This Ube cupcake is made of Ube Halaya and Ube Flavoring plus essential, readily available ingredients. This recipe yields soft and moist Ube cupcakes. The cupcakes are frosted with the sweet and nutty flavor of Ube Buttercream frosting nd decorated with fresh greens.

Ube Cupcakes Ube Buttercream Frosting

These Ube Cupcakes are one of the Filipino desserts I love making. Aside from being cute and good-looking, they also hold a cultural significance in Filipino Cuisine. It consists of Ube Halaya and Ube Flavoring, adding a unique earthy and nutty flavor to these cupcakes.

Ube cupcakes have gained remarkable popularity in recent years, captivating taste buds with their unique flavor and stunning purple hue. These delectable treats feature ube, a vibrant purple yam known for its subtly sweet, nutty flavor.

Incorporating ube into cupcakes offers a delightful twist on traditional desserts, appealing to visual aesthetics and taste preferences. As social media platforms and food enthusiasts continue to celebrate diverse and exotic flavors, the rise of Ube cupcakes has been fueled by their eye-catching appearance and the intriguing experience they offer to adventurous food lovers.

What is Ube

Ube, also known pcakesas purple yam, is a type of root vegetable that belongs to the Dioscorea alata species. It’s widely cultivated and consumed in various parts of the world, particularly in the Philippines, where it holds cultural significance and is used in multiple dishes and desserts.

Ube is naturally sweet and nutty, making it a popular ingredient in savory and sweet dishes. It’s used to create a range of culinary delights, including ube halaya (a sweet jam or paste), ube cakes, ice creams, pastries, and even savory dishes like ube-filled dumplings or as a colorful addition to rice-based meals. The striking purple hue of ube adds an appealing visual element to many foods.

Variety of Ube Desserts:

Ube Halaya: This is perhaps the most iconic Ube dessert. Ube halaya is a sweet, dense, and creamy jam-like confection made by grating and cooking the purple yam with coconut, condensed, and sugar until it thickens. It’s often served as a standalone treat or used as a filling for other pastries.
Ube Ice Cream: Ube’s unique flavor translates beautifully into ice cream. Ube ice cream is creamy and rich, with a subtly sweet taste from the yam. It’s commonly enjoyed alone or used to create delightful ice cream sandwiches and milkshakes.
Ube Leche Flan: This dessert combines two beloved Filipino treats: Leche flan (caramel custard) and ube halaya. The purple yam and custard layers create a visually stunning dessert with a harmonious blend of flavors.
Ube Pandesal: Pandesal is a famous Filipino bread roll. Ube pandesal infuses the dough with ube flavor and color, resulting in a soft, slightly sweet bread with a subtle hint of the yam’s taste.
Ube Biko: Biko is a sticky rice cake made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, and brown sugar. Ube Biko incorporates ube halaya into the mixture, giving it a unique purple hue and a delightful twist on the traditional recipe.

Importance in Celebrations:

Ube holds a special place in Filipino celebrations and special occasions, playing a role beyond its culinary appeal:

Cultural Significance: Ube is deeply rooted in Filipino culture. Its presence in traditional desserts connects generations, preserving culinary heritage and passing down recipes from one family member to another.
Visual Appeal: The vibrant purple color of ube adds a visually striking element to desserts, making them stand out in any celebration spread. This makes ube-based treats especially popular for festive occasions like birthdays and holidays.
Nostalgia: Ube desserts evoke a sense of nostalgia, reminding Filipinos of their childhood and the flavors associated with family gatherings and festivities.

Unity and Sharing: Filipino celebrations often involve large gatherings and a spirit of togetherness. With their generous portions and inviting colors, Ube desserts encourage sharing and communal enjoyment.
Modern Twist: While rooted in tradition, ube desserts have also evolved to suit modern tastes. Innovative chefs and home cooks are experimenting with new ways to incorporate ube into various dishes, expanding its presence beyond traditional recipes.

Key Ube Cupcake Ingredients:

Ube Halaya: The star ingredient, ube extract or powder, gives the cupcakes their distinct purple color and deliciously earthy flavor. Using high-quality ube extract or powder is crucial because it determines the authenticity and intensity of the ube flavor in the cupcakes. Inferior or diluted extracts may result in a lackluster taste and pale color, diminishing the overall appeal of the cupcakes.
Flour: It provides structure and stability to the cupcakes.

Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the cupcakes. It’s essential for balancing the natural earthiness of the ube and creating a harmonious flavor profile.
Butter: Unsalted butter adds richness and moisture to the cupcakes. It contributes to the cupcakes’ tender texture.
Eggs: contribute to the cupcakes’ structure. They also add moisture and help create a soft crumb.
Milk: Milk adds moisture and tenderness to the cupcakes. It also helps achieve the desired consistency of the batter.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda: give the cupcakes their rise and a light, fluffy texture.
Salt: A enhances the overall flavor of the cupcakes by balancing the sweetness and highlighting the ube’s taste.
Ube Flavoring: A vanilla extract complements the ube flavor and adds depth to the cupcakes’ taste.

Step-by-Step Baking Process

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

In a small bowl mix the dry ingredients and set them aside. In a larger bowl add in the softened butter and sugar. Mix using an electric mixer until it turns pale in color. Add the egg. Continue mixing until the sugar is smooth. Add the Ube Halaya and the flour mixture.

In a small cup mix the coconut milk and the Ube flavoring. Add it to the above mixture and gently fold the ingredients together to make a batter. Scoop the batter and fill it into the cupcake mold. Make sure not to overfill the mold. Fill only half.

