Ube cake is a classic Pinoy dessert. This version uses a silky buttercream with a hint of coconut and sandwiches macapuno in between the layers as well as on top of this naked cake.
Ube Cake with Macapuno
Takes 1 hour plus cooling and chilling
Makes 10 servings
1 cup castor sugar, divided
2 cups cake flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder, sifted
1 teaspoon salt
6 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon ube coloring and flavoring
1/2 cup ube halaya
Coconut Buttercream (see instructions below)
Macapuno strands, as needed
1 Preheat oven to 325F. Lightly oil then line 2 9-inch springform cake pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
2 Set aside 1/4 cup sugar.
3 Place remaining sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Use a whisk to mix. Create a well in the middle.
4 Into the well, add egg yolks, oil, water, ube flavoring, and ube halaya. Whisk until ingredients are well combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Set aside.
5 In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites on Medium-High until foamy. Sprinkle gradually the reserved sugar to make a meringue. Whisk only until stiff peaks.
6 Scoop out 1/3 of the meringue, and add to the cake batter. Fold in meringue using a large spatula. Once well mixed, add the remaining meringue in batches, folding while being careful to not over mix the batter and release all the air whipped into the egg whites. Divide mixture evenly between the prepared cake pans.
7 Place filled cake pans in the preheated oven, and bake for about 25 minutes, rotating cake pans halfway through, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers emerge clean. Remove from the oven, and completely cool on a wire rack. Remove cakes from the pans, and discard parchment papers. Set aside until ready to fill.
8 Make Buttercream: Place in a piping bag with a round tip. Set aside until ready to use.
9 To assemble, place one ube cake on a cake stand. Pipe a rim and cover top with a layer of coconut buttercream then fill center with macapuno. Top with second ube cake and pipe dollops of buttercream around the edge of the top layer. In the middle, spoon in macapuno. Chill until ready to slice and serve. Keep chilled.
Coconut Buttercream
1 cup caster sugar
3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups butter, cubed, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut cream
1 Simmer about 2 inches of water in a large pot or enough water to not touch the bottom of the bowl you’ll be using.
2 In a metal bowl, add caster sugar, egg whites, and salt. (Add 1/8 tsp. cream of tartar if using.) Using a silicone spatula, stir ingredients over the simmering water until the sugar and salt granules have dissolved and egg whites are warmed (To pasteurize egg whites, heat to about 160F (or 70C) on a candy thermometer).
3 Remove egg whites from heat and transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer. With the whisk attachment, whisk the egg white mixture on High until it has cooled enough to the touch.
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4 Once egg whites are cool, add butter, a cube at a time, until fully combined, scraping the bowl as needed, and mixture has become light and fluffy. Turn mixer to Low, and add vanilla extract and coconut cream. Mix on Medium until just incorporated then mix on High until fully mixed, scraping as needed. Use as per the recipe.
