Ube Macapuno Cake Recipe aka Purple Yam Cake

By ctozzi

a close recipe with Goldilocks Ube Cake

Ingredients

• OR:
• Sponge Cake (substitute the lemon extract with Ube extract and omit the rinds.)
• Sponge Cake Recipe:
• 8 eggs yolks
• 10 egg whites (room temperature, VERY important)
• 1 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon pandan extract (you can get from Filipino store anywhere)
• 1 cup sifted cake flour
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Ube Swiss Buttercream Frosting:
• 1 cup egg whites, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 cups butter, cut in cubes
• 1 teaspoon of Ube extract
• purple food color (optional)
• .

Preparation

Step 1

Advance Preparation
Eggs NEED to be in room temperature.

The recipe is good for 2 10x2 round pans.

IMPORTANT: Put the cake upside down after baking. DO NOT let it cool in the pan, this will keep the shape of the sponge cake and will not collapse.


1.Sift salt and cake flour. Set aside.

2.Separate the eggs. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks until very thick and lemon colored. Add Ube extract. Beat in 1 cup sugar gradually.

3.In another bowl, beat egg whites until frothy. Add cream of tartar and slowly add the remaining sugar (1/2 cup). Beat mixture until whites are stiff, but not until they are dry.

4.Fold 1 cup of the beaten egg white mixtured with the egg yolk mixture. Fold flour alternative with egg white mixture.

5.Pour batter into 2 10x2 pans. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 35 - 40 minutes. The baking time depends on your oven. The original recipe calls for 55 minutes of baking time but my cake was done in 35 minutes. Check the cake after 30 minutes. IMPORTANT: DO NOT open the oven for the first 15 minutes.

Ube Buttercream Icing:
Tips/Preparations

• I don't have a double boiler. I use a regular pan and use my stand mixer bowl to put my egg-white and sugar mixture. I put my mixer-bowl on top of the pan and do the process. This eliminates of transferring the mixture to another bowl. It saves me time and clean-up of an extra bowl :).

Directions

1. Whip sugar and egg whites together in a double boiler until the temperature reaches 120 degrees F (if you have a thermometer) or you will know if the sugar is completely melted or there's no grainy feel when you test it in-between your thumb and fore-finger.

2. Transfer the bowl into the mixer. Whip using your balloon whisk until light and fluffy (looks like a fluffy marshmallow). This usually takes about 5 -7 minutes depending on how powerful your mixer. I use 8-9 speed setting. Also, I usually put a wet towel in cold water wrapped around the bowl.
If reached the right consistence (fluffly marshmallow like), feel the bowl and make sure it's not hot. Warm is OK, the meringue mixture should also feel lukewarm to touch. This is CRITICAL in the next step.

Note: The next step is the heart of the meringue, this is very emotional especially when you doubt if you are doing the right thing. It is also a long process, it will take about 10 -15, even 20 minutes! Be prepared, go to the bathroom now =).

3. Change your whisk to flat beater if using a stand-mixer. Set to medium high and drop the butter slowly one-cube at a time. You will notice that the icing will drop and will turn into a curd-like mixture. DON'T PANIC! