As one of my entries into a holiday recipe contest with Rooted Fare, I ideated a cross between black sesame crunchy butter and black forest cake. This resulting cake is like the ultimate peanut butter & jelly combo, with an Asian flare and a much more elevated assembly. The use of fresh cherries (sour cherries or another variety) makes this much more palatable, even for people who usually don't like "cherry-flavored" desserts.

If you are allergic to peanuts, you can use black sesame tahini between the layers instead. It just won't have the same fun crunch of the Black Sesame Crunchy Butter.

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Cake Layers (three 6-inch layers)

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• 2 large eggs, room temperature (100 g)

• 200 g granulated sugar

• 50 g neutral oil

• 110 g black sesame tahini

• 125 g buttermilk

• 5 g baking powder

• 2 g baking soda

• 2 g kosher salt

• 20 g black cocoa powder

• 100 g cake flour

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• Simple syrup, for brushing layers

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Cherry Compote​

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• 200 g fresh or frozen cherries, pitted

• 35 g granulated sugar

• Pinch of salt

• Zest of 1 orange

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Whipped Cream​

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• 473 mL heavy cream (1 pint)

• 50 g confectioners' sugar

• 3 g vanilla extract

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Assembly​

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• Simple-syruped cake

• Whipped Cream

• Compote

• Fresh sour cherries for decor, rinsed and dried

• 90 g Rooted Fare Black Sesame Crunchy Butter​ or black sesame tahini

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Instructions

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1. For the cake: whip eggs and sugar together with an electric mixer until very pale and fluffy. Stream in oil slowly, and mix in until homogenous.

2. Whisk wet ingredients together until smooth. Sift dry ingredients together.

3. Alternate adding wet and dry ingredients to egg mixture, starting and ending with the dry. Do not overmix.

4. Grease and line three 6-inch cake pans. Divide batter evenly, about 240 g each.

5. Bake in a 325°F convection for 18-20 minutes or in a 350°F standard oven for 20-24 minutes.

6. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

7. Make cherry compote: Cook compote ingredients together until jammy. Cool completely.

8. Make whipped cream: beat together cream, sugar, and vanilla until medium peaks form. Keep chilled until ready to use.​

9. To assemble: brush each layer with simple syrup. Add 45 g of Black Sesame Crunchy Butter on top of 2 of the layers, and spread into a thin layer.

10. Stack one of the black sesame-covered layers on the cake plate for assembly. Pipe a ring of whipped cream along the outer edge, then fill the center with half the cherry compote. Top with more whipped cream.

11. Repeat with the other black sesame-covered layer.

12. Add the top layer of cake and crumb coat the entire cake with whipped cream. Chill for 30 minutes.

13. Cover and decorate with remaining whipped cream and fresh cherries.​​