Description
This Ube Layer Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream is a stunning purple dessert featuring soft, fluffy cake layers infused with authentic ube flavor and paired with silky vanilla and ube buttercream. Finished with elegant gold leaf accents, it’s a show-stopping centerpiece perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, and special celebrations.
Ingredients
3 cups (340 g) cake flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
5 large eggs, separated
2 ¼ cups (447 g) granulated sugar, divided
10 tbsp (142 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (227 g) ube halaya jam
1 tbsp ube extract
2 tsp purple food coloring
1 ¼ cups (283 g) whole milk, room temperature
½ cup + 2 tbsp (142 g) egg whites (about 5 large)
1 ¼ cups (248 g) granulated sugar
2 cups (454 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup (113 g) egg whites (about 4 large)
1 cup (198 g) granulated sugar
1 ½ cups (340 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed
2 tsp ube extract
2 tsp purple food coloring
¼ cup (57 g) ube halaya jam
3–4 sheets edible gold leaf (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line four 8-inch pans with parchment.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Beat egg whites until frothy, then gradually add ¼ cup sugar and whip to stiff peaks. Set aside.
- Cream 2 cups sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add yolks one by one, then mix in ube jam, extract, and coloring.
- Add dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with milk. Mix until just combined.
- Fold in ¼ of whipped egg whites to lighten batter, then gently fold in the rest.
- Divide batter into pans and bake 30–35 minutes. Cool completely.
- For vanilla buttercream: heat egg whites and sugar to 160°F over simmering water, whisking. Beat until peaks form and bowl cools. Add butter and vanilla until silky.
- For ube buttercream: repeat process with egg whites and sugar. Add butter, ube extract, coloring, and jam until smooth.
- Assemble: Layer cakes with vanilla buttercream between layers. Coat cake in vanilla buttercream and chill 1 hour.
- Frost top half with ube buttercream, smoothing unevenly for kintsugi look.
- Apply edible gold leaf along frosting border with tweezers. Chill until serving.
Notes
- Replace vanilla buttercream with all ube buttercream for a fully purple cake.
- Use cream cheese frosting for a tangier option.
- Add coconut flakes between layers for texture.
- Skip gold leaf for a simpler version.
- Bake as cupcakes (18–22 mins) instead of a layer cake.
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 30–35 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Filipino
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/14 cake)
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 45g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 62g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 115mg
