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 makes 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 a 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!
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Ingredients:
- 2.1 oz. (60 g) white sesame seeds
- 2.1 oz. (60 g) black sesame seeds
- 2.7 fl. oz. (80 ml) oil ( I used sesame oil but other neutral oils like canola or sunflower seed oil work just as well)
- 4 eggs
- 8.1 oz. (230 g) sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla essence
- 5 Tbsp. sweet soy sauce
- ½ Tbsp. baking powder
- 8.1 oz. (230 g) cake flour
- More black sesame seeds for decoration.
- 3 egg whites
- ¼ tsp. of salt
- 3 fl. oz. (90 ml) of honey
- 3.2 oz. (90 g) sugar
Instructions:
- 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.
- 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 2/3 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.
- 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.
Hi, I'm Nami. Thanks for stopping by Just One Cookbook. You can read little bit more about me 
{ 103 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you so much for having me as a guest blogger. It is such an honour, Nami!
What a delicious recipe and I’m intrigued by the cooking the honey until it browns idea!
Soy sauce and sesame oil in a cupcake?
Sounds like a wonderfully intriguing flavour combination. I’d love to try them – I love these things in salads, though never tried them at all in any kind of sweet dish – I can imagine they go exceptionally well together, and the frosting looks amazing! Thanks for sharing your creation Tobias… it sounds, and looks wonderful!
Thank you, Charles! Just remember to use sweet soy sauce. Can’t vouch for the outcome when using the regular kind.
This really sounds like the making of very exotic tastes in a cupcake, and I do agree with Charles on the intrigue this presents!:)
What a great use for sesame seeds. Very creative! I hope you are having a great time, Nami!
This is an intriguing flavour combination! I love the airy texture and the honey meringue frosting sounds like a real treat!
Enjoy your wonderful holiday Nami.
Wouldn’t I LOVE to sit down to tea for this!! Gorgeous.
I am curious the taste after adding the sweet soy sauce in the cake! In order to find out, i have to make this cupcake soon. Thanks for sharing this nice guest post.
This is such a wonderful idea Tobias! And it fits Nami’s other recipes. Keep on enjoying your holiday Nami!
This is a terrific guest post! Those cupcakes look so tempting and good!
What gorgeous looking cupcakes and the combination of the sesame cupcake with the honey frosting sounds amazing. I love the way the cupcakes have been decorated – they look very special xx
I love seeing Nami’s friends bring her baked goods. Tobias, these cupcakes are so cool. What a fabulous flavor combination!!
These cupcakes look beautiful. I look at that last photo and think to myself, “you’re such a slob, you’ve never eaten a cupcake with a fork before.” I must mend my ways.
Great to meet new people, Nami and Tobias, you’re a clever cook!
Hahaha! It makes eating cupcakes look extra fancy, doesn’t?
And using a big fork makes them look a bit smaller so why not grab another one right away?
Sesame cupcakes, what a great idea. They are gorgeous, I will definitely be trying these!
Very original and gorgeous looking cupcakes! I love the idea of honey, soy sauce and sesame combination in a sweet dish. Very glad to meet you, Tobias!
Nami, thank you for introducing Tobias!
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!
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.
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.
Gorgeous and unique cupcakes!! What a great guest post, Tobias, I can see why Nami asked you to help out.
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!
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!
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…
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.
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.
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.
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!
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
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.
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!
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.
Oh…this is a very interesting recipe, I never try cupcakes with sesame…and never with soy souce…ok, the sweet one, in fact I’m not so familiar with that, don’t know if I can find it in local markest here.
By the way frosting looks spectacular
I got a little behind reading your posts and have had so much fun seeing all the different foods and meeting new bloggers on your blog. Everything looks wonderful, as always. Hope you are having a wonderful time!
Very unusually cupcake recipe and I bet the sweet soy sauce and sesame oil adds an interesting twist. These look delicious I would really love to try one. Wonderful guest post Nami. Tobias I am totally sold on these cakes.
Nami- Thought I’d pop in today and catch up. Hope you are enjoying your visit with family. Also hope you take lots of photos of Japan to share. It’s on my bucket list to go there.
Tobias- I am so happy to meet you. Your photos are captivating. And these cupcakes are so cool. Odd word to describe them but they really are. Off to check out your site now.
These cupcakes are so gorgeous! Can imagine the fragrant sesame seeds coming from your oven as you baked these babies! Yummy!
