There’s something quietly indulgent and beautiful about the pairing of blakc sesame and banana, one leans towards nutty and bittersweet, while the other soft, fragrant and naturally sweet. Together, they create this Black Sesame Banana Cake that feels both nostalgic and refined, familiar yet elevated in the most effortless way.

This Black Sesame Banana Cake leans into that contrast, not just in flavour but also in texture and visual appeal.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

  • Naturally moist from ripe banana puree, creating a cake that bakes up soft and tender, with almost pudding-like crumbs!
  • Nutty depth from the black sesame paste, nicely blended into the batter
  • No artificial colouring, the contrast is all natural
  • Visually stunning marbling between the banana and black sesame abtter, making it perfect for gifting
  • Balanced sweetness, not overly sugary with a good balance provided from the black sesame

While it’s completely optional, I strongly recommend for you to divide the batter into two so that you can create two batters with an amazing visual appeal without much effort. I really love this deep richness of the black sesame that contrast and cut through the banana batter.

If you’re planning to bake this in an 8 inch square pan, do note that the cake will turn out slightly shorter. For a taller slice, consider increasing the recipe by 20 – 30% to ensure a generous slice.

Without further ado, the recipe!

Black Sesame Banana Cake Recipe
by Javier Tan March-26-2026

This visually stunning Black Sesame Banana Cake comes with a beautiful contrasting marbling, with a well-balanced flavour profile and aroma!

Ingredients (Note, recommend to x20% more for 8 inch tray)

  • 2 – 3 Large Bananas, approx 250g without peel
  • 1 Large Egg, 60g when weighed with shell OR approx 1/4 Cup, 50g of Plain Yogurt, Room Temp
  • 1 Tsp or 5ml Vanilla Essence
  • 1/3 Cup or 75g of Butter, melted and cooled
  • 1/4 Cup or 50g of White Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup or 50g of Brown Sugar
  • Batter A (Banana): 
    3/4 Cup + 3 Tbsp or 110g of Plain Flour
    Approx 1/3 Tsp or 2g of Baking Soda
  • Batter B (Black Sesame):
    3/4 Cup or 90g of Plain Flour
    Approx 1/3 Tsp or 2g of Baking Soda
    3 Tbsp or 45g of Black Sesame Paste (up to 60g)
  • Additional banana and black sesame as topping

Instructions

  1. Firstly, mash the bananas until smooth / puree, then whisk in the egg, vanilla and melted butter.
  2. Next, whisk in the white sugar and brown sugar.
  3. Divide the batter into two – Batter (A) for Banana and Batter (B) for Black Sesame.
  4. Whisk in the ingredients for Batter A, and then for Batter B until smooth. Standby a 7 inch baking tray lined with parchment paper.
  5. Drop spoonfuls of Batter A and then Batter B, alternating it. Tap the tray a few times to even out the batter before using a knife to swirl.
  6. (Optional) Top off with black sesame seeds and halves of a banana.
  7. Bake 170C, 37 – 42 minutes until nicely golden brown. If the top browns too much, cover using a piece of aluminium foil and continue baking.
  8. Leave to cool before slicing (at least 20 minutes).
  9. Serve and enjoy!

Details

  • Prep time: 30 mins
  • Cook time: 1 hour
  • Total time: 1 hour 30 mins
  • Yield: 1 x Delectable Tray of Black Sesame Banana Cake

Notes:

  1. If you would like to be updated for more recipes which I strive to create to perfection for sharing and for free, do check out my Instagram, Facebook Page, or YouTube 🙂 Thank you so much for all of your support! Feel free to tag me or link back here!
  2. Serve fresh at room temperature (on the day itself and up to 4 days) or in a fridge (up to a week). If refrigerated, do remove it 20 – 30 mins prior to serving.
  3. Please do not copy and paste the recipe without my permission, but feel free to link back here!

Enjoy!
– Bakeomaniac, Javier Tan