the oil present in them.
- Good for hair as is rich in omega fatty acids.
- Good for dental health due to oil contained in them.
- Boosts digestion as being rich in fiber cures constipation too.
- Good source of energy due to high-fat content.
- Magnesium in it Keeps blood pressure levels in control.
- Good for relieving stress and depression because of amino acid, tyrosine present in them.
- You may read in detail about its benefits here.
How To Make
- Having talked enough about this power-packed combo of sesame and jaggery, let's move on to our special recipe of Sesame cake.
- In this cake, which is made with wheat flour, I have used 2 types of sesame seeds, white as well as black.
- Along with the seeds, have added nuts and berries as well. I added dried cranberries and blueberries which imparted a nice fusion touch to this cake.
- Then, it is sweetened with jaggery powder.
- Thus this cake is free of refined flour as well as refined sugar.
- No vanilla essence or any other essence is being used. Instead, the cake has been flavoured with spices like cinnamon.
- The recipe has been eased a lot by mixing everything in the mixer only.
Step By Step Recipe
- Grease a 6'' cake tin, dust it with flour and keep it aside. I used a rectangular one as I wanted to cut slices. You may use the same or round tin.
- Dry roast white sesame seeds.
- Similarly, dry roast black sesame seeds.
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon powder, and salt at least 3 to 4 times.
- Mix black sesame seeds, nuts, and berries in the sifted flour.
- In a mixer jar (i used grinder jar as the quantity was less) take curd, oil, jaggery powder, and roasted white sesame seeds and make a smooth puree.
- Start preheating your oven. I baked in microwave convection, therefore, started preheating at this stage. Preheat microwave convection at 160 degrees C.
- Add this puree in the flour prepared above.
- Add milk and mix everything using cut and fold method. Never mix vigorously else the cake will turn out chewy.
- Lastly, mix in lemon juice.
- The batter should neither be loose nor thick.
- Put the batter in the greased and dusted cake tin.
- Tap it to release air bubbles if any.
- Sprinkle white and black sesame seeds.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes till a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly.
- Wait for around 10 minutes till the cake gets slightly cool.
- Loosen the sides with a knife and invert it on a wire rack.
- Cut into slices.
- Serve with love, tea optional.
FAQs
Q) Why do we eat Sesame Seeds and Jaggery on Makar Sankranti?
Sesame seeds and jaggery are perfect for winters as they keep the body warm and increases its immunity also. The oil in the sesame seeds generates body heat and thus keeps the body warm. On Makar Sankranti, Sesame seeds are revered as seeds par excellence and are not only eaten but also given in charity. You may read more about this here.
Q) How To Differentiate Between Black Sesame Seeds (kale Til) And Nigella Seeds (Kalonji)
- These 2 look exactly similar and if you have not labelled then it's difficult to identify just by looking at them. So, sharing a simple method which my house help Sumitra told me.
- Take little seeds in your palm and rub them with the other hand. If it sheds skin and you see some white seeds coming out then it's black sesame seeds.
- But if it remains the same even after rubbing then it's nigella seeds. Now without labelling too, I am able to identify these.
Q) Which black sesame seeds to buy?
Use good quality edible black sesame seeds only especially if buying it from your local grocery store. This is because black sesame seeds (kale til) are also sold for Puja purposes.
Related Recipes:
LET’S CONNECT
I hope you have liked this Sesame seeds cake recipe and will surely try it out for your loved ones. I will be happy if you share your creations on Instagram and tag me #samirasrecipediary there.
Thank you for reading this post. If you have liked this recipe then do let me know by leaving a comment below. Your feedback fuels my enthusiasm. You may share this post with your dear ones by clicking on the little buttons below. You may follow me on Facebook Pinterest too. for latest recipe updates. Thank you!
Sesame Seeds Cake Recipe
A nutritious, healthy and easy to make teatime Cake perfect for winters.
My 1 Cup equals 240 ml
- 3/4 Cup (100 g) Wheat Flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon Powder
- 1/4 Cup White Sesame Seeds
- 2 Tbsp Black Sesame Seeds
- 2 Tbsp Dried Berries (Blueberries and Cranberries)
- 1/4 Cup Mixed Nuts (Roasted and Chopped)
- 1/4 Cup Thick Curd
- 1/2 Cup Jaggery Powder
- 1/4 Cup Oil
- 3/4 Cup Milk
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- Grease a 6'' cake tin, dust it with flour and keep it aside. I used a rectangular one as I wanted to cut slices. You may use the same or a round tin.
- Dry roast white sesame seeds in a wok till the seeds change colour slightly. Do not roast more else they will taste bitter. Keep aside 1 teaspoon of these for sprinkling on the top.
- Similarly, dry roast black sesame seeds. There will not be any colour change so just roast for 2 to 3 minutes on medium flame while stirring continuously. Keep aside 1 teaspoon of these for sprinkling on the top.
-
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon at least 3 to 4 times. Sifting incorporates air into the flour and thus keeps the cakes soft, especially wheat cakes.
- Mix black sesame seeds, nuts, and berries in the sifted flour. Ensure that these are fully covered with flour otherwise, they will sink to the bottom while baking.
- In a mixer jar (i used grinder jar as the quantity was less) take curd, oil, jaggery powder, and roasted white sesame seeds and make a smooth puree.
-
Start preheating your oven at 160 degrees. I baked in microwave convection, therefore, started preheating at this stage.
- Add this puree in the flour.
- Add milk and mix everything using cut and fold method. Never mix vigorously else the cake will turn out chewy.
- Lastly, mix in lemon juice.
- The batter should neither be loose nor thick.
- Put the batter in the greased and dusted cake tin.
- Tap it to release air bubbles if any.
- Sprinkle white and black sesame seeds.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes till a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly.
- Wait for around 10 minutes till the cake gets slightly cool.
- Loosen the sides with a knife and invert it on a wire rack.
-
Once completely cool, cut into slices.
-
Serve with love, tea optional.
- See that all the ingredients are at room temperature especially curd and milk.
- Adjust the quantities of berries and nuts as per your taste and preference.
- Salt is added to enhance the taste of sugar so go ahead.
- Roasted nuts give a nice crunch as well as taste. However, you can use it without roasting too.
- Take care that sesame seeds are roasted lightly till the color changes slightly. If roasted more they get bitter in taste.
- The quantity of milk may vary depending upon the consistency of milk, the absorption capacity of flour, etc.
- Always invert the cake on a wire rack else the bottom will get soggy. If a wire rack is not available then keep a wire mesh on a container and place the cake on it.
- Start preheating the oven depending upon how much takes it to get preheated. If otg then start at the time of sifting the flour only.
Testimonials
Also about the quantity of flour. It’s 3/4 cup plus 100 gm?
Or u meant that 3/4 cup flour is 100 grams?
Yes, if measuring in cups then it’s 3/4 Cup. And by weight it’s 100 g.
Wow blown away..
Just a quick question..
Jaggery powder is compulsory? Or we can use the normal jaggery availatin market?
Hahaha… Thanks dear🌹
You can use anything, be it jaggery powder or jaggery or any other Sweetener. If using jaggery, chop it into small pieces and ensure that after blending you get smooth puree without any chunks of jaggery.
Happy Baking 👍
Wow! Just what I was looking for 🙂
Thanks 😊
Here for the very first time. Totally loved it. Am gonna try it right away 🙂
Thank you so much 🌹
Do share your feedback once you try it out. Happy Baking 👍
Thank you so much 🌹
Do try it out and share your feedback too. Happy Baking 👍