Black Sesame Cake (검은깨)

Black sesame cake, also known as "geomeun ggae" in Korean, is a popular dessert in Korea that features the rich flavor of black sesame seeds. Here's a recipe for black sesame cake in English:

Ingredients:

For the cake:

1. 1 cup all-purpose flour
2. 1/2 cup black sesame seeds
3. 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
4. 1/2 cup granulated sugar
5. 2 large eggs
6. 1/2 cup milk
7. 1 tsp baking powder
8. 1/2 tsp baking soda
9. 1/4 tsp salt

For the frosting:

1. 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2. 2 cups powdered sugar
3. 1/4 cup black sesame seeds
4. 1/4 cup milk
5. 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9-inch round cake pan.

In a dry skillet, toast the black sesame seeds over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Remove from heat and let them cool.

In a food processor or blender, grind the cooled black sesame seeds into a fine powder.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition.

Mix in the ground black sesame seeds.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting, in a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy.

Gradually add the powdered sugar, black sesame seeds, milk, and vanilla extract, and continue to beat until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.

Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the frosting over the top of the cake using a spatula or a cake decorating tool.

Optional: You can garnish the cake with additional black sesame seeds on top for decoration.

Slice and serve the black sesame cake, and enjoy the rich and nutty flavors!

Note: Black sesame seeds can be found in Asian grocery stores or specialty stores. If you can't find black sesame seeds, you can also use regular sesame seeds, although the flavor and color of the cake will be slightly different.