These ube cupcakes are made with an authentic ube halaya or purple yam jam, creating a moist and fluffy cake packed with a delicious ube flavor! Topped with a swirl of vanilla and ube whipped cream frosting, and garnished with dried ube crisps for the ultimate Filipino treat.
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What is Ube? What Does Ube Taste Like?
Ube (pronounced "oo-bay") is a vibrant purple yam originating from Southeast Asia and prominently featured in Filipino cuisine. With its rich purple flesh that varies in hue, ube tastes slightly nutty with a hint of sweet vanilla. It has a coconut-like aroma that lends itself well to dessert items. Ube is most often boiled, mashed, and mixed with condensed milk to bring out its sweetness. This starchy yam has become a beloved ingredient in a range of desserts, including cakes and cupcakes, adding both sweetness and a pop of natural purple color!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- These cupcakes are packed with delicious ube flavor coming from the ube halaya and ube extract.
- This recipe uses an authentic ube halaya recipe. No store-bought jams that are too sweet!
- These cupcakes are moist and tender with a delicate crumb that practically melts in your mouth.
- Straightforward cupcake recipe that's easy to make ahead of time.
- Beautiful garnishings make for an impressive presentation!
Tools
- Stand mixer or hand mixer - Useful for thoroughly mixing the cupcake batter and whipping up the whipped cream.
- Sifter - So important for cupcakes made with cake flour as it helps aerate and evenly distribute the flour, resulting in a lighter and more delicate texture.
- Kitchen scale - Used to accurately weigh all ingredients as my recipe is mainly in grams.
- Cupcake tin - A standard cupcake tin with 6 or 12 cups is important for baking these cupcakes.
- Piping bags (optional) - Used to pipe the whipped cream on top of the cupcakes. If you don't have any, you can use the corner of a ziplock bag.
Ingredients
- Ube or purple yam - Read the FAQ about how to select the best ube or purple yam.
- Ube halaya - Also known as ube jam, this is a pudding made with boiled purple yam, milk, brown sugar, and butter. The final result is either eaten as is, spread on bread, or used in ube desserts, like these cupcakes!
- Ube extract - Ube extract is a concentrated form of flavor derived from purple yams. This particular brand is used in these cupcakes to infuse them with the distinct taste and vibrant purple color of ube.
- Cake flour - Has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour and contributes to a tender and airy cake
- Flavorless oil - Some examples include canola oil, sunflower oil, vegetable oil, or corn oil.
Tips For Making Ube Halaya
- I recommend using gloves while peeling and cutting the yam so you don't stain your hands!
- Use a pan with a thick bottom to prevent the mixture from burning.
- You must constantly stir while cooking to prevent the mixture from burning. This requires your full attention, and no scrolling on social media!
- Try not to overcook the milk in the mixture because the condensed and evaporated milk will give the jam a caramelized flavor, which will overpower the ube flavor. This is also why I cook down the ube first before adding the milk and sugar later.
- The hot mixture may spit while stirring, so be careful!
- If you prefer your jam to be thinner and more spreadable, stop stirring sooner. Keep in mind that the mixture will continue to firm up and thicken as it cools down, especially when refrigerated.
- You can make this ahead of time! Properly stored, use halaya lasts in the fridge for up to 3 to 5 days or in the freezer for up to one month. Keep in an airtight container or wrap tightly with cling wrap to prevent from drying out.
Tips For Making the Best Ube Cupcakes
- Use oil, not butter. Firstly, oil has a higher fat content compared to butter, resulting in a moister and more tender crumb in the cupcakes. The oil's moisture-retaining properties keep the cupcakes from drying out, even after a day or two. Also oil has a neutral flavor, allowing the other ingredients, such as the ube, to shine through more prominently in the cupcakes. In contrast, butter can sometimes impart a distinct buttery taste that may overpower the other flavors in the recipe.
- All ingredients should be at room temperature. That includes the ube halaya and eggs! This will help the ingredients to emulsify well, creating a rich texture in your cupcakes. Make sure the ube halaya is cooled down completely (if making the day of baking) or thawed to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before adding to the cupcake batter.
- Don't overmix the batter. When mixing the cupcake batter, be gentle and avoid overmixing, even when mixing in the ube halaya. Overmixing can lead to a denser texture in the final product. Mix just until the ingredients are combined to maintain a light and fluffy texture.
- Place your batter into a gallon size ziplock bag and "pipe" into each cupcake liner. I found that this tip is better than scooping your batter with a cookie scoop. This allows for me to control how much batter goes into each liner, which results in even, uniform cupcakes and a perfect finished product. This also prevents the crazy mess that happens with scooping batter!
- Allow proper cooling time. After baking, allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting or decorating them. This ensures that the cupcakes set properly and helps the flavors develop.
Storage Instructions
- Storing - Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container to protect the cupcakes from drying out and keeping them fresh. Leave at room temperature for up to 3 days or place in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Be sure to take the cupcakes out of the fridge for at least 30-60 minutes so that they come to room temperature before serving.
- Freezing unfrosted cupcakes - Allow them to cool completely and place in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2-3 months.