Woo hoo!! Yeayy Tobias! I’m so happy to see that you are blog-sitting for Nami. She’s really an awesome lady, and having the opportunity to meet her a year ago was amazing. Gosh, I couldn’t agree more with Nami. Your photos are breath taking and I am loving your sesame cupcakes recipe. I really love the taste of toasted sesame, just so earthy and filled with flavour. Love them in my salad, and I can’t wait to incorporate it to my sweet treats too. Will be buzzing over at your side real soon. xoxo, Jo
Nice to meet Tobias, and what a gorgeous recipe!!! I love the meringue frosting with the honey, that really sounds gorgeous:-) Take care, Terra
I think it’s one of the weirdest combinations I’ve ever seen but it really works, I can imagine all those flavors in my mouth you made a great job Tobias!
What pretty cupcakes! I like the sound of that honey meringue frosting.
Wow, those are really unusual, and healthy too – what a treat! Thanks Tobias, for an inspiring guest blog.
Such interesting flavours! Lovely photos too…
So glad to have run into Tobias! Thanks Nami! His blog is gorgeous and pictures are just stunning.
I’m loving the idea of a honey meringue frosting.
These sesame Tea cupcakes look amazing. Thanks for sharing them with us.
Velva
These cupcakes are absolutely stunning! Very unique and beautiful. As always lovely job Nami, enjoy your weekend!
What a completely amazing and unique cupcake!! Well done!! Beautiful guest post!
What a great choice for a guest post here. It’s inspired and fits right in with all of Nami’s other recipes. I love the cupcakes, Tobias, especially the frosting!
Nami, hope you’re having a wonderful time!
The cupcakes looks so pretty and unique! Wonderful creation, Tobias!
Have a wonderful and “fruitful” holiday, Nami!
These look absolutely AMAZING!!!! Love your presentation!!
I am a big cupcake fan and these are genius! Great work and beautiful photography!
I want to bake too!!! I am looking at your cupcake tobias and I have to accept that I cant (till I get the oven and when I do the whole world will know
).
Interessting recipe, sesame soy sauce… this is my type of flavoure combination! thanks for sharing your recipe. u have some awsome skills.
have a nice weekend Tobias and of course Nami too
Great recipe, Tobias! I loved that you used both white and black sesame seeds! I have a question–where does one find sweet soy sauce? Can you add sugar to regular Japanese soy sauce? Or is it more like a mild Thai soy sauce??
Thank you Melissa.
Sweet soy sauce is also called Ketjap Manis in Indonesia and the taste reminds me a bit of slightly salty beet root syrup. The brand I usually use is Thai, though and simply says ‘Sweet Soya Sauce’.
You could try using a mixture between Japanese soy sauce and brown sugar but the taste won’t be the same but probably not bad, either. Hope I could help.
Sorry, forget about me mentioning ketjap manis! I am simply referring to thai sweet soy sauce.
I just love the flavors in these cupcakes. Not to mention they look so scrumptious and decadent
. And the honey meringue frosting is perfect
Hi Nami,
These cupcakes look divine! I really wish I could taste them, now. I am going over to Tobias’s blog. Thanks for the lovely introduction.
Boy, you’re not kidding! Outstanding photography
Don’t worry Tobias, you’re totally up for the challenge of blogsitting for Nami! Looks fabulous
wow, I love that you used kecap manis in this! I would never have guessed! ooohh.. I would soooo love to taste that honey meringue! Your cupcakes are sensational!!! Nami really has good taste in her guest bloggers!
tobias, are you referring to the indonesian or the thai sweet soy sauce? or something else?thx.
I am referring to the Thai variety. Thank you for pointing out any ambiguity.
Hi Nami and Tobias, you sure found some great guests while you are away. Hope you are enjoying the trip, I saw the kids pics and they were absolutely adorable. I want to try that frosting it’s a first for me. Gotta sit down and read the rest of your guests later. I’m still catching up from the move.
-Gina-
Nami look adorable and delicious I love sesame too:)
Wow delicious..can just imagine the taste..yummy.
maha
These DO look wonderful! Sesame seeds have such a wonderful flavor that works for both savory and sweet. I love it that you roasted them first. YUMMY! Your pics are gorgeous. Headed over to check out your blog!
Hi Tobias, I’m really curious about the taste. A very Asian flavor inspired cupcake with sesame oil, sesame seeds, and soy sauce. Will have to give it a try.
I’m definitely keeping the frosting recipe. Looks delicious. And looks like a good alternative for my usual homemade whipped cream on cakes.
Just one thing – dump the vanilla essence. You don’t want to know how that stuff is made. Go with real vanilla, it’s worth the extra dollar or two.
Thanks!
