Description
This Best Ube Cake recipe is a vibrant and moist Filipino-inspired chiffon cake flavored with ube (purple yam) extract and ube jam, layered and frosted with a luscious ube Swiss meringue buttercream. With its light, fluffy texture and beautiful purple hue, this cake is perfect for celebrations or any time you crave a unique and delightful dessert.
Ingredients
Ube Cake
- 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 (for meringue)
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, about 3 tsp total)
Instructions
- Prepare pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the bottoms of three 8-inch round baking pans with parchment paper and set aside.
- Sift dry ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder and salt to ensure even mixing and a light cake texture.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a smaller bowl, mix ube extract, vegetable oil, and room temperature milk. Set aside.
- Beat egg yolks: Using a handheld mixer, beat egg yolks gradually adding ⅓ cup sugar one teaspoon at a time until the mixture turns light yellow and fluffy (approx. 7 minutes on medium-high speed).
- Add ube jam and color: Incorporate ube jam into the egg yolk mixture and beat until smooth with no lumps. For a more vibrant purple color, add purple gel food color if desired and mix evenly.
- Fold flour and milk mixtures: Fold one-third of the sifted flour into the egg mixture gently until just combined. Add half of the milk mixture next, then another third of the flour, followed by the remaining milk and finally the rest of the flour, folding each addition carefully to avoid overworking the batter.
- Whip egg whites: Using a clean, dry mixer bowl and beaters, start beating the 8 egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue beating until the whites become very frothy.
- Add sugar to egg whites: Gradually add ¾ cup sugar into the egg whites, about a heaping teaspoon at a time, and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Incorporate meringue: Fold about one cup of whipped egg whites (meringue) into the cake batter to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining meringue until evenly blended without deflating the mixture.
- Bake cakes: Divide batter evenly among the three prepared pans. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with minimal crumbs.
- Cool cakes: Remove from oven and invert pans onto a cooling rack to cool completely, which helps maintain the cake's height and texture.
- Make Swiss meringue buttercream: Prepare a basic Swiss meringue buttercream by heating 5 egg whites and sugar over a double boiler until sugar dissolves, then whip until glossy peaks form. Gradually add room temperature butter and continue whipping until smooth and fluffy.
- Flavor buttercream: Once buttercream is smooth, add ube extract gradually (about ¼ teaspoon at a time) until desired flavor and purple hue are achieved, usually about 3 teaspoons total. Whip until evenly colored and fully incorporated.
- Assemble cake: Trim the tops of the cakes to level them and remove any browned edges so the purple color shows clearly. Layer with ube buttercream between each cake layer and frost the entire cake as desired.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients (milk, eggs, butter) for better mixing and texture.
- Ube extract and ube jam quality significantly impact flavor; use authentic Filipino ube products if possible.
- Adding purple gel food color is optional but enhances the vibrant purple appearance.
- Be gentle when folding to keep the batter airy and the cake fluffy.
- Cooling the cakes upside down prevents shrinking and preserves the soft texture.
- Swiss meringue buttercream is preferred for its lightness and stability compared to traditional buttercream.