- Freezing frosted cupcakes (without garnishes) - Place the cupcakes on a baking sheet in the freezer until the frosting becomes firm. Once firm, individually wrap each cupcake with plastic wrap, or place them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw the frozen cupcakes in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature, and if needed, add fresh garnishes. Properly stored and thawed, these frozen treats will still retain their deliciousness!
Frequently Asked Questions
WHERE CAN I BUY UBE?
Ube or purple yam can be purchased in Asian grocery stores or international aisles of larger supermarkets. While finding raw ube is rare in the United States, purple yam is more common to find in grocery stores.
HOW DO I CHOOSE UBE OR PURPLE YAM?
When selecting ube, aim for a deep shade of purple. You can test your ube by gently pinching or scratching the skin to see its color. Opt for firm tubers without wrinkles, soft spots, or excessive fine roots, as these signs indicate they are freshly dug. Additionally, go for medium to large-sized ube with a regular shape, as they are easier to work with when boiling and peeling.
WHY IS MY HALAYA MIXTURE TAKING SO LONG TO COOK?
All stoves vary in heat levels. Keep up the stirring and have faith as your ube mixture gradually comes together. This may take 30 minutes for some and an hour for others. With a little patience, it should reach the desired consistency!
CAN I BAKE THESE CUPCAKES AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes, you can bake the cupcakes up to two days ahead. How you can plan:
- Day 1: Make the ube halaya and potato crisps.
- Day 2: Bake the cupcakes, cool, and store unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container in room temperature.
- Day of event/party: Make the whipped cream and frost cupcakes. Assemble!
Recipe
Ube Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 10-12 cupcakes 1x
- Category: Filipino
Description
These ube cupcakes are made with purple yam jam or ube halaya, creating a moist and fluffy cake packed with ube flavor! Topped with a swirl of vanilla and ube whipped cream frosting, and garnished with dried purple potato crisps for the ultimate Filipino treat.
Ingredients
UBE HALAYA AND UBE CRISPS
- 120 g evaporated milk
- 35 g light brown sugar
- 340 g raw ube or purple yam + 1 small and narrow purple yam
- 115 g condensed milk
- pinch salt
- 20 g unsalted butter, room temperature
UBE CUPCAKES
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 108 g flavorless oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp ube extract
- 142 g cake flour
- 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
VANILLA AND UBE WHIPPED CREAM
- 360 g heavy whipping cream
- 75 g granulated sugar
- 2-3 teaspoon ube extract
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsp + 2 tbsp purple sweet potato powder
Instructions
UBE CRISPS
- Preheat the oven to 285°F (140°C).
- Peel the one small and narrow fresh ube or purple yam and use a mandolin slicer or sharp knife to slice it into very thin chips about 1 to 2 mm thick.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper and arrange the chips flat, keeping them close to one another as they'll shrink when baking.
- Bake the crisps for 25 minutes or until all hard and crisp.
- Transfer the baked purple sweet potato chips onto a wire rack and let them cool down completely.
UBE HALAYA
- Wash the ube or purple yam skins thoroughly. Boil the whole root for 20-25 minutes or until a fork goes through with little resistance.
- Transfer the cooked yam to a separate bowl and let it cool for 10 minutes, then peel off the skins while still warm. Mash the yams until you don’t see any big chunks.
- In a large non-stick pot under medium heat (do not go hotter than this), combine the yams, evaporated milk, and brown sugar, condensed milk, and salt until the mixture begins to thicken considerably. This can take up to 20-25 minutes, so stir continuously.
- Once mixture thickens, add the butter and stir for another 10-15 minutes until the mixture is thick enough to cling to the back of a spoon without spilling.
- Transfer to a heat-proof container and let it cool completely.
UBE CUPCAKES
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a cupcake tin with 12 liners.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix the sugar, oil, and eggs together until combined.
- Mix in the ube halaya and whisk until there are no lumps present.
- Add the ube extract and whisk until all combined. Do not overmix!
- Spoon or pipe the cupcake batter into each liner.
- Bake the cupcakes for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool on a wire cooling rack.
VANILLA AND UBE WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING
- Whip the heavy whipping cream in the bowl of a stand mixer until soft peaks form. Add the sugar in slowly until stiff peaks form.
- Place half of the mixture in a separate bowl and whip in the vanilla extract.
- In the original bowl, add the ube extract and sweet potato powder, and whip. Add more ube extract until desired color is achieved (remember, the more you add, the stronger the ube flavor will be).
- When time to assemble, decorate the cupcakes with the whipped cream with a tip of choice (I used Ateco #809).
- Place the rest of the purple sweet potato powder into a small bowl and dust each potato crisp in the powder. Dust off the excess and place two to three pieces on top of each frosted cupcake. Sprinkle on some more powder as desired.
Diane
Delicious. I had a jar of ube halaya and warmed it up with condensed milk because it already had sugar. Not too sweet just the way i like it.
Anna Yang
Perfect! Sounds delicious :)
Leta Curtiss
Hi, I made the chips and the jam this morning. The cupcakes are ready to go into the oven to bake. Everything that I have tasted is delicious!
Anna Yang
So glad you tried it and loved it Leta!!
Maggie
How many cups does once batch of ube halaya recipe make?
Anna Yang
Hi Maggie! The ube halaya used in the recipe is the full amount needed for the cupcakes! But it should be around 1.5 cups.