Black Sesame Crumb Ube Loaf

Ah, for the love of playdates. My mom’s side of the family lives here in the Seattle area, though admittedly we only periodically get to see one of my cousins and her kids, who are similar in age to mine. Seeing them two weeks in a row is a gift, especially for my children, who come home all smiles despite being utterly exhausted from play.

I also take advantage of playdates to bring something that I make myself in the kitchen. Often, I have to cook or bake an entire batch, but honestly, I don’t want to eat the entire thing myself (or let my husband do it!).

After several loaves of experimentation, I finally have a recipe, in which I pair the nuttiness of black sesame, popular in Chinese desserts and drinks and the beloved ube from the Philippines. During my research and experimentation, I realized that many recipes don’t actually use ube in their dishes, instead, they use flavoring or jam, which is packed with sugar. I wanted to use frozen ube which I found at my local Seafood City. But when I did, they didn’t end up purple enough; neither did the characteristically earthiness and subtle sweetness of this tuber crop showed up. I ended up compromising and blended a tablespoon of the famed Butterfly Ube Flavoring, which was just enough to get the oomph I was looking for. The tenderness of the loaf is from using 16 oz (!) of actual ube which is then complemented by a black sesame marble throughout the loaf. The contrast of the crunch from the caramel-ly black sesame gives this quick bread some texture. My kids kept picking off the crust as it cooled down on my kitchen counter. When I finally gave them the go signal to have at it, there was no stopping them.

A bonus: paired with my initial experiment, the pumpkin loaf, they make for a fun Halloween colored addition to your Halloween party!

Happy Halloween!

Black Sesame Crumb Ube Loaf

Yield: One loaf

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Baking Time: 50 minutes

Total: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Ingredients:

For the loaf:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 16 oz package of frozen grated or mashed ube

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup canola (or neutral- flavored oil of your choice)

1 tbsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp ube extract, I use Butterfly or Uniflavor brand (no success with McCormick brand)

For the marble:

1/6 cup ground black sesame

1/6 cup caster sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted (or use vegan butter)

For the topping:

4.5 tbsp whole black sesame seeds

1.5 tsp maple syrup

1 tsp canola oil (or neutral- flavored oil of your choice)

*to make this recipe vegan, simply swap out the butter and milk in the marble for vegan options or omit the marble completely

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine sugar, oil, mashed ube, and vanilla. Fold into the bowl with flour until thoroughly incorporated. Set aside.

In a third bowl, use a spatula to combine all ingredients for the marble until you end up with a runny glaze. Set aside.

In your last bowl, combine the ingredients for your topping, ensuring your seeds are fully coated in maple syrup and oil. This helps prevent your topping from burning while baking.

To assemble before baking, pour a layer of your ube batter in the bottom of the pan. Using a spoon, drizzle your black sesame glaze on top of first layer, without allowing it to touch the side of the pan (no burnt sugar here!). Carefully pour another layer of your ube batter, then another layer of your black sesame glaze. Pour your final layer of your ube batter and smooth the top with a spatula. Generously spread with black sesame topping.

Bake for 50 minutes in a loaf pan lined with parchment paper, then transfer to a rack to cool completely before serving.