Honey-Sesame Ethiopian Coffee Cake
A moist coffee cake infused with Ethiopian coffee and sweetened with honey, topped with toasted sesame seeds for a nutty crunch. This Ethiopian-inspired recipe, ready in about 50 minutes, layers all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 8, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp ground Ethiopian coffee
- 1/2 cup (1 stick), softened unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
The bakeware we’d bake this in → Best Bakeware Sets in 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.
- Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 2 tbsp ground Ethiopian coffee until well combined.
- Step 3: In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Step 4: Add 2 large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in 1/4 cup honey and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
- Step 5: Alternately add the dry flour mixture and 1/2 cup whole milk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Step 6: Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and sprinkle 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds evenly over the top.
- Step 7: Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake is golden.
- Step 8: Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with coffee or tea.









