Description
This easy Ube Cake recipe features vibrant purple yam flavor, a trendsetting dessert inspired by the famous Filipino ube halaya. The cake is soft, moist, and slightly sweet with a beautiful lavender hue, enhanced by optional ube extract. Perfect for fans of unique flavors and colorful desserts, it also pairs wonderfully with a creamy, tangy cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup ube halaya (purple yam jam)
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ube extract (optional, for stronger color and flavor)
Optional Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a cake pan to prevent sticking and ensure an even bake.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly mixed.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate larger bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together using an electric mixer or whisk until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, which incorporates air for a tender cake crumb.
- Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time into the butter and sugar mixture, beating well after each addition to blend fully and maintain smooth batter texture.
- Incorporate Ube Flavor: Stir in the ube halaya, vanilla extract, and if using, the ube extract to infuse the batter with that distinct purple yam flavor and vibrant color.
- Add Dry Ingredients and Milk Alternately: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients alternated with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry mix. Mix gently just until smooth to avoid overmixing which can toughen the cake.
- Bake: Pour the smooth batter evenly into the prepared cake pan. Place in the oven and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan before frosting to prevent melting or sliding.
- Prepare Optional Cream Cheese Frosting: For the frosting, beat 4 oz cream cheese with 2 tablespoons of butter until creamy. Gradually add 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon milk, continuing to beat until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
- Frost the Cake: Once the cake is fully cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the cake surface for a delicious tangy complement to the sweet ube flavor.
Notes
- Ube halaya (purple yam jam) can be found at Asian grocery stores or made at home for authentic flavor.
- Using ube extract is optional but enhances the vibrant color and deepens the flavor.
- Ensure eggs and butter are at room temperature for better mixing and texture.
- Do not overmix the batter once dry ingredients are added to prevent a dense cake.
- The cream cheese frosting adds a rich, tangy contrast to the sweet cake, but the cake is also delicious plain.
- Store the cake covered in the refrigerator if frosted, or at room temperature if unfrosted, for up to 3 days.
