Ube Cake (Filipino Purple Yam Cake)

7/3/24, 5:09 PM Ube Cake (Filipino Purple Yam Cake)
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UBE CAKE (FILIPINO PURPLE YAM

CAKE)
by Jolina | Published: November 14, 2016 | Last Updated: January 13, 2023 | 228
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Ube cake is a staple in any Filipino celebration. Light and fluffy ube cake layers
frosted with the most luxurious ube buttercream. It doesn’t only look stunning, it’s
mouthwateringly good too! Read on and find out why this recipe is a reader favorite
and consistently has a 5-star rating.
(Looking for an easy, simple ube cake recipe? Try this ube chiffon cake — light and
airy, packed with ube flavor, no frosting needed. And if no-bake ube cake is what you
need, you will love this ube tiramisu.)
https://theunlikelybaker.com/ube-cake-filipino-purple-yam-cake/ 1/87
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Why you’ll love this recipe

What you’ll need
How to make
Baking tips
Recipe FAQs
Philippine cake recipes
The Best Ube Cake
Ube (purple yam in English) is not unique to the Philippines but is definitely a
national favorite. It’s made into all sorts of treats like:
Ube cupcakes with whipped ube frosting
Ube cheesecake with a coconut cookie crust
Belgian-stye ube waffles
Soft and fluffy ube crinkles

Creamy ube ice cream (no machine needed)
And, my personal favorite, ube jam (or ube halaya)
Back in 2016 when I first shared this recipe, I admitted that it was very challenging
for me to describe exactly what ube tastes like.
And I have the same problem today!
Ube tastes so unique and doesn’t taste similar to anything so it’s something you
really need to taste for yourself.
Happily, ube has become so much more popular and mainstream since then so a lot
more people have had it. Read more about it at Food & Wine and Real Simple.
Let me just say this — if a whole nation can be obsessed with ube, won’t you want to
see what the fuss is about? This Filipino ube cake is a great place to start.
W H Y YO U ’ L L LO V E T H I S R E C I P E
I love baking cakes for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, birthdays, and other
celebrations and ube is by far the most requested one.
Which means this recipe has been tried and tested many, many times and has not
failed me once.
Best of all, I’ve been told it reminds them of the Red Ribbon and the Goldilocks
cakes of our childhood, if not better! I love making it, hope you do, too.
Uses real ube. Unlike other recipes that use ube powder or just ube extract, this
recipe uses ube jam or ube halaya.
Frosted with Swiss meringue buttercream. It’s also frosted with Swiss
meringue buttercream (SMBC). If you haven’t worked with SMBC before, you will
love it! It’s smooth, creamy and a joy to pipe and decorate with.
Easily customized. I fill may cake layers with ube jam or frosting but you can
certainly use macapuno and make this an ube macapuno cake. You can also opt
to sprinkle the top with cheese.
Can be made ahead. You can make the cake and the buttercream ahead of time
so you don’t need to rush right before company (see FAQs).
Looks stunning every time. And when your loved ones do arrive, this cake will
blow them away however you decide to decorate it. With it’s vibrant purple color
and fluffy layers, it’s a hit every time.
Related: The Best Must Try Ube Desserts
W H AT YO U ’ L L N E E D
(Ingredients for Ube Cake)

(Ingredients for Ube Swiss Meringue Buttercream)
You’ll need mostly pantry staples like butter, sugar, milk and baking powder. Some
things to remember:
Cake flour — I use cake flour in this recipe for that light and tender texture. You
can use all-purpose flour in a pinch but note that it’s not a 1:1 substitution and I
can’t guarantee that you’ll get the same result. What I would recommend is to
make your own. It’s easier than you think!
Ube extract — you can find ube extract in Asian supermarkets and on Amazon. I
don’t recommend skipping this ingredient because it is what gives the cake that
vibrant purple hue and that pop of ube flavor.
Ube jam — I make my own ube jam but you can certainly buy your favorite jar
from the store. What’s important is that you use ube jam that you enjoy eating
on its own.
Cream of tartar — this recipe has a meringue component and the cream of
tartar helps us achieve egg whites that are stable, billowy and glossy. I haven’t
personally tried it but other readers have said they’ve used vinegar or lemon
juice to achieve the same effect.
As far as baking tools go, you’ll need 3 8-inch round baking pans (see FAQs for pan
alternatives). I also use either an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer.
A candy thermometer comes in handy when making the buttercream but I’ll show
you what to do if you don’t have one.
H O W TO M A K E
There are two components to this recipe: the cake and the frosting.
C A K E L AY E R S
Preheat your oven to 350F. Line the bottom of 3 8-inch round baking pans with
parchment paper and set aside (see alternative pan sizes in FAQs).
(1) In a large bowl, sift cake flour, baking powder and salt.
(2) Set aside.

(3) In a smaller bowl, combine ube extract, vegetable oil and milk.
(4) Set aside.

(5) In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg yolks while gradually
adding ⅓ cup sugar about a teaspoon at a time.
(6) Beat until the mixture is light yellow (about 7 minutes on medium-high speed).
(7) Add ube jam.

(8) Beat until smooth and no big lumps remain. (Optional: if you want your cake to
be a more vibrant purple, you can add gel food color at this stage and give the
batter a stir until the color is evenly distributed).
(9) Fold a third of your flour mixture into your egg mixture just until combined.
(10) Then add half of your milk mixture, another third of your flour, the rest of your
milk and finally the rest of your flour, folding each addition just until combined. Be
careful not to overwork the batter.
(11) Turn your attention to your egg whites.

(12) Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (or your handheld electric mixer)
– making sure that the beaters are clean, dry and grease-free – beat egg whites on
medium-high speed until they start to get foamy.
(13) Add cream of tartar.

(14) Beat until very frothy.

(15) Gradually add ¾ cup sugar about a heaping teaspoon at a time into the egg
whites.
(16) And continue to beat until you reach stiff peaks (about 15 minutes).
(17) Take about 1 cup of the meringue and add into the cake batter.
(18) Gently fold to lighten the mixture.

(19) Transfer the rest of your meringue into the batter.

(20) And fold until evenly blended.

Transfer the cake batter to prepared pans and bake for 20 mins or until a toothpick
inserted in the center comes out with minimal dry crumbs.
Put the pans upside down on a cooling rack and cool completely.
UBE SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM
While your cakes are cooling, you can work on your frosting.
(1) Put egg whites, sugar and a pinch of salt in the bowl of your stand mixer (should
be heatproof) and set that over a pan of simmering water. If you own a candy
thermometer, clip that onto your bowl too.
(2) Constantly whisk your mixture until the temperature reaches 140F (see FAQs).
While whisking, swipe the sides of your bowl with your whisk once in a while to make
sure no sugar crystals form.
(3) Take the bowl out of the heat and directly into your stand mixer fitted with the
whisk attachment.
(4) Whisk on medium-high speed until you reach stiff peaks, the mixture is smooth
and fluffy, and the bottom of your bowl is not hot to the touch anymore.
(5) With the mixer on medium-low speed, start to gradually add the 2 cups butter,
small parts at a time, mixing well after each addition. Again, remember to scrape the
bottom and sides of your bowl.
(6) Once you’ve added all the butter, add vanilla extract and stir.
(7) Switch to the paddle attachment, add ube extract a little a time and stir. Taste and
add until you get the ube flavor your like (I usually add 3 teaspoons).
(8) Whip on medium-low speed until your buttercream becomes smooth, glossy and
creamy.
A S S E M B LY A N D D E C O R AT I O N
Once your cakes are completely cool, you’re ready to assemble!

