Tahini, a spread made by blending sesame seeds with olive oil, is a staple of many Mediterranean kitchens. The nutty, slightly bitter paste is best known for dialing up the flavor of hummus, but it also plays a starring role in vegetable sides such as baba ghanoush, in a variety of dressings and sauces, and even in desserts.

In this post, contributor Jessica Touchette shares her fabulous carob cupcake recipe with us. I had the pleasure of trying the cupcakes and I immediately fell in love with their sweet, earthy flavor. Plus, the tahini buttercream paired so perfectly with them. Enjoy!

Carob Cupcakes

Tahini (like desiccated coconut and dulce de leche) is an item that people often buy without even thinking about making it themselves. It turns out that the homemade version tastes just as good as the store-bought kind, if not better.

The main difference between homemade tahini and its store-bought counterpart has to do with the texture. This didn’t bother me, as tahini is typically mixed into something.