Equipment
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 300 g ripe bananas, mashed
- 80 g tahini, well-stirred
- 60 ml neutral oil
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 130 g brown sugar, packed
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients & Inclusions
- 190 g all-purpose flour
- 4 g baking powder
- 3 g baking soda
- 2 g fine sea salt
- 120 g medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
Mascarpone Cream Frosting
- 120 g mascarpone cheese, chilled
- 80 g cream cheese, slightly softened
- 40 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 30 ml heavy cream, chilled
- 5 g white sesame seeds, toasted
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 447 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 58 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 33 g
- Sodium
- 311 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 54 mg
- Potassium
- 330 mg
- Calcium
- 183 mg
- Iron
- 1.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 58 mg
- Phosphorus
- 132 mg
- Zinc
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 132 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.12 mg
- Niacin
- 0.7 mg
- Folate
- 20 mcg
- Water
- 46 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 20cm square cake pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until uniform.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the mashed banana, brown sugar, tahini, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract vigorously until the mixture is emulsified and glossy.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Switch to a silicone spatula and gently fold until just a few streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
Add the chopped dates and fold gently 3-4 times to distribute them evenly without deflating the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Remove cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cake cools, prepare the frosting. In a bowl using an electric mixer, beat the mascarpone and cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and heavy cream, whipping until soft, spreadable peaks form.
Spread the frosting generously over the cooled cake and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds before slicing.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure your tahini is well-stirred before measuring. The oil at the top of the jar is essential for the texture; dry, sludgy tahini from the bottom of the jar will make the cake dry.
- If your dates are very dry or hard, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat thoroughly dry before chopping.
- The mascarpone adds a luxurious, milky flavor that is less acidic than pure cream cheese, which pairs beautifully with the subtle bitterness of tahini.
- For a warmer serving option, skip the frosting and serve the cake warm with a dollop of yogurt and a drizzle of honey.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container due to the dairy frosting.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze cake base only, without frosting.
Reheating: If served refrigerated, allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before eating to soften the crumb.
Troubleshooting
Cake is dense or gummy
Cause: Overmixing after adding the flour developed too much gluten
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but can be toasted and eaten as biscotti
Prevention: Stop mixing the moment the dry ingredients are incorporated; lumps are okay
Frosting is runny
Cause: Mascarpone was overbeaten or too warm
Fix: Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up before spreading
Prevention: Use chilled mascarpone and stop beating as soon as it holds shape
Cultural Context
This cake borrows from the classic Middle Eastern flavor triad of sesame (tahini), dates, and honey/sugar. While banana bread is a Western staple, the substitution of butter with tahini creates a halva-like undertone that elevates the humble tea cake into a sophisticated dessert.
