Ube Macapuno Cake Recipe

UPDATE: Please also read a related post here.

Ever since I blogged about my Ube Cake ala Red Ribbon, a number of Filipinas have been emailing me to request for my recipe. I know this post is long overdue so good news, ladies, your wait is over!

This is my own recipe and I am no way claiming it to taste exactly like the famous commercially available one back home in the Philippines (although I must admit I copied its look!). I came up with this after much trial and error. The resulting cake is absolutely fantastic, provided you do it correctly of course. The cake base is chiffon, which is quite delicate and does require practice to perfect. Don't be disheartened if you don't get it right the first time. Remember that I am also a homebaker like you.

Some important notes before we begin:

1. Chiffon cakes are usually baked in tube pans because the inner tube is needed to provide support for the center of the delicate batter as it rises. In this recipe, however, we will be using regular (not nonstick) round baking pans. Without the inner tube support, your chiffon cakes will shrink a bit around the center as it cools. This is very normal. You can use a 10" tube pan if you are more comfortable doing so, but you may have to decorate the cake differently.

2. If you are located outside the Philippines, ingredients such as the grated purple yam (frozen), ube flavouring (McCormick), and macapuno are all available in Filipino/Asian stores. If you can get hold of fresh purple yam rather than the frozen one, then much better.

3. The frosting I am using is not the traditional whipped cream frosting that perhaps just uses whipping cream and powdered/icing sugar . This one has cream cheese. I prefer this variation, not only because of its great taste but also because it is very stable. Feel free to use your own whipped cream frosting recipe.

4.  I usually bake the cakes a day before I actually need them.  After they have completely cooled down, I wrap the cakes well in cling wrap, then keep them in the fridge overnight.  This process makes the cakes firmer and easier to work with the following day.

Ube Macapuno Cake

Ingredients:

For the chiffon cake:

{A}
2 1/4 cups cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt

{B}
7 egg yolks (from large eggs)
1/2 cup vegetable/canola oil
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup (about 100g) grated ube (purple yam)
1 teaspoon ube flavouring
1/2 teaspoon violet food powder or violet gel paste

{C}
7 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

{D}
3/4 cup sugar

For the frosting:

2 cups whipping or thickened cream
1 250g package of cream cheese
1/2 cup white sugar (edit: added on 21/8)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 12 oz jar of macapuno (preserved coconut sport)

Procedure:

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Prepare two 9" round, 2 1/2" high pans by lining bottoms with baking paper. Do not grease.

2. In a large bowl, sift together {A} and combine well. Add in {B}. Beat with electric mixer or by hand just until smooth and well blended.

3. In a separate bowl, beat {C} on high speed until frothy. Gradually add in {D} and beat until stiff peaks are formed. Gradually and gently fold in egg whites into flour mixture until very well combined. Divide batter equally into prepared pans.

4. Bake for about 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Invert pans into wire rack immediately and cool completely.

5. Carefully run a thin knife around sides of pans to release cakes. Using a serrated knife, half each cake horizontally. Set aside one of the top halves for use later.

Frosting

Combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment and mix on medium speed until smooth. While the mixture is still whipping, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Continue whipping until the cream can hold a stiff peak.

To assemble:

1. Drain some of the syrup from the macapuno. I do this for fear that the cake will absorb the syrup and get soggy and also to prevent the cake from becoming too sweet.

2. Place one of the cake layers (bottom half of one of the cakes), cut side up on your serving plate or cake board. Spread and level some whipped cream onto the cake layer until it is about 1/4" thick. Scatter half of the macapuno on top of the whipped cream.

3. Place second cake layer, cut side down on top of bottom cake layer. Spread whipped cream and remaining macapuno on top of second layer in the same manner as above.

4. Top the cake with the third layer (cut side down). Spread frosting to cover top and sides of cake. (You don't have to put a lot, just enough for the cake crumbs to stick to it). Remember to leave some frosting for your borders.

5. Crumble the last cake half. (You actually only need to crumble about 3/4 of this cake piece. My suggestion is to leave the quarter for you to snack on!). If you do this with a food processor, you will get very fine crumbs which will look really neat on the cake. You can, however, crumble it by hand. Gently stick the crumbs to the cake top and sides until it is fully covered.

6. Using the remaining frosting, pipe out big rosettes around the cake's top edge.

That's it! Enjoy your very own homemade Ube Macapuno Cake!

Just one final word...You are free to use this recipe all you want but please do not publish it elsewhere without permission. Fair enough?

Let me know how it goes for you! I would love to hear about your cakes!

EDIT: (added on 28/8)

Here's another way of presenting your cake...

To do this:

1. Omit macapuno from filling and ube crumbs on cake top.

2.  Spread macapuno in a circle (about 7" diameter) on cake center.

3.  Pipe out your choice of border around cake top edge.