Trim the tops of your cake if they are uneven using a serrated knife or a cake
leveller.
The important thing is the tops are level and your two cakes are of equal height (you
can eyeball this but a ruler is very handy).
Take one cake and place on a platter or cake turntable smooth side down (trimmed
side up).
Using a piping bag fitted with your favorite large tip (or just cut one corner of large
Ziploc bag), pipe a border around the cake to act as a dam so your filling
doesn’t ooze out later.
Fill the center with ube halaya or ube frosting (or macapuno). You’ll want the height
of the filling equal to the height of your dam so your cake doesn’t sag in the middle.
Repeat for the second layer then top with the third layer and decorate as desired.
BAKING TIPS
Easier than you thought, right? Here are more baking tips for the best ube cake every
time.
H O W TO E N S U R E A M O I S T C A K E
This cake is soft, moist and fluffy with an equally light frosting. To ensure moist cake
layers every time:
Use cake flour as much as possible.
Don’t over mix the batter. This would result to too much gluten and a very
dense cake.
Use room temperature ingredients. They will be easier to incorporate and will
help you avoid overworking the batter.
Don’t over bake the cake. Ensure you’re baking at the right temperature (an
oven thermometer would be great here) and once your tester comes out with
minimal dry crumbs, take the cakes out. We’re not looking for a tester that
comes out perfectly clean.
If you’re not assembling the cake immediately, wrap each layer (allowed to cool
completely) in plastic wrap then aluminum foil and store in the fridge. This seals
in the moisture and prevents air from drying them out.
TIPS ON WORKING WITH EGG WHITES /

MERINGUE
I get lots of questions about meringue-based cakes sinking in the middle or egg
whites not stabilizing into stiff peaks. Here are some things I learned over the years:
Low, steady speed. When making meringue, don’t go higher than medium
speed (using my KitchenAid stand mixer, I stay on speed 3). It takes longer to get
stiff peaks but this results to a more stable meringue that won’t deflate after
baking.
Add sugar gradually. It also helps to add the sugar gradually (I do about a
teaspoon at a time).
Cream of tartar. I also always use cream of tartar to help stabilize the mixture.
Fold gently. Lastly, you’ll want to fold the meringue gently into the cake batter
so as not to deflate all that wonderful volume you created.
SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

T R O U B L E S H O OT I N G G U I D E
Making SMBC is more involved than other kinds of frosting but it’s very rewarding.
And once you get the hang of it, I’m sure it will become your favorite kind of frosting
too!
Problem Cause Solution
Make sure to dissolve the sugar completely. A

You might not have great way to tell if you’ve done this step right is
heated the mixture by carefully dipping your finger into the sugar
Grainy
enough to dissolve mixture — if you don’t feel any grains of sugar
the sugar anymore when you rub a small amount of
mixture between your fingers, you’re good.
Don’t give up! Just continue whipping and you

Not whipped
Curdled will end up with lovely frosting before you
enough
know it.
Sugar mixture didn’t

A simple solution would be to put your bowl
cool down enough
with the buttercream and the whisk in the
before the butter
Runny fridge for half an hour or so, or until you see
was added or butter
the edges just beginning to harden and set.
got too soft and
Then just continue whipping.
warm
Looks
Same as above Same as above
greasy
T I P S O N C A K E D E C O R AT I O N A N D A S S E M B LY
Decorating cakes is my favorite part of making them. It’s fun and you can make your
cake as simple or as out-of-this-world as you want.
There are no rules, but here are a few ideas:
Crumb coat. A crumb coat is a thin layer of frosting applied to a layer cake
before the final coat of frosting. The cake is then refrigerated for at least an
hour. This helps keep crumbs stay in place before the final frosting is applied. I
usually crumb coat a dark cake if the frosting is a light one, so that the crumbs
don’t show on the outside.
Sharp edges. I’m not a great froster and almost never get sharp edges on my
cakes lol but my blogging friend Veena gives lot of tips on how she gets sharp
edges on her buttercream cakes.
Using different sized tips. The way I compensate for my imperfect edges is by
piping lots of different flowers, stars, swirls and dots on my cakes. I use different
kinds and sizes of tips. Here are some beginner piping techniques.
Chill to set. Once your perfect cake is all done and pretty, chill it in the fridge to
set before serving.
R E C I P E FA Q S
What is ube? +
Where can I buy ube? +
What other pan sizes can I use? +
How do I make SMBC without a candy thermometer? +
What other kinds of frosting can I use? +
Can I make this cake ahead? +
PHILIPPINE CAKE RECIPES

Looking for more cake recipes from the Philippines? Check these out:
Taisan (Filipino Chiffon Cake Recipe) The Best Sans Rival Cake (Easy
Delicious Filipino Dessert)
Brazo de Mercedes Yema Cake Recipe with

(Recipe, Tips & More!) Stable Yema Frosting
Happy baking!
Did you make this beloved Filipino cake? I’d love to hear all about it! Leave a
comment or a star rating below. You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook. I’d
love to see your creations!
You can also find me on Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube.
Related: Must Try Filipino Desserts
The Best Ube Cake

Author: Jolina
Ube cake is a staple in any Filipino celebration.

