Soft Ube Cake (easy recipe)

May 02 2025

💜 Why is this cake unique?

Ube cake is an iconic dessert from the Philippines, also called ube chiffon cake . Its intense purple color, light texture, and slightly sweet vanilla flavor make it an original and delicious pastry. Here's a simple recipe for an ultra-soft ube cake , made with ube powder or flavoring. Enjoy this wonderful purple cake without restrictions!

🛒 Detailed ingredients (for a 20 cm mold)

150 g flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 pinch of salt
100 g sugar
2 eggs
100 ml milk (or coconut milk)
80 ml neutral oil (or melted butter)
2 tbsp ube powder or 1 tsp ube flavoring
A few drops of purple food coloring (optional to intensify the color)

🍳 Preparation steps (manual version)

In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients (flour, yeast, salt) with a wooden spoon or fork .
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar by hand . This takes a little longer, but works very well. You can use a whisk or simply a fork and beat the mixture for 2-3 minutes until frothy.
Add milk, oil and ube (powder or flavoring) and mix gently with a spoon .
Add the dry ingredients in small portions to avoid lumps. Mix until a smooth batter forms.
Pour into a greased pan (or a silicone mold if you don't have baking paper).
Traditional cooking: 30 to 35 minutes at 170 °C.

🧁 Alternative if you don't have an oven

Pour the batter into a mold that fits into a large saucepan .
Cover and steam over medium heat (or in a water bath) for about 45 minutes.
👉 Check the cooking status with a toothpick.

💜 Nutritional values – Ube cake (1 serving)

Calories	220–280 kcal
Total carbohydrates	30–35 g
Including sugar	15–22 g
Proteins	3–5 g
Lipids	10–14 g
fibers	1–2 g
Natural antioxidants	✔
Gluten-free	✔ if flour is suitable
Vegan	✔ if substitutes are used
Possible allergens	Eggs, milk, gluten (depending on the variant)

💡 Tip: For a vegan and gluten-free version, use oat or rice flour and replace the eggs with compote or plant-based yogurt.

📌 Notes:
The values are estimated for an average portion (approximately 1/10 of the cake) and vary depending on the ingredients used: sugar, fat, flour, egg, milk, etc.

Ube is rich in anthocyanins, antioxidant pigments that give it its natural purple color. It contributes to a colorful and healthy diet.

🎂 Variants

You can top it with coconut whipped cream , ube jam (halaya) , or vanilla cream cheese frosting.

📌 Conclusion

This moist ube cake is perfect as a unique snack, birthday cake, or sweet treat. It's easy to prepare and boasts a natural color and delicate flavor. It's an absolute must if you want to impress with an unparalleled dessert!
Try the recipe and share it on Instagram with the hashtag #UbeaYam !

Tags: Ube cake, Ube cake recipe, purple cake, Ube dessert, Filipino cake