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The Best Ube Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 73 reviews

This Best Ube Cake recipe features a light and fluffy Filipino-style purple yam cake layered with creamy ube Swiss meringue buttercream. Made with ube extract and ube jam, this vibrant dessert boasts soft textures and rich ube flavor, perfect for celebrations or any day you crave a sweet, colorful treat.

Ingredients

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Ube Cake Batter

  • 2 ½ cups sifted cake flour
  • 2 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ube extract
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup milk (room temperature)
  • 8 pcs egg yolks from large eggs (room temperature)
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 3.5 oz ube jam (about ½ cup, room temperature)
  • purple gel food colour (optional)
  • 8 pcs egg whites from large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 tsp cream of tartar
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar

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, approximately 3 tsp)

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the bottom of three 8-inch round baking pans with parchment paper and set them aside to prevent sticking during baking.
  2. Sift Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt to ensure they are well combined and aerated for a lighter cake texture.
  3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a smaller bowl, combine the ube extract, vegetable oil, and room temperature milk. Set aside for later incorporation into the batter.
  4. Beat Egg Yolks and Sugar: In another large bowl, use a handheld electric mixer to beat the eight egg yolks gradually adding ⅓ cup granulated sugar about a teaspoon at a time. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes light yellow and fluffy, approximately 7 minutes.
  5. Add Ube Jam and Color: Mix in the ube jam until the batter is smooth and free of lumps. If a more vibrant purple color is desired, add a few drops of purple gel food coloring and stir until evenly colored.
  6. Combine Flour and Wet Mixtures: Fold one third of the sifted flour mixture gently into the egg yolk mixture just until combined. Then fold in half of the milk mixture. Repeat by folding in another third of the flour, followed by the remaining milk, and finally the last third of the flour, taking care not to overmix to maintain batter lightness.
  7. Prepare Meringue Base: Clean and dry your mixer beaters, then beat the eight egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add 1 tsp cream of tartar and continue beating until the mixture becomes very frothy.
  8. Beat to Stiff Peaks: Gradually add ¾ cup sugar about a heaping teaspoon at a time, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
  9. Lighten Batter with Meringue: Fold about one cup of the meringue gently into the cake batter to lighten it, then fold in the remaining meringue until the batter is evenly blended and airy.
  10. Bake the Cake Layers: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with minimal crumbs.
  11. Cool the Cakes: Once baked, invert the pans onto a cooling rack and allow the cakes to cool completely before removing from pans.
  12. Prepare Ube Swiss Meringue Buttercream: Make a basic Swiss meringue buttercream by whisking 5 egg whites with 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and a pinch of salt over a double boiler until warm and sugar dissolves, then whipping until stiff peaks form. Gradually beat in room temperature unsalted butter and 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
  13. Flavor the Buttercream: Add ube extract ¼ teaspoon at a time to the buttercream, whisking thoroughly between additions until the flavor and color reaches your desired intensity (about 3 teaspoons total).
  14. Trim Cake Layers: Level the tops of the cooled cakes if uneven and trim the edges to remove any browned parts to keep the cake a vibrant purple.
  15. Assemble and Decorate: Fill and frost the cake layers with the ube Swiss meringue buttercream. Decorate as desired with remaining frosting or additional embellishments.

Notes

  • Ube extract and ube jam are critical to achieving authentic flavor; use high-quality products for best results.
  • Optional gel food coloring is used for vibrant purple color but does not affect flavor.
  • Ensure all eggs are at room temperature to achieve optimal volume and texture in batter and meringue.
  • Cake flour provides a lighter texture compared to all-purpose flour.
  • Folding carefully preserves the airiness of the batter, preventing the cake from becoming dense.
  • Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting to prevent the buttercream from melting.

Keywords: ube cake, Filipino cake, purple yam cake, ube meringue buttercream, ube dessert, Filipino dessert, ube jam cake

Find it online: https://zarameals.com/the-best-ube-cake-recipe/