💜🍰 Ube Cake with Creamy Ube Frosting
Soft, moist, fragrant, and beautifully purple, this homemade Ube Cake is packed with the distinctive sweet, nutty flavor of ube and finished with a rich, creamy ube frosting.
Ube, or purple yam, is a beloved Filipino ingredient known for its vibrant violet color and naturally sweet, earthy flavor. In this cake, ube extract provides its signature aroma while ube halaya adds authentic flavor and moisture.
The result is a tender cake that’s perfect for birthdays, celebrations, afternoon tea, holidays, or whenever you’re craving something wonderfully different.
⏱️ Recipe Information
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Bake Time: 30–35 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: About 2 hours
Servings: 10–12
Difficulty: Easy–Intermediate
Method: Oven-Baked
Pan: Two 8-inch round cake pans
🛒 Ingredients
💜 For the Ube Cake
- 2½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon ube extract
- ½ cup (140 g) ube halaya (ube jam)
- Purple food coloring, optional
Optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ube powder for an extra-intense ube flavor
💜 For the Ube Frosting
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ cup (140 g) ube halaya
- 1–2 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon ube extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Purple food coloring, optional
Optional Garnishes
- Toasted coconut
- Crushed roasted nuts
- Purple sprinkles
- White chocolate shavings
- Ube crumbs
- Fresh berries
👩🍳 Instructions
🍰 Make the Ube Cake
1. Prepare the Oven and Pans
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Grease two 8-inch round cake pans.
Line the bottoms with parchment paper, then lightly grease the parchment as well.
Set aside.
2. Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
Set aside.
3. Combine the Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, vegetable oil, eggs, ube extract, and vanilla extract if using.
Whisk until smooth and fully combined.
4. Add the Sugar
Gradually whisk the granulated sugar into the wet ingredients until evenly incorporated.
5. Add the Ube Halaya
Add the ube halaya.
Whisk until the mixture is smooth and the jam is fully incorporated.
If the halaya is particularly thick, gently warm it first for a few seconds so it blends more easily.
6. Add the Dry Ingredients
Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
Using a whisk or rubber spatula, mix just until combined.
Do not overmix.
The batter should be smooth and fairly thick.
7. Add Purple Coloring
If desired, add a small amount of purple food coloring.
Mix until you reach your preferred shade.
Remember that the cake will lighten slightly as it bakes.
🔥 Bake the Cake
8. Divide the Batter
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.
Smooth the tops gently with a spatula.
Tap the pans lightly on the counter once or twice to remove any large air bubbles.
9. Bake
Place the pans in the preheated oven.
Bake for approximately 30–35 minutes, or until:
- The tops spring back lightly when touched.
- A toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- The edges begin pulling slightly away from the pans.
Avoid overbaking, as this can dry out the cake.
10. Cool
Remove the cakes from the oven.
Allow them to cool in the pans for 10–15 minutes.
Run a thin knife around the edges if necessary.
Carefully turn the cakes onto a wire rack, remove the parchment, and allow them to cool completely.
The cakes must be completely cool before frosting.
🧈 Make the Ube Frosting
11. Beat the Butter
Place the softened butter in a large mixing bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer for 3–4 minutes, until pale, smooth, and fluffy.
12. Add the Powdered Sugar
Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar.
Mix on low speed initially to avoid creating a cloud of sugar, then increase to medium speed.
Beat until smooth.
13. Add the Ube
Add the ube halaya and ube extract.
Add the vanilla extract and salt.
Beat for another 1–2 minutes, until the frosting is creamy and evenly colored.
14. Adjust the Consistency
Add the milk or heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency.
If you want a more vibrant purple color, add a small amount of purple food coloring.
Beat for another minute until fluffy.
🎂 Assemble the Cake
15. Level the Cakes
If necessary, use a serrated knife to gently level the tops of the cooled cake layers.
This creates an even surface for stacking.
16. Add the First Layer
Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake board.
Spread a generous layer of ube frosting over the top.
Smooth it evenly with an offset spatula.
17. Add the Second Layer
Place the second cake layer on top, flat-side down.
Gently press it into position.
18. Apply a Crumb Coat
Spread a thin layer of frosting around the entire cake.
This traps loose crumbs and creates a smoother final finish.
Refrigerate for 15–20 minutes.
19. Finish Frosting
Apply the remaining frosting generously over the top and sides.
Smooth with an offset spatula or decorate with a piping bag and your favorite tip.
20. Garnish
Finish with toasted coconut, crushed nuts, purple sprinkles, or white chocolate shavings if desired.
For an especially elegant appearance, pipe small swirls of ube frosting around the top edge.
⭐ Chef’s Tips
Use room-temperature ingredients
Room-temperature eggs and milk blend more evenly and help create a smoother batter.
Don’t overmix
Mix the flour in only until no visible dry streaks remain. Overmixing can produce a dense cake.
Use good-quality ube extract
Ube extract gives the cake its distinctive aroma and helps reinforce the flavor of the ube halaya.
Don’t overbake
A few moist crumbs on a toothpick are preferable to a completely dry tester.
Cool completely before frosting
Warm cake will soften the buttercream and make it difficult to frost neatly.
Chill between frosting stages
A brief chill after the crumb coat makes the final frosting layer much easier to smooth.
💜 Easy Variations
Ube Coconut Cake
Add ½ cup toasted shredded coconut between the cake layers and sprinkle more over the finished cake.
Ube Macapuno Cake
Add sweetened macapuno strips between the cake layers for a classic Filipino-inspired combination.
Ube Cream Cheese Frosting
Replace half the butter in the frosting with softened cream cheese for a tangy, creamy finish.
Ube Cupcakes
Divide the batter among lined muffin cups and bake for approximately 18–22 minutes.
Ube Sheet Cake
Bake the batter in a greased 9 × 13-inch pan for approximately 30–35 minutes, checking for doneness near the end.
Ube Chocolate Cake
Add a thin chocolate ganache layer between the cake layers for a rich ube-chocolate combination.
🥥 Serving Suggestions
Serve this cake with:
- Toasted coconut
- Fresh berries
- Vanilla ice cream
- Whipped cream
- White chocolate
- Chopped toasted nuts
- A drizzle of condensed milk
A cup of coffee, milk tea, or hot tea makes a wonderful pairing.
🎉 Perfect for Celebrations
This Ube Cake is especially beautiful for:
- Birthdays
- Filipino celebrations
- Afternoon tea
- Holiday gatherings
- Anniversaries
- Baby showers
- Dessert tables
- Family celebrations
Its natural purple color makes it an especially eye-catching centerpiece.
🧊 Storage
Store the frosted cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Let it sit at room temperature for approximately 20–30 minutes before serving so the frosting softens and the cake becomes more tender.
❄️ Freezing
The unfrosted cake layers can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 2 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before assembling.
The frosting can also be prepared ahead and refrigerated for several days. Allow it to soften slightly, then whip again before frosting the cake.
💜🍰 Final Result
This Ube Cake with Creamy Ube Frosting is soft, moist, fragrant, and beautifully vibrant.
Every slice delivers the distinctive flavor of sweet ube halaya and aromatic ube extract, balanced by a smooth, buttery frosting that’s creamy without overpowering the cake.
A gorgeous purple centerpiece with a tender crumb and irresistible Filipino-inspired flavor in every bite! 💜🍰✨