Light and fluffy ube cake layers frosted with the
most luxurious ube buttercream. Find out why this
recipe is a reader favorite and consistently has a 5-
star rating.
5 from 110 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
PREP TIME COOK TIME TOTAL TIME

30 mins 30 mins 1 hr
SERVINGS CALORIES
COURSE CUISINE 12 people 590 kcal
Dessert Filipino
Equipment
8-Inch Round Pan
Stand Mixer
Cake Leveler
Cake Turntable
Ingredients
US Customary Metric 1x 2x 3x
For the Ube Cake Batter:

2 ½ cups sifted cake flour
2 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 tsp ube extract see notes
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup milk room temperature

8 pcs egg yolks from large eggs room temperature
⅓ cup granulated sugar see notes
3.5 oz ube jam (about ½ cup) room temperature, see notes
purple gel food colour optional
For the Meringue:

8 pcs egg whites from large eggs room temperature
1 tsp cream of tartar
¾ cup granulated sugar
For the Ube Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

5 pcs egg whites from large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar + 2 tablespoons
pinch salt
2 cups unsalted butter cut into parts, room temperature
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
ube extract to taste
Instructions
For the Ube Cake:

Preheat your oven to 350F. Line the bottom of 3 8-inch round baking pans
with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, sift cake flour, baking powder and salt.
In a smaller bowl, combine ube extract, vegetable oil and milk. Set aside.
In another large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat egg yolks while
gradually adding ⅓ cup sugar (about a teaspoon at a time) until the mixture is
light yellow (about 7 minutes on medium-high speed).
Add ube jam and beat until smooth and no big lumps remain. If you want your
cake to be a vibrant purple, you can add gel food colour at this stage
(optional) and give the batter a stir until the colour is evenly distributed.
Fold a third of your flour mixture into your egg mixture just until combined.
Then add half of your milk mixture, another third of your flour, the rest of your
milk and finally the rest of your flour, folding each addition just until
combined. Be careful not to overwork the batter.
Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (or your handheld electric
mixer – making sure that the beaters are clean, dry and grease-free), beat the
egg whites on medium speed until they start to get foamy.
Then add cream of tartar and beat until very frothy.
Gradually add ¾ cup sugar (about a heaping teaspoon at a time) into egg
whites until you reach stiff peaks.
Take about a cup of the meringue and fold it into your cake batter to lighten it.
Then fold the rest of your meringue into the batter until evenly blended.
Transfer the cake batter to prepared pans and bake for 20 mins or until a
toothpick inserted in the centre comes out with minimal crumbs.
Put the pans upside down on a cooling rack and cool completely.
For the Ube Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

See this recipe on how to make basic Swiss meringue buttercream.
Once your buttercream has come together, start adding ¼ teaspoon ube
extract at a time until you get the flavour you desire (I usually put 3 teaspoons
total).
Whip until the flavour is fully incorporated and the buttercream is evenly
coloured.
Cake Assembly:
Trim the tops of your cakes if they are uneven. Trim the sides too to get rid of
the brown edges so you’re left with a vibrant purple cake.
Fill and decorate with frosting as desired.
Video
Notes
1. You can find ube extract in Asian supermarkets and at Amazon (linked above).
2. You may need to adjust the sugar content depending on the kind of ube jam
you find. Ube jam can be found in Asian supermarkets as well. I make my own,
check out my ube jam recipe here.
3. See the post for step-by-step photos, baking tips, FAQs and a Swiss meringue
troubleshooting guide.
Nutrition
Calories: 590kcal Carbohydrates: 54g Protein: 3g
Fat: 40g Saturated Fat: 27g Cholesterol: 89mg
Sodium: 109mg Potassium: 195mg Sugar: 35g
Vitamin A: 970IU Calcium: 70mg Iron: 0.3mg
Nutritional information are estimates only.
Tried this recipe? Leave a star rating today!

