Blackberry-Tahini Yogurt Cake

From the kitchen of Carly

Tangy yogurt cake studded with jammy blackberries and topped with a salty tahini swirl. Cardamom and citrus zest brighten every crumb, while the nutty paste adds complexity. Moist, tender, and sophisticated enough for company without pretension.

Blackberry-Tahini Yogurt Cake

Blackberry and tahini is an underrated pairing, one that rewards you with nutty depth and subtle sesame flavor woven through a tender crumb. The yogurt keeps everything moist for days, the cardamom adds a whisper of warmth, and that tahini drizzle that pools and caramelizes on top is the real draw here. Worth baking even when berries aren't peak.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1/2 tspground cardamom or cinnamon
  • 4 tbspplus 1 cup sugar
  • 2 1/4 cupall-purpose flour
  • 2 tspbaking powder
  • 1/2 tspkosher salt, plus more
  • 2 largeeggs
  • 1 cupplain whole-milk yogurt
  • 1/2 cupvegetable oil
  • 2 tspfinely grated lemon, lime, or orange zest
  • 2 cupfresh blackberries
  • 1/4 cuptahini

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Hit a 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick spray, lay a parchment round in the bottom, and spray that too. In a small bowl, stir together the cardamom and 2 tablespoons of sugar, then set it aside for later.

  2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, 1 cup of sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Hollow out a well in the center and add the eggs, yogurt, oil, and citrus zest, whisking them together in the middle before gradually pulling in the dry ingredients. Switch to a wooden spoon or rubber spatula and mix until the batter is smooth, then fold in the blackberries. Scrape everything into the prepared pan.

  3. Combine the tahini, a pinch of salt, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar in a small bowl, then drizzle the mixture evenly across the batter. Scatter the reserved cardamom sugar over the top.

  4. Slide the pan into the oven and bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool completely inside it, then invert onto a plate and flip it right side up.

  5. Stored tightly covered at room temperature, the cake keeps well for up to 2 days ahead of serving.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Fold the berries in gently at the end, right before the pan goes in the oven, so they stay whole and don't bleed purple throughout. A rubber spatula is your friend here.
  • The tahini mixture will be thick and stubborn to spread. Thin it with a teaspoon of warm water if needed, then drizzle it in thin streams across the top for even baking.
  • A wooden skewer or thin knife inserted near the center should come out clean or with just a crumb or two. If it hits a blackberry, that doesn't count as done.
  • Stir your tahini jar before measuring; settled sesame paste measures dense and will throw off your ratios.

Variations

  • Swap blackberries for raspberries or a mix of both, keeping the total volume the same. The flavor softens but stays bright.
  • Use orange or lemon zest only and skip the cardamom, then add 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger to the tahini topping for warmth without spice.
  • Drizzle with tahini mixed with a little honey instead of sugar, then sprinkle fleur de sel on top before baking for a salty-sweet finish.
  • Replace half the yogurt with sour cream for a taller, tighter crumb and richer tang.

Make ahead and storage

Keep the cooled cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. Freezing is fine for up to 2 months, thaw it wrapped at room temperature before serving.