black sesame & orange upside down cake

the cake that ate all my black sesame powder

it has been a dangerous week to be black sesame powder in my house - we've had black sesame lattes, black sesame oats, black sesame protein shakes, black sesame financiers, black sesame salted cheese cloud steamed buns, black sesame miso ramen, black sesame hotpot dipping sauce, and black sesame on everything not bolted down

this cake was inspired by the orange I ate over the sink, dipped in black sesame powder

the orange is sweet, floral and almost marmalade-like after baking and pairs beautifully with nutty, grounded black sesame

it would be a perfect Halloween treat

serves 8-10

ingredients

orange topping

1 orange

50g brown sugar

30g caster sugar

30g butter

1 tbsp water

black sesame batter

60g butter

60g black sesame powder

120g brown sugar

1 egg

125g greek yoghurt

100g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

0.25 tsp salt

1-2 tbsp milk (if needed for texture)

method

preheat the oven to 190C

pine a 9-inch round cake tin with baking paper

using a sharp knife or mandolin, slice the orange (1) into 1mm thick discs removing seeds and ends

add the brown sugar (50g), caster sugar (30g), butter (30g), and water (1 tbsp) to a saucepan over low heat

Stir constantly until the butter melts and the mixture starts to bubble, about 3-4 minutes

remove from the heat

pour half of the caramel evenly over the base of the cake tin

arrange the orange slices decoratively over the base of the cake tin and press firmly into the caramel base

pour the remaining caramel evenly over the top

we'll now assemble the cake batter in the same saucepan used to make the caramel to avoid using more dishes than necessary, but you could absolutely switch to a bowl if you choose

wipe out any excess caramel if needed before starting the batter

add the butter (60g) to the pan and heat gently until just melted

add in the black sesame powder (60g) and brown sugar (120g) and mix together to form a thick (delicious) paste

note: stop here to make a delicious spread for toast!

touch the paste to make sure it's lukewarm before adding the egg (1) and yoghurt (125g)

beat together to form a glossy paste

sift over the flour (100g), baking powder (2 tsp), and salt (0.25 tsp)

fold together until just combined

add a little milk (1-2 tbsp) as required to keep the batter loose

gently pour the black sesame cake batter over the top, making sure not to disturb the orange slices underneath

bake for 35-45 minutes, until very fragrant and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean

let cool in the pan for five minutes then immediately invert onto a serving plate to prevent the caramel from setting and sticking

note: if any oranges came loose during the inversion just wiggle them back into place

let cool completely before serving