Dessert: Black Sesame-Pear Tea Cake

Recipe by Elizabeth Quijada Finely ground black sesame seeds create a deeply flavored and dramatically hued cake.

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Sesame Seeds

Health and fertility benefits of Black Sesame-Pear Tea Cake

Sesame seeds help with progesterone balance. Lignans found in in sesame seeds help to prevent excess estrogen production.

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup almond flour or almond meal
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup black sesame seeds
1 1/3 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 (medium) firm but ripe Bosc pear, peeled, cored, cut into 1/4" cubes
Ingredient info: Almond flour is sold at some supermarkets and at natural foods stores. Black sesame seeds are available at some supermarkets and at Asian markets.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 °F. Butter one 9x5x3" loaf pan or six 4x2x2" paper or metal loaf pans. Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, next 4 ingredients, and 2 tablespoons sesame seeds in a medium bowl. Grind remaining 1/2 cup sesame seeds in spice mill to form a thick paste, about 2 minutes.
Using an electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup butter and 1 1/3 cups sugar in a large bowl until well combined, 2-3 minutes. Add sesame paste and beat, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, until blended, 1-2 minutes. Add egg and egg yolk. Beat until pale and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. On low speed, beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Toss pear with remaining 2 tablespoons flour in a small bowl; fold into batter.
Spoon batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
Bake until a tester comes out clean when inserted into center, about 1 hour 40 minutes for large loaf and 45-55 minutes for small loaves. Let cool in pans on a wire rack.

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