Tahini and Chocolate Chunk Cake

Updated April 13, 2026

Media 1 of 2
Ready In
1 hr 30 min
(30 min plus cooling)
Rating
5(136)
Comments
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Tahini, a smooth paste made from ground sesame seeds, is nothing short of a pantry superstar — both sweet and savory dishes benefit from a healthy swig of the rich, creamy sauce. Here, tahini flavors a one-bowl yellow cake, giving it a pillowy texture and nutty flavor. Swirled with chocolate, it’s reminiscent of your favorite halvah candy. Be sure to use semisweet chocolate – anything darker is too sour and would clash with the sesame. 

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Ingredients

Yield:16 servings
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil, plus more for the pan

  • ⅔ cup/170 grams tahini, well-stirred

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 large egg yolk

  • ¾ cup/177 milliliters whole milk

  • ¾ cup/150 grams plus 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  • 1½ cups/192 grams all-purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

  • 1 cup/115 grams coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate

  • ¼ cup/30 grams plus 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted (see Tip)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 350. Oil a 9-inch square baking pan and line it with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. 

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, whisk together the oil and tahini. Add the egg, egg yolk and milk and whisk until completely smooth. Whisk in ¾ cup sugar and the vanilla. 

  3. Step 3

    Add the flour, baking powder and salt and fold in with a rubber spatula. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the chocolate and add the remainder to the batter. Fold in 1 tablespoon sesame seeds. 

  4. Step 4

    Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Sprinkle the reserved chocolate, the remaining ¼ cup sesame seeds and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar evenly over the top. Bake until the cake is puffed and set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean with a few moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then lift the cake out of the pan using the parchment overhang and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

  5. Step 5

    To serve, cut the cooled cake into 16 pieces. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw uncovered at room temperature before serving. 

Tip
  • Toast sesame seeds in a light-colored pan on medium-high, tossing frequently, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
136 user ratings
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Comments

@Lost In A Space do you solely reply to be unkind to others, or do you imagine you're serving some other function?

Hopping on to say I have celiacs and made this with a GF flour blend in place of the regular flour (primarily deglutenized wheat starch) and a bit of zantham gum and it worked well, coming out moist and with a nice rise. The sugar sesame seeds on top give it a very nice and welcome texture contrast-don’t skip it!

made it exactly as written. LOVED it. will absolutely make again!

Made as written. Plush and rich in flavor, so very tasty. The toasted sesame seeds on top add a nice layer of flavor and texture.

To make it just a tad healthier, I swapped out 42 g of the AP flour for whole wheat flour. Turned out great; will make it this way again. Sweetness level was perfect.

Made this twice this week. First time as instructed but sugar lowered by 30%. The second time I made it vegan for a friend by substituting egg and egg yolk with 4 tabs aquafaba. Both times I used one and half tsp of baking powder. Both times came out delicious. The vegan one had halva like consistency.

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