Ube Cake Ala Red Ribbon: Soft and Creamy Filipino Ube Cake
Ube Cake Ala Red Ribbon is a soft, fluffy, and flavorful Filipino cake made with ube flavoring and ube halaya, then layered and covered with a smooth cream cheese frosting. Its beautiful purple color, creamy frosting, and distinct sweet ube flavor make it a favorite for birthdays, fiestas, holidays, and other special occasions.
Ube Cake ala Red Ribbon
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Whisk
- Sifter
- Rubber Spatula
- 6×6-inch cake pans
- Parchment paper
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cake knife
- Baking rack
- Blender or food processor
- Piping bag optional
Ingredients
For the Cake Meringue
- 4 egg whites
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ cup white sugar
For the Cake Batter
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 egg yolks
- ¼ cup cooking oil
- ⅓ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons ube flavoring
- ¼ cup ube halaya
For the Frosting
- 2 cups all-purpose cream
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 cup cream cheese
- ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
Instructions
Prepare the Meringue
- In a clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks begin to form. Gradually add the sugar while continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
Prepare the Dry Ingredients
- Sift together the all-purpose flour and baking powder. Add the salt and sugar, then mix well. Set aside.
Make the Ube Cake Batter
- In another bowl, combine the egg yolks, milk, ube flavoring, and ube halaya. Mix until well incorporated.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture while stirring until you have a smooth batter.
Fold in the Meringue
- Add the meringue to the batter in portions. Gently fold with a rubber spatula until fully incorporated. Avoid overmixing so the cake remains light and fluffy.
Bake the Cake
- Line two 6×6-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and gently tap the pans on the counter to release large air bubbles.
- Bake in a preheated 340°F (170°C) oven for 28–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Transfer the cakes to a baking rack. Let them cool completely before removing the parchment paper.
Make the Frosting
- Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla essence until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the all-purpose cream while continuing to beat until the frosting becomes smooth and spreadable.
Assemble the Ube Cake
- Once the cakes have cooled, cut them into layers as needed. Reserve one portion of the cake and place it in a blender or food processor. Pulse until it becomes fine crumbs.
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread a layer of frosting over it. Add the next cake layer and repeat until the cake is assembled.
- Cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Press the reserved cake crumbs gently onto the frosting to create the classic bakery-style finish.
- Use the remaining frosting in a piping bag to add decorative borders or designs.
- Chill the cake before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Make sure the egg whites are beaten in a clean, grease-free bowl so they can reach stiff peaks properly.
- Fold the meringue gently into the batter. Overmixing can deflate the egg whites and result in a denser cake.
- Ube halaya gives the cake a richer purple-yam flavor and complements the ube flavoring.
- Allow the cake layers to cool completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- For a smoother frosting, make sure the cream cheese is softened before mixing.
- Chilling the finished cake helps the frosting set and makes the cake easier to slice.
- For the best bakery-style appearance, use fine cake crumbs to cover the sides and top of the cake.
Nutrition
If you are a fan of Filipino bakery-style cakes, this easy ube cake recipe is definitely worth trying. You don’t need complicated ingredients or special baking equipment to make it at home. The cake is prepared in three simple parts: the meringue, ube cake batter, and frosting. Once assembled, the cake is decorated with cake crumbs and extra frosting for a beautiful bakery-inspired finish.
While this recipe is inspired by the popular bakery-style ube cake, making it at home gives you the freedom to adjust the sweetness and amount of frosting according to your preference.
What Is Ube Cake?
Ube cake is a Filipino cake made with ube, also known as purple yam. Ube has a naturally sweet, mildly nutty flavor and is one of the most beloved ingredients in Filipino desserts.
Ube has become especially popular in modern Filipino cooking and baking. It can be found in ice cream, pandesal, pastries, cookies, cheesecakes, and, of course, cakes. Its vibrant purple color also makes desserts look extra festive.
For this recipe, ube halaya and ube flavoring are added to the cake batter. Ube halaya provides a richer purple yam flavor, while the ube flavoring enhances the overall taste and aroma.
The cake is then paired with a creamy frosting made with cream cheese, all-purpose cream, sugar, and vanilla. The combination creates a sweet, creamy, and pleasantly rich dessert without making the ube flavor too overpowering.
Why You’ll Love This Ube Cake Recipe
There are plenty of reasons to make this Filipino ube cake at home.
First, the ingredients are simple and relatively affordable. You can find most of them in regular supermarkets, while ube flavoring and ube halaya are widely available in Filipino stores and baking-supply shops.
The cake also has a soft and airy texture because the batter incorporates whipped egg whites. The creamy frosting adds richness while complementing the distinct flavor of the ube.
Most importantly, this recipe is perfect for celebrations. You can decorate it simply with cake crumbs or make it more elaborate with piped frosting and additional ube decorations.
Ingredients
For the Cake Meringue
- 4 egg whites
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ cup sugar
For the Cake Batter
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 egg yolks
- ¼ cup cooking oil
- ⅓ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons ube flavoring
- ¼ cup ube halaya
For the Frosting
- 2 cups all-purpose cream
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 cup cream cheese
- ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
How to Make Ube Cake Ala Red Ribbon
Making this cake is easier when you divide the process into three parts: preparing the meringue, making the ube batter, and preparing the frosting.