How to Make Ube Buttercream Frosting

Place the butter into a medium-sized bowl and mix on high speed until smooth. Add the condensed milk and add the powdered sugar in three intervals. Mix the frosting until smooth and transfer it into the piping bag.

Importance of High-Quality Ube Extract for Ube Cupcakes

Using high-quality ube extract or powder is paramount for several reasons:

Authentic Flavor: Authentic Filipino cuisine celebrates the unique taste of ube. High-quality extract or powder ensures that the cupcakes capture the true essence of ube, delivering an authentic and delightful flavor experience.
Vibrant Color: Ube is known for its vibrant purple color. High-quality extracts or powders contribute to a deep and rich purple hue, making the cupcakes visually appealing and inviting.
Balanced Taste: The right quality of ube extract or powder provides a balanced flavor profile, where the natural earthiness of ube is harmoniously combined with the sweetness of the cupcakes.

Texture and Consistency: Authentic ube extract or powder influences the moisture content of the cupcakes, contributing to their ideal texture and consistency. Lower-quality ingredients affect the moisture balance, resulting in dry or unevenly textured cupcakes.
Overall Enjoyment: Using high-quality ingredients enhances the overall enjoyment of the cupcakes. Aromatic, flavorful, and visually appealing treats are more likely to be savored and appreciated by those enjoying them.

Ube Cupcakes Frequently Asked Questions:

Where to purchase Ube for baking: You can often find Ube (purple yam) in Asian grocery stores, either in its fresh form, frozen or sometimes even as Ube jam or Ube extract. Additionally, you might find Ube products online from various retailers that specialize in Filipino or Asian ingredients.

Using purple sweet potatoes as a substitute for Ube: Yes, you can use purple sweet potatoes as a substitute for Ube in some recipes. However, please note that while they are similar in color, purple sweet potatoes might have a slightly different flavor and moisture content. The resulting taste and texture of your baked goods might vary a bit.

Difference between Ube extract and Ube powder in recipes: Ube extract is a concentrated flavoring that imparts the Ube taste to your recipes. Ube powder, on the other hand, is usually dried and ground Ube, which can also add flavor and color to your dishes. The choice between extract and powder depends on the recipe and your preference for the intensity of Ube flavor.

Preventing Ube cupcakes from turning green during baking: The color change in Ube products during baking can sometimes be due to changes in pH levels. To prevent this, you can try

Freezing Ube cupcakes with Buttercream frosting

Yes, you can freeze Ube cupcakes with Buttercream frosting. Make sure to wrap them well in plastic wrap and then place them in an airtight container before freezing. Thaw them in the refrigerator before bringing them to room temperature.

Other frostings for Ube cupcakes: If you’d like to explore different frosting options, cream cheese frosting, coconut frosting, or even vanilla frosting can pair well with Ube cupcakes. These options can provide a nice contrast to the Ube flavor.

Intensifying Ube flavor in cupcakes: To intensify the Ube flavor, you can add a bit more Ube extract or powder to your cupcake batter. Additionally, consider using Ube as a filling or layer in the cupcakes to enhance the flavor.

Gluten-free Ube cupcake recipes: Yes, there are gluten-free Ube cupcake recipes available. You can use gluten-free flour blends that are suitable for baking to replace regular flour in the recipe.

Inspiration behind Ube flavor fusion: The fusion of Ube flavor into Western-style cupcakes could be attributed to the increasing popularity of international flavors and the desire to experiment with new and exciting tastes. Ube’s vibrant color and unique flavor make it an intriguing ingredient to incorporate into various baked goods, including cupcakes.

In conclusion, the key to crafting delicious and authentic ube cupcakes is the ube extract or powder quality. Investing in a high-quality product ensures that the cupcakes look and taste amazing and capture the essence of Filipino cuisine and the unique characteristics of the beloved ube flavor.

Ube Cupcakes with Ube Buttercream Frosting

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 20

Servings: people

Author: Shobee

Equipment

Cupcake liners
electric mixer
bowl
spatula

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

1/2 cup cake flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

1/2 cup creamy coconut milk
2 tbsp Ube Flavoring
3/4 cups white granulated sugar
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large egg
1/4 cup Ube Halaya please see the notes for the recipe

Buttercream Frosting

3/4 cup Unsalted Butter,room temperature
3/4 cup Sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 tbsp Ube Flavor

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
In a small bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients. Set it aside.
Line your cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Set it aside.
In a cup, mix the coconut cream milk and the Ube flavoring. Mix until incorporated. Set aside.
Place the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl and mix using an electric mixer. Mix until the color turns pale. Slowly add in the egg. Mix on medium-high until the mixture is smooth.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three intervals. Start with the flour, then add the coconut mixture. Mix gently until the batter has no white streaks.
Fill the prepared cupcake pan with the batter. Do not overfill. Fill only half of the mold with the batter.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F and bake the ube Cupcake for fifteen to twenty minutes, or until the toothpick comes out clean. Start checking at fifteen minutes.

Buttercream Frosting

Place the butter into a medium-sized bowl and mix on high speed until smooth. Add the condensed milk. Ube flavoring and add the powdered sugar in three intervals. Mix the frosting until smooth and transfer it into the piping bag.

Notes

Ube Halaya Recipe

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Hi, my name is Shobee. Welcome to The Skinny Pot, where we cook Easy Recipes from the available ingredients from our pantry and fridge! We’re your go-to source for simple and delicious recipes that make the most of what you already have at home. Talk about the pantry challenge. Read more...