Ube Cake

This Ube Cake is another recipe I've inherited from my mom, who has been making it for almost every family occasion for as long as I can remember. My mom is a true baker, so this cake comes naturally to her. For me, it took hours in the kitchen with her, watching and taking notes, making it here in New York multiple times before I could make it on my own.

It's taken me a while to publish this recipe because I wanted to master it first so I could share tips that actually help. I'll be honest with you: if you don't bake cakes often, this one is a bit of a process. But I've gotten so many requests for it that I had to share!

If you're building a full Filipino menu around it, my Chicken Adobo and my Lumpia are great places to start.

Why This Ube Cake is Special

Ube (purple yam) is the flavor of Filipino celebrations. It's gently sweet and a little nutty with a hint of vanilla.

This one is made with a chiffon cake, which is light and more tender. The cake flour and whipped egg whites (the meringue) give it a soft, cloud-like crumb. We finish it with a French ube buttercream, that makes it so deliciously decadent.

This is one of my more complex recipes, and you'll need the right equipment and some patience. Think of it as your celebration cake.

Notes on Ingredients

*See recipe card below for full list of ingredients and quantities.

• Cake flour: Cake flour has less protein than all-purpose flour, which is what gives chiffon its tender crumb. Sift it before you measure. Sifting adds air and keeps lumps out of the batter.
• Avocado oil: Any neutral oil works here. My neutral oil of choice is avcado oil.
• Eggs: You'll need 12 eggs total. Seven get separated for the cake (yolks in the batter, whites in the meringue), and 5 more yolks go into the buttercream. Eggs separate most easily cold, but whites whip up best at room temperature, so separate them straight from the fridge and let the whites sit out for about 30 minutes.
• Cream of tartar: This stabilizes the egg whites so the meringue holds its structure while you fold. Don't skip it!
• Ube extract: This is where most of the flavor and that vibrant purple color come from. You can find at Filipino and Asian markets or online. It's very concentrated and stains very easily so be careful!
• Ube jam (ube halaya): Ube halaya is a thick, sweet jam made from purple yam, coconut milk, and condensed milk. I used store-bought from the Filipino store or you can also find them at Asian supermarkets. If you're feeling ambitious and want to make your own, here is a homemade recipe.
• Unsalted butter: It should be cold but also softened, meaning it dents when you press it but doesn't look greasy or melty. Very cold butter won't blend into the buttercream, and butter that's at room temp or too warm will make it soupy.

If Making Buttercream Is Not for You

Buttercream is daunting, and I get it. For all you non-fussy bakers out there, an ube whipped cream topping is lighter and so much easier. Whip 2 cups (480 grams) of cold heavy cream with ⅓ cup (40 grams) of powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Add ¼ cup (60 grams) of ube jam and 1 teaspoon of ube extract, then whip until it holds stiff peaks. It's softer than buttercream, so keep the cake in the fridge until you're ready to serve.

How to Make This Ube Cake

Make the Ube Chiffon Cake

1. Prep the pans and oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line the bottoms of two 8-inch pans with parchment paper, but don't grease the pans. Chiffon needs to cling to the sides of the pan so it can climb up as it bakes.

2. Prep the dry ingredients: Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl, then whisk in the sugar. Set aside.

3. Prep the wet and mix the batter: In another bowl, add in the egg yolks, avocado oil, ube extract, and water. Whisk until everything is combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until the batter is smooth and glossy, with no dry pockets.

4. Make the meringue: In the clean bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until frothy, then add the cream of tartar. Once the whites turn foamy and cloud-like with small, even bubbles, add the sugar gradually, a spoonful at a time. Keep beating until the meringue is glossy and white, and when you lift the whisk, the peak droops over to about 11 o'clock.

5. Fold in the meringue: Add one third of the meringue to the ube batter and gently fold it in with a spatula. Repeat with the remaining meringue in two more additions. We're folding from the bottom up and turning the bowl as we go, because the goal is to keep as much air in the batter as possible. Stop as soon as you don't see any white streaks.

6. Fill the pans and bake: Divide the batter evenly between the two pans (this is where your scale comes in handy). Give each pan one gentle tap on the counter to release any large air bubbles. Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden and spring back when pressed, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

7. Cool upside down: As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, flip the pans upside down onto a wire cooling rack and let them cool completely. This keeps the chiffon from collapsing under its own weight. Once they're cool, run an offset spatula around the edges to loosen the cakes, gently lift the pans away, and peel off the parchment.

Make the Ube Buttercream

1. Prep the yolks and standmixer: Add the egg yolks to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.

2. Make the sugar syrup: In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil over medium-high heat. Clip on your candy thermometer, or check often with an instant-read thermometer. When the syrup reaches 190°F, go to the standmixer and start whisking the yolks on medium-high. This way they're pale and fluffy by the time the syrup is ready.

3. Add the syrup: When the syrup reaches 220°F, remove it from the heat. With the mixer running, slowly pour the syrup down the side of the bowl. Turn the mixer to high and whip until the outside of the bowl is cool to the touch.

4. Add the butter: Replace the whisk attachment with a paddle attachment and on medium high speed, Add the softened but still cool butter a few cubes at a time, letting each addition blend in before adding more. Whip until it comes together into a silky, fluffy buttercream then mix in the ube jam and ube extract until the buttercream is an even lavender color.

Assemble the Cake

1. Stack the layers and frost: Place the first cake layer on a cake board or serving plate and spread an even layer of buttercream over the top with your offset spatula. Then add the second layer. Frost the cake with the remaining buttercream, smoothing the top and sides with your offset spatula. For clean sides, hold the spatula still against the cake and slowly turn the plate (a cake turntable makes this so much easier).

2. Decorate (optional): If you'd like to decorate, fill a piping bag fitted with a large decorative tip with buttercream and pipe rosettes or swirls around the top edge.

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