1. Prepare the Meringue
Start by placing the egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean, dry mixing bowl.
Whisk until the egg whites begin to form soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar a little at a time while continuing to whisk. Keep beating until stiff peaks form.
The meringue is important because it helps give the cake its light and fluffy texture. Make sure your mixing bowl and beaters are clean and free from grease. Even a small amount of fat can make it difficult for the egg whites to whip properly.
Set the finished meringue aside while you prepare the cake batter.
2. Prepare the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour and baking powder.
Add the salt and white sugar, then mix everything together until evenly combined.
Sifting the flour and baking powder helps break up lumps and gives you a smoother cake batter.
3. Make the Ube Cake Batter
In another mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, milk, ube flavoring, and ube halaya. Stir until the ingredients are well incorporated and the mixture becomes smooth.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix gently until you have a smooth batter.
Next, add the prepared meringue in portions. Fold it gently into the batter using a spatula. Avoid vigorous stirring because you don’t want to deflate the air incorporated into the egg whites.
Continue folding until the meringue is evenly distributed and no large streaks remain.
4. Bake the Cake
Prepare two 6×6-inch cake pans by lining them with parchment paper.
Divide the ube cake batter evenly between the two pans. Gently tap each pan on the counter a few times to release large air bubbles.
Bake in a preheated oven at 340°F (170°C) for 28–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Once baked, place the cakes on a cooling rack. Carefully remove them from the pans and peel away the parchment paper.
Allow the cake layers to cool completely before frosting. This is important because frosting a warm cake can cause the frosting to soften and slide.
How to Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
While the cake cools, prepare the frosting.
Place the cream cheese, white sugar, and vanilla essence in a mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and creamy.
Gradually add the all-purpose cream while continuing to mix. Add the cream in portions rather than all at once, allowing it to blend properly with the cream cheese mixture.
Continue beating until the frosting reaches a smooth and spreadable consistency.
The vanilla gives the frosting a pleasant aroma and helps complement the ube flavor of the cake.
How to Assemble Ube Cake
Once the cake layers have cooled completely, you can begin assembling your Ube Cake Ala Red Ribbon-inspired cake.
Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread an even layer of cream cheese frosting over the top.
Place the second cake layer on top and gently press it down to secure the layers. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
For a classic bakery-style decoration, crumble a portion of the cake into fine crumbs. Gently press the crumbs onto the frosting around the sides and top of the cake.
You can also place some of the remaining frosting into a piping bag and decorate the top with simple swirls, rosettes, or borders.
Refrigerate the assembled cake before serving. Chilling helps the frosting set and makes the cake easier to slice.
Tips for Making the Best Ube Cake
Separate the eggs carefully. When making the meringue, avoid getting egg yolk into the egg whites. Even a small amount of yolk can affect how well the whites whip.
Use a clean mixing bowl. Grease or moisture can prevent egg whites from reaching stiff peaks.
Fold the meringue gently. The whipped egg whites contain air that helps make the cake fluffy. Overmixing can cause the cake to become dense.
Measure the ingredients accurately. Baking requires proper proportions, so use measuring cups and spoons and follow the recipe closely.
Choose flavorful ube halaya. Since ube is the star of the cake, using a good-quality ube halaya can make the finished dessert more flavorful.
Don’t rush the cooling process. Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the frosting. A warm cake can melt or loosen the frosting.
Chill before slicing. A chilled cake is easier to cut cleanly and allows the frosting to firm up.
Don’t overbake. Check the cake toward the end of the recommended baking time. Overbaking can result in a dry cake.
Can I Use Homemade Ube Halaya?
Yes. Homemade ube halaya can be used in this recipe as long as it has a smooth consistency. The flavor and sweetness of ube halaya can vary, so you may adjust the amount of additional sugar in the cake or frosting according to your preference.
If your ube halaya is particularly sweet, keeping the frosting moderately sweet can help balance the finished cake.
Can I Make This Cake for a Birthday?
Absolutely! Filipino ube cake is a wonderful choice for birthdays and other celebrations.
You can keep the decoration simple with ube cake crumbs and piped frosting, or make it more festive with additional decorations. Because of its naturally colorful appearance, even a simple design can make an impressive centerpiece.
The cake can also be prepared for Christmas, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, fiestas, family gatherings, and other occasions when you want a homemade Filipino dessert.
Conclusion
This Ube Cake Ala Red Ribbon-inspired recipe is a delicious way to enjoy the classic Filipino flavor of purple yam in a soft, creamy cake. The fluffy ube cake layers are made more flavorful with ube halaya and ube flavoring, while the smooth cream cheese frosting adds a rich and creamy contrast.
Although the recipe has several steps, each part is straightforward. Prepare the meringue, mix the ube batter, bake the cake, whip up the frosting, and assemble everything into a beautiful homemade dessert.
Whether you’re making a Filipino ube cake for a birthday, preparing dessert for a family gathering, or simply craving something sweet and creamy, this recipe is a great one to try. With its soft texture, vibrant purple color, and delicious ube flavor, every slice is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
