Ube Cake - Foxy Folksy (2024)

Top off your celebrations with this divine Ube Cake! Soft and fluffy cake with a smooth, ube-flavored cream cheese frosting and covered with velvety ube-flavored crumbs. Festivities would surely be livelier and more colorful with this on your table.

Ube, also known as purple yam or greater yam, is a starchy tuber vegetable known for its vivid violet to bright lavender color. It has a mildly sweet, nutty flavor and an appealing hue, making it a popular ingredient in delicious treats such as Ube Biko, Sapin sapin, Ube Ice Cream, and this amazing recipe, Ube Cake.

What is an Ube Cake?

Personally, I think there is no other cake that can represent the Philippines better than Ube Cake. With its vibrant color and unique taste, yet requiring very simple ingredients, it is indeed very apt. It is popularly sold in bakeshops in different shapes and sizes. The traditional bein a round cake, but it is also sold in the form of Swiss-roll and even cupcakes!

About this Ube Cake

Although it is commonly made as a chiffon cake or sponge cake that is flavored with ube flavor, I opted not to follow the norm to make Ube cake. I used my tried and tested basic cake batter in this recipe, which I have used in myUbe Lamington recipe. I also added ube jam or ube halaya for a more natural flavor. I tried to add as much as I can while retaining the fluffiness of the cake and without making the cake too dense. The additional Ube extract has to do the rest.

I highly recommend this cake for a beginner baker or those who do not have so much experience frosting a cake but want to make one that looks elegant.

More Ube-Flavored Treats For you!

Ingredients

• Lard, oil, and flour- the combination of these three ingredients make the perfect pan-release grease. It makes sure that not even a crumb is left in the pan when removing or releasing the cake.

For the Cake Batter:

• Butter- makes the cake light and fluffy and adds a buttery flavor.
• Vegetable/coconut oil- keeps the cake moist and soft. It also helps the cake rise higher.
• Sugar- not only does it provide sweetness and flavor to the cake, but it also helps retain moisture.
• Eggs- provide structure, leavening, and richness to the cake.
• Vanilla Extract- it imparts a sweet, earthy richness and enhances the other flavors in the cake.
• Ube Extract/Color- adds deeper ube flavor and color.
• All-purpose Flour- also known as plain flour, is the most common type of flour. Unbleached all-purpose flour is best used for this recipe. If unavailable, you may also use cake flour.
• Baking powder- as the leavening agent.
• Salt- balances the sweetness of the cake.
• Ube Halaya or Jam- a famous dessert or snack from the Philippines made from boiled and mashed purple yam. If unavailable, you may also use ube powder.

For the Frosting:

• Cream cheese- adds a creamy and tangy flavor and allows the frosting to hold its shape better.
• Powdered sugar- also called confectioners' sugar. I used this because it dissolves easily and makes a smooth frosting. Alternatively, you may use caster sugar.
• Whipping/heavy cream- adds volume to the frosting.

Tips for baking a decadent Ube Cake

• Do not skip using the pan-release grease to make the removal of the cake easier. It also makes a perfectly shaped cake.
• Make sure to use room-temperature ingredients when baking. Not only do they blend easily, but they also create a smooth batter.
• Overmixing the batter will result in a dense and tough cake rather than a light and fluffy one.
• If you plan on using fresh purple yams, boil and mash them before adding them to the cake. I recommend running it through a food processor or blender to prevent lumps in your batter.
• Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake to see if it is fully baked. If it comes out clean of sticky batter, it's ready to go.
• Make sure your cake has properly cooled or chilled before applying the frosting, lest the frosting won't stay put and the cake may crumble.
• Bottled purple yam jams and powders are easily available in Asian stores and supermarkets. If you can't get your hands on some ube jam or powder, you may just use the ube extract.
• If you like, you may add macapuno strings to the white cream cheese filling/frosting of your cake. It adds texture and a delicious tropical flavor to your cake.

Serving and Storage of Ube Cake

You can enjoy the Ube Cake immediately or chill it for about 20-30 minutes for a firmer cake and frosting. Serve it for dessert or an afternoon snack with a cup of hot coffee or tea.

Since the frosting is with cream cheese and whipped cream, it may not be left in a room that is too warm for too long or it could melt; however, it should be able to handle room temperature for some hours.

Keep leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. This cake can also be frozen.

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