Boil water and add anise seeds. Let them boil for a couple of minutes on low heat. Turn stove off and let them rest in kettle.
Preheat oven to 350 F
In a medium sized bowl mix all dry ingredients.
Strain the anise seeds (throw away the seeds, can’t reuse them). Add the 1 cup of anise liquid and the vegetable oil to the dry mixture. Mix very well until smooth.
Line the bottom of the baking dish with parchment paper. Pour mixture and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.
Bake for 35 min. To make sure the cake is cooked all the way, stick a toothpick in the thickest part of the cake. It should come out clean. If it doesn’t, bake for another 2 min and check with a toothpick again.
Let it cool in dish for 10 min. Separate the edges of the cake from baking dish and transfer to a cooking rack.
Cut in squares and enjoy at room temperature.