Also tag @iamtheunlikelybaker I’d love to see your creations.
(Cake recipe adapted from My Sweet Ambitions).
MORE UBE RECIPES
Ube Biko with Latik Easy Delicious Ube Hopia
Ube Mochi Recipe The Best Ube Tiramisu Recipe

(Hawaiian Butter Mochi)
COMMENTS
Jane June 09, 2024 at 7:53 pm
Hi
Wondering whether I could make this cake ahead of time and freeze it (before
putting any frosting on)? Would it defrost ok?
Thanks
R E P LY
Jolina June 10, 2024 at 1:23 pm
Hi Jane, yes you can freeze the cake layers. I usually wrap each one in cling
wrap then in foil. Defrost in the fridge. Happy baking!
R E P LY
Vivian May 26, 2024 at 5:16 am
First time making ube cake and it was perfect! We especially loved the frosting.
Made for Mother’s Day. Thanks for the recipe.
R E P LY
Jolina May 28, 2024 at 10:29 am
That’s awesome Vivian! Glad you liked the ube cake!
R E P LY
Stella Gillett May 24, 2024 at 11:28 am
Should you use 8 egg whites or 16?
R E P LY
Hi Stella, you will need 8 egg whites for the cakes and another 5 egg whites
for the buttercream.
R E P LY
Faith May 21, 2024 at 9:37 pm
Hi. Made this today and followed your instructions to a T.

but the buttercream frosting is not as vibrant as your photo, am I doin
R E P LY
Hi Faith, might be the ube extract you’re using? I use the McCormick brand.
R E P LY
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4.83 from 110 votes (88 ratings without comment)
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7/3/24, 5:09 PM Ube Cake (Filipino Purple Yam Cake)

Home » Recipes » Ube Recipes

UBE CAKE (FILIPINO PURPLE YAM

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

Why you’ll love this recipe

Ube cupcakes with whipped ube frosting

Ube cheesecake with a coconut cookie crust

Belgian-stye ube waffles

Soft and fluffy ube crinkles

Creamy ube ice cream (no machine needed)

And, my personal favorite, ube jam (or ube halaya)

And I have the same problem today!

Related: The Best Must Try Ube Desserts

(Ingredients for Ube Cake)

(Ingredients for Ube Swiss Meringue Buttercream)

(2) Set aside.

(4) Set aside.

(7) Add ube jam.

(11) Turn your attention to your egg whites.

(13) Add cream of tartar.

(14) Beat until very frothy.

(18) Gently fold to lighten the mixture.

(19) Transfer the rest of your meringue into the batter.

(20) And fold until evenly blended.

UBE SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Once your cakes are completely cool, you’re ready to assemble!

Use cake flour as much as possible.

TIPS ON WORKING WITH EGG WHITES /

SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Problem Cause Solution

Make sure to dissolve the sugar completely. A

Don’t give up! Just continue whipping and you

Sugar mixture didn’t

There are no rules, but here are a few ideas:

Where can I buy ube? +

What other pan sizes can I use? +

How do I make SMBC without a candy thermometer? +

What other kinds of frosting can I use? +

Can I make this cake ahead? +

PHILIPPINE CAKE RECIPES

Brazo de Mercedes Yema Cake Recipe with

You can also find me on Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube.

Related: Must Try Filipino Desserts

The Best Ube Cake

Ube cake is a staple in any Filipino celebration.

5 from 110 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

PREP TIME COOK TIME TOTAL TIME

For the Ube Cake Batter:

½ cup milk room temperature

For the Meringue:

For the Ube Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

For the Ube Cake:

For the Ube Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

Tried this recipe? Leave a star rating today!

(Cake recipe adapted from My Sweet Ambitions).

MORE UBE RECIPES

Ube Biko with Latik Easy Delicious Ube Hopia

Ube Mochi Recipe The Best Ube Tiramisu Recipe