While I’m visiting my family in Japan, I have asked several blogger friends to blog-sit for me and today’s sitter is Tobias from T and Tea Cake.
Tobias is a food-loving university student from Europe and on his blog, T and Tea Cake, he mainly focuses on European cuisine but sometimes experiments with more exotic food and ingredients that inspire him. Most of his recipes are easy to prepare and budget-friendly.
When reading Tobias’s blog, it’s hard to believe that he’s been blogging for less than a year. Despite his humble attitude toward his work, Tobias’ photography is simply breathtaking and this self-taught home cook and baker make beautiful dishes like Parsnip Dumplings with Scallion & Bacon Filling and Cherry & Red Wine Chocolate Cake. His blog is welcoming even for a beginner cook and he tells you:
“I do not think I am the most skilled cook or baker with too much expertise – so I doubt you will need too much skill either [to try my recipes]. I’m going with the mantra: When I can do it – you can do it! In fact, if there is any skill required for a recipe I believe that it can be acquired by going through it in learning by doing manner.”
Are you inspired? Now please welcome Tobias with these delicious fusion cupcakes.
*****
Hiya avid readers of Just One Cookbook! I feel genuinely honored to be chosen by Nami to write a post on her blog while she is away. I know you are all spoiled by her quality content, so I hope I won’t let you down. She is one of the most ambitious bloggers I know and puts a lot of effort into her blog and recipes. Nami really has got a talent for making Japanese cuisine approachable and never leaves any questions unanswered. She is such a sweetheart and I am happy to call her my blogger friend.
When she invited me to blog-sit for her, I (besides doing the happy dance and immediately saying yes) had to think long and hard about what to share. I wanted something I thought she and her loyal readers may like and that somewhat fits into her repertoire. The result surely isn’t anything Japanese (I’ll leave that to our expert) but more of a fusion food.
She once said she likes roasted sesame seeds (something we have in common and yes, I have no problem remembering the most random things. It’s a gift.) so the idea for this recipe was born. The texture of these cupcakes is wonderfully airy with a crisp outside. It also is a great recipe for using hulled sesame seeds which are a bit more grey-ish but even healthier than there unhulled counterparts. There is nothing that fits better to sesame than honey, so why making the terrible mistake of keeping two things apart that obviously belong together, right?
Making the frosting honestly takes not more than ten minutes. The key is to cook the honey mixture to the point where it starts to brown. This gives enough stability to the frosting.
Anyway, let’s get our baking mojo on!
{Facebook} : {Pinterest} : {Feed}
Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
Sesame Cupcakes with Honey Meringue Frosting
Ingredients
Sesame Cupcakes
- 2.1 oz toasted white sesame seeds
- 2.1 oz toasted black sesame seeds
- 2.7 fl oz toasted sesame oil (I used sesame oil but other neutral oils like canola or sunflower seed oil work just as well)
- 4 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell)
- 8.1 oz sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 5 Tbsp sweet soy sauce
- ½ Tbsp baking powder
- 8.1 oz cake flour
- toasted black sesame seeds (for decoration)
Honey Meringue Frosting:
- 3 large egg white
- ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 3 fl oz honey
- 3.2 oz sugar
Instructions
Sesame Cupcakes
- In a small pot, roast both white and black sesame seeds on medium heat; stirring continuously (The seeds will start crackling. When you think they are almost roasted enough, remove from heat as they will keep browning with the heat off.)
- In a food processor, combine sesame seeds with oil and puree until smooth (I had to stop and scrape some seeds off the sides of the bowl at one point.) Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C), grease and flour or line cupcake pan. For a convection oven, reduce cooking temperature by 25ºF (15ºC).
- In a large bowl, beat eggs with a hand mixer until fluffy.
- Add sugar, vanilla essence and sweet soy sauce, mix well.
- Beat in sesame paste.
- Stir in baking powder and flour, little by little, until everything is well combined.
- Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each ⅔ full.
- Bake on centre rack for 25 minutes or until a stick comes out clean.
- Remove from pan, let cool on cooling rack.
- Pipe or spread frosting on cupcakes, sprinkle with black sesame seeds.
To Make Honey Meringue Frosting
- In a small pot, boil sugar and honey on medium heat until bubbles emerge and it darkens.
- In the meantime, add salt to egg whites and beat until very stiff with a hand mixer (or kitchen aid, off course) in a heat-proof bowl (when using a hand mixer, you will need a bowl that is rather small but deep).
- While beating continuously, very slowly pour in boiling hot honey-sugar mixture.
- Keep beating until everything is well incorporated.
To Store
- You can keep the cupcakes in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
I like the use of soy sauce as part of the ingredients because it makes it very intriguing and interesting. Thank you, Tobias and thank you, Nami for having Tobias and his delicious looking cupcakes.
Nami, thanks for introducing Tobias to us. Loving the mantra: this is my kind of cooking and baking that’s both simply and delicious. Great idea adding in the Japanese touches to a cupcake!
We joke at home about how much I love sesame oil, and sesame with soy sauce sure is a different combination for a cupcake. I’d give it a try! Also heading over to Tobias’ blog to see what else he’s cooking up.
The flavor combo is intriguing ! Great to meet Tobias 🙂 Thanks for introducing him to us, Nami 🙂 Hope you are having a great time with your family and friends
Sesame seeds and soy sauce in cupcakes? This is the first time I am seeing both of those used to make dessert. Sounds like delicious and unusual cupcakes!
Hi Tobias, the cupcakes are indeed different to the normal flavours, and quite lovely too. The frosting looks very tasty as well. How do you get your liners not to soak up the grease from the cupcakes?
Congrats on the guest post.
Thanks, Eva!
Well, I haven’t done anything with the liners, to be honest. Maybe it is because the cupcakes really aren’t that greasy? They are suprisingly light in taste.
That is a seriously gorgeous cupcake–first time I have seen soy sauce deployed in this manner! I adore all things sesame and am intrigued by this combination of flavors and textures.
These cupcakes look wonderful Tobias! Very creative in using soy sauce in a cupcake. It must give a slightly malty(?) taste to it.
Hi Biren and thank you!
You are right with the malty taste but I would rather say it has a bit of a sugar beet syrup note to it. However, it’s very subtle and really just a hint. 🙂
Nami, thanks for introducing me to another awesome blogger – I miss your posts but I’m loving all the great blogs I’m discovering while you’re away! And this tea cake looks terrific – I’m drooling specifically over the honey meringue frosting… Ok, off to check out Tobias’ blog…
What a great guest post! I’m intrigued by the idea of sesame cupcakes, and the honey meringue frosting sounds amazingly versatile for numerous desserts!
What a fabulous guest post from Tobias! It’s always fun to learn more about a new blogging friend and this was such a nice recipe for him to highlight. Looks so different than anything I’ve seen before, but delicious! Thanks for sharing, Nami and Tobias!
Gorgeous and unique cupcakes!! What a great guest post, Tobias, I can see why Nami asked you to help out. 🙂
You did a good job. Your photo’s are almost as good as Nami’s. YOur recipe sounds yummy. I will try it. thank you for sharing
Thank you, Debra. That was a very kind compliment. 🙂
I love aroma of sesame. I’m sure I will adore this sesame cupcake too. Lovely to look at and great recipe to hold onto. I wish I could make it right now if I have an oven.
These sesame cupcakes with honey meringue frosting look terrific! I feel the urge to bake some today! You’re doing a good job of keeping us busy in the kitchen, Nami, even while you’re away! Great guest post, T ! Thanks for sharing!