Black Sesame Upside-Down Cake

A black sesame upside-down cake makes for a perfectly sweet and spooky Halloween dessert this year.

This black sesame upside-down cake features a moist black sesame cake, a layer of black sesame seed caramel, and an irresistibly nutty whipped mascarpone frosting.

If you’re looking for a cute little Halloween cake to take to the party, this black sesame upside-down cake is such a great option. The cake delivers an intensely deep and rich flavor with nutty undertones, offset by the sweet caramel and frosting.

Similar to my espresso martini variation, this cake stretches the definition of upside-down cake a little bit. While it doesn’t have a fruit layer, it does feature a layer of black sesame seed caramel to create nice, crunchy edges around the cake.

After I frost the cake, I finish it with Halloween sprinkles. While I absolutely love the big ghosts, I will say they are not good for your teeth. But the sanding sugar and assortment of smaller spooky sprinkles really make this a cute cake for any Halloween party.

How to make this black sesame upside-down cake

What you need

• Caramel: The caramel is made with butter, brown sugar, and heavy cream. After it cools, I add a layer of black sesame seeds.
• Cake batter: For the batter, you need flour, baking powder, salt, butter, granulated sugar, eggs, black sesame paste, milk, and vanilla extract.
• Black sesame whipped mascarpone: You’ll use heavy cream, powdered sugar, black sesame paste, and mascarpone cheese.

How to make it

• Step 1: Make the caramel. Melt butter in a saucepan and add the brown sugar. Simmer briefly and then add heavy cream. Pour the mixture into a greased cake pan and refrigerate until needed.
• Step 2: Make the cake batter. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Cream butter and sugar in a separate bowl, and then add two eggs and black sesame paste. Beat until the mixture lightens in color and increases a bit in volume. You’ll want to mix for about 3 to 4 minutes total. From there, begin to add the dry ingredients and milk alternately, mixing between additions. Finish with vanilla extract and beat until just combined. Don’t over-mix!
• Step 3: Assemble the cake. Arrange the black sesame seeds over the caramel and press them into the mixture. Pour the cake batter on top and smooth into an even layer.
• Step 4: Transfer the cake to the oven and bake for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Step 5: Let the cake cool for 20 to 30 minutes before inverting it onto a plate. Allow it to continue to cool while you make the frosting.
• Step 6: Make the frosting. Gather heavy cream, powdered sugar, and black sesame paste in a large bowl. Beat until soft peaks form. Add mascarpone cheese and beat until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until needed.
• Step 7: Frost the cake. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and frost the cake. Alternatively, you can frost by simply plopping the frosting on top of the cake and smoothing it out with a rubber spatula. From there, you can decorate the cake with sanding sugar or Halloween sprinkles.

The beauty of this cake is that it’s absolutely delicious with or without frosting! I’ve made it both ways, multiple times. If you prefer a less decadent cake, you might consider skipping the frosting and simply finishing the cake with a dollop of whipped cream instead.

Black Sesame Upside-Down Cake

A black sesame upside-down cake makes for a perfectly sweet and spooky Halloween dessert this year.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Inactive time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 487kcal

Equipment

• 9-Inch Round Cake Pan
• Saucepan
• Electric hand mixer
• Mixing Bowls
• Fine mesh sieve
• Piping bag with star tip

Ingredients

Caramel layer:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons black sesame seeds

Batter:

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons black sesame paste
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup whole milk

Black sesame whipped mascarpone:

• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon black sesame paste
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 ounces mascarpone (set out at room temperature for 15 minutes)

For serving:

• Halloween sanding sugar
• Spooky sprinkles

Instructions

Make the caramel:

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Set aside.
• Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a small pot over medium heat. Once melted, add ½ cup of light brown sugar. Stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture darkens slightly in color.
• Turn the heat to low and add the heavy cream. Whisk until smooth. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and smooth it into an even layer. Transfer to the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Make the batter:

• Sift ¾ cup of all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons of baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt into a small bowl. Set aside.
• Add 4 tablespoons of butter and ½ cup of granulated sugar to a large bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to cream them until light. Add 2 eggs and 3 tablespoons of black sesame paste and beat until smooth. Continue beating until the mixture lightens in color, about 3 to 4 minutes total.
• Add half the sifted dry ingredients and beat with the mixer until just combined. Add half the milk and beat until incorporated. Add the remaining dry ingredients and the remaining milk, along with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat until just combined. Don’t over-mix!

Assemble the cake:

• Remove the cake pan from the refrigerator. Sprinkle the black sesame seeds on top and press them into the caramel. Pour the cake batter on top and smooth it into an even layer.

Bake the upside-down cake:

• Transfer the cake to the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Let the cake stand at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. The cake should still be warm to the touch.

Invert the cake:

• Place a large plate over the cake pan and carefully invert the cake onto the plate. Let stand at room temperature until completely cool.

Make the black sesame whipped mascarpone:

• While the cake cools, prepare the whipped mascarpone. Place the ½ cup of heavy cream in a large bowl. Add ½ cup of powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon sifted black sesame powder, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
• Add the mascarpone cheese and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until needed.

Frost the cake:

• Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and frost the cake. Or spoon the frosting on top of the cake and smooth it out with a rubber spatula.
• Finish with a dusting of black sesame powder or Halloween sprinkles if you like. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 32g | Sodium: 276mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin C: 0.4mg

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