Ube Pound Cake cravings are no joke. You ever find yourself scrolling through endless photos of cakes online, desperately wishing you could reach through the screen and grab a slice? Yep, that’s been me too many times. I wanted something fluffy, with a sweet earthy twist, and a color that could basically glow in the dark. So, I set out (after two failed attempts, not kidding) to finally make a killer Ube Pound Cake at home. Now let me spill the beans on how you can do it too.
What is ube?
Okay, so the first thing: what even is ube? Folks in the Philippines will roll their eyes at me for explaining it, but let’s keep it simple. Ube is a vibrant purple yam that’s popular for desserts. Think of it as sweet potato’s cooler, purple cousin.
Here’s the kicker…ube isn’t just about looks. It’s earthy, sweet, almost a little nutty, and makes literally anything into a show-stopper. Ube has a cult following and honestly, after your first bite, you’ll get why. The flavor is unique, but also not too weird for picky eaters. Plus, it’s loaded with antioxidants so you can tell yourself it’s kind of healthy (not with all the butter though, sorry).
I’ve always loved watching people’s faces when they first try an ube treat. Usually it’s surprise then, quickly, admiration. “Wait, what is THIS?” Yup, that’s ube magic.
How do you make ube pound cake?
Alright, onto the good stuff. Baking ube pound cake isn’t rocket science. The trickiest part is finding ube. After that, honestly, it’s as chill as baking any pound cake.
The main thing you gotta do is blend your ube flavor and color evenly. Sometimes folks grab ube powder, purée, or extract. I use a combo, but if you can get purée—grab it. Mix your wet ingredients first: butter, sugar, eggs, then swirl in your ube stuff. In another bowl, dump in your dry ingredients. Combine both slowly. Don’t overmix! That’ll mess up your crumb—trust me, learned that the hard way.
Once your batter turns this wild purple shade, pour it in a pan, bake, and hang tight. The golden rule: let it cool before slicing. Don’t be like me and hack into it hot out of the oven…unless you love crumbs everywhere.
I had my niece over last month. She was so fascinated by the color she thought I dyed it with crayons. Kid logic, huh? 
Ube Pound Cake Ingredients
Honestly, most stuff you probably already have. Here’s the essential lineup:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (room temp…yes, it matters!)
- 1 cup white sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup ube purée (or try the extract if that’s what you found)
- 1/4 cup milk (whole milk tastes best but up to you)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Optional: Toss in a splash of coconut milk or some ube extract if you want that punchy flavor. I mess with the coconut sometimes—just makes it feel fancier.
“I never thought I could pull off baking, but your ube pound cake recipe was a total win. The texture’s insane and everyone thought I’d ordered it from a five-star restaurant!” — Gina, my neighbor.
Expert baking tips
You know, after more sunken loafs than I care to admit, I picked up some tricks. Here’s the inside scoop.
Room temperature is not a suggestion, it’s a must. If your butter’s too hard or eggs are cold, your batter won’t come together right.
Don’t overbeat the eggs. Once they’re mixed, stop. Too much mixing means your cake might get tough (nobody wants that).
Ube pound cake loves a slow, even bake. I drop my oven rack to the middle and keep it at 325°F. To check doneness, poke a toothpick right in the center, and if it comes out clean or with a couple crumbs, you’re set.
Also, for extra pop, a little squeeze of lemon juice brightens up the flavor (weird, I know, but trust me).
Don’t skip the cooling. It sets the crumb, so you get those perfect slices instead of a purple avalanche.
Baking pan options
Don’t have the classic loaf pan? No sweat. I’ve baked this ube pound cake in just about every dish except a skillet.
A standard non-stick loaf pan gives tall, classic slices (you know…the kind you see in bakeries). I’ve gone rogue with a bundt pan—made a pretty wild looking ring cake. Muffin tins also work if you wanna make ube pound cake “bites” for a party (kids go nuts for that).
Couple of notes…if you use a different pan, watch the bake time. Muffin tins will finish quicker, bundt pans sometimes need a tad longer. Check early. You don’t want to dry it out. Regardless, it’ll taste amazing. The color from ube pound cake doesn’t care what shape it is.
Serving, storing, and my two cents
You probably want to know what to do once you’ve got this purple beauty baked up. Here are my best tips:
- Let it cool, then slice thick
- Try a dollop of whipped cream or some vanilla ice cream—life changing
- Store leftovers (if you have any, ha!) in an airtight container at room temp for up to three days, or fridge if it’s hot out
- It freezes too…just wrap tight and thaw when your next craving hits
The best part? It’s killer for breakfast, a snack, or full-on dessert after dinner. Don’t be shy.
Common Questions
Do I need fresh ube, or is frozen OK?
Frozen is totally fine. Fresh is rare where I live, so I always go frozen or canned.
Can I use ube extract instead of purée?
Yep. But the flavor and texture will be a tiny bit different. Use an extract for pure color and a punchy taste.
How do I avoid a dense ube pound cake?
Don’t overmix and make sure your ingredients are at room temperature.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
Not as written, no. You could try swapping the flour for a 1:1 gluten-free blend, but I haven’t tested it myself.
Can I halve the recipe?
Of course. Just use a smaller pan and keep your eye on the bake time.
Ready for Your Purple Baking Adventure?
Alright, so that’s the gist. Ube pound cake is a total stunner for the taste buds and it looks wild on a table. This recipe? It’s flexible, forgiving, and uses basic stuff you’ll find at the store. Seriously, if I can whip up an ube pound cake in my small, chaos-filled kitchen, you can too. If you get stuck, check out Buttery and Tender Ube Pound Cake – Cooking Therapy or try the Easy and Delicious Ube Pound Cake Recipe for a little more inspiration. Don’t second guess yourself, just get that oven going and go purple—the flavor will totally surprise you.
Ube Pound Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
- In a mixing bowl, cream together the unsalted butter and white sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Swirl in the ube purée, milk, and vanilla extract.
- In another bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, mixing slowly to avoid overmixing.
- Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