So wonderful to meet Tobias, thanks Nami for featuring him! I’ve never tried sesame flavored cakes, though I have a huge spot for sesame seeds. I’m intrigued!
Lovely guest post, Nami..i like the idea of using whole sesame seeds in baking!
This is a great guest post. He definitely brought his A game, delicious and creative blend of flavors here! This is probably the most unique cupcake recipe that I have seen in a long time. Thanks for having Tobias guest post, Nami!
These are the unique kind of cuppie you’d find on cupcake wars. Very nice Tobias. Hope you’re having fun Nami!
Oh, mine, those cupcakes look amazing! I could eat a whole batch!
Wow! The marriage of some unique flavours in these cup cakes have made me so intrigued. These are perhaps the most incredible cup cakes I have ever come across. Great guest post Nami and well done Tobias
I love blogging because you get to know so many cool people. I’m coming from Rosa’s blog and now I’m heading to Tobias’s. Those cupcakes look amazing!
Love this guest post, thanks for the recipe and a new blog to check out.
Wow what a perfect use of sesame seeds…loved it. you have a fantastic blog….following it from now on:)
Never seen sesame in cupcakes. This recipe is quite unique & sounds amazing.
Nami- I hope you are enjoying your family time. Take care & come back safe. Will mail ya soon!
This sounds like a truly intriguing recipe! I love it! Your pictures are beautiful!
Mmm, sesame and honey are magical together. And in a cupcake? Doubly good!
Hey Tobias, how great to see you here
These are amazing…just amazing! I have never worked with a sweet soy sauce but will keep my eyes out for it 
Hope you are both having a wonderful weekend…hugs
Such a unique cupcake recipe…I bet they taste wonderful!!! So nice to meet you~
what a superbly interesting cupcake! thanks, tobias!
If there is a cup cake for Japanese then this would be it, sesame looks like a real great flavor to use in a baked cake like this.
I’ve certainly never seen a cupcake made with such list of ingredient, but it’s so interesting. Very curious about the taste. By the way, how long will this meringue hold?
Hi Gourmantine!
Well, I have never actually experienced the meringue liquifiying. However, nothing I have made with it has lasted for more than two days after preparing. So I would say it holds for 48 hours at least.
This is something new for me, I never tried sesame in cakes or cupcakes. I think it’s amazing, Nami!
Hello Nami
are you back home? Did you have an amazing time in Japan? I’ve been keeping up to date with your updates on facebook and everything looks AMAZING ~
I can’t wait to try! Thanks for sharing it with us!
Thanks for introducing us to Tobias! Nice to meet you! This is a very interesting recipe
How nice to have such wonderful bloggers fill in while you are away. This cupcake looks amazing and sounds like it’s bursting with flavor…so it must taste as good as it looks!
I love meringue toppings! And I’ll bet it’s awesome on this cup cake. Nice combo of flavors. And I’m glad to learn of T & Tea Cake – a new blog for me. Checking it out right now . . .
I have read and re- read the recipe… I thought I was ‘seeing’ things… but it is true what I read… there’s sweet soy sauce in cupcakes… wow this is fascinating!
I am a huge fan of sweet soy sauce(can just enjoy eating white rice with drizzle of sweet soy sauce only)…
Thanks Nami and Tobias for this intriguing n inspiring cupcakes..:)
Nami – Thanks for introducing Tobias and his blog!
I love the un-usualness of this cupcake and its savory elements. The ingredients have me intrigued and would like to give these a try, for sure!
Indeed apart from excellent baker Tobias is an excellent photographer! Both his cupcakes and photos are fabulous!
I absolutely LOVE the combination of flavors in this cupcake! I <3 sesame seed, and this rocks! And the pictures are beautiful too
Hi Tobias, nice to meet you, sort of speak, love this recipe – mmmm… Your photos look stunning.
This is so creative. I would love to try one of your savory cupcakes. So unusual that I want to get out my cupcake pan and make a batch right now. I’m impressed!
I can’t wait to try these at home! Always inspiring recipes here, Nami – you even have good taste in guest bloggers! Hope your family time was beautiful!
I SO want one of these right now! I’m not kidding, they look so good. Tobias, your photography is fantastic and your recipe is the bomb.
I’ve never tried sesame cupcakes before — that looks too delicious from another great guest post! Off to check out Tobias’ blog
Very creative recipe! Would have never thought about some of those ingredients in a cupcake!
What a wonderful guest post! I am so intrigued by this recipe, and am excited to try my hand at the honey meringue frosting! Just beautiful and so glad to have been introduced to Tobias.
Beautiful photo. I wonder if the frosting would work with only honey (no sugar?) I might try that.