The Best Ube Roll Cake Recipe

This Ube Roll Cake is a delightful dessert featuring a soft and fluffy ube cake filled with a luscious whipped cream cheese frosting. Perfect for all your celebrations!

Yield:

8 servings

Total Time:

3 hours

Cuisine:

Filipino

Course:

Dessert

Calories:

479 kcal per serving

Ingredients

For the Cake Batter:

• 1 cup cake flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 6 large egg yolks (room temperature)
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp ube extract
• 2 tbsp water (room temperature)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup canola oil (or vegetable oil)

For the Meringue:

• 6 large egg whites (room temperature)
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp cream of tartar

For the Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, cold and cut into portions
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 1½ cups heavy cream, cold

Instructions

1. Make the Cake Batter:

Preheat the Oven:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease the bottom of a 10×15 inch jelly roll pan and line it with parchment paper. Set aside.

Sift the Dry Ingredients:

In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Mix the Wet Ingredients:

In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, combine the egg yolks, maple syrup, ube extract, water, and sugar. Beat on high speed until thick and well incorporated (about 8-10 minutes).

Prepare the Meringue:

In another bowl with clean whisks, whisk the egg whites with cream of tartar on low-medium speed until foamy. Gradually add the sugar, about a tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form.

Combine the Mixtures:

Add half of the meringue to the egg yolk mixture and gently fold until well blended. The batter should be light and airy. Add the flour mixture to the cake batter in three equal parts, gently folding after each addition until combined.

Incorporate the Oil:

Warm the oil in a small microwave-safe bowl (in 10-second increments). Add about ¼ cup of the cake batter to the warm oil and mix until incorporated. Add this mixture back into the cake batter and fold until well blended. Finally, fold in the remaining meringue.

2. Bake and Cool:

Bake the Cake:

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan, gently tapping it on the counter to release air bubbles and help the batter settle. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cake springs back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool the Cake:

While the cake is still warm, run a thin sharp knife around the edges of the pan. Place a clean, slightly damp kitchen or tea towel on top and carefully invert the cake onto the towel. Lift the pan and peel off the parchment paper.

Optional – Make Ube Crumbs:

If making ube crumbs, slice a strip of cake (1 inch wide from the long side and 2 inches wide from the short side). Set aside to cool. (For crumbs: pulse the cake strips in a food processor or manually crumble with a fork).

Roll the Cake:

Roll the remaining cake with the towel and place it on the counter seam side down. Allow the cake to cool completely before unrolling and frosting.

3. Prepare the Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:

Beat the Cream Cheese:

In a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until creamy (about 2 minutes).

Add Sugar and Salt:

Add sugar and salt to the cream cheese and beat until incorporated.

Whip the Cream:

If using a stand mixer, switch to the whisk attachment. Add the cold heavy cream in a steady stream and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.

4. Assemble the Cake:

Fill the Cake:

Once the cake has completely cooled, unroll it and spread the frosting evenly over the surface (no more than ¼ inch thick).

Roll the Cake Again:

Re-roll the cake using the tea towel to help guide the cake over. Frost the outside of the cake and, if using, cover with ube crumbs.

Chill:

Chill the cake in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.

Enjoy your soft and fluffy Ube Roll Cake with its delicious whipped cream cheese frosting—a perfect treat for any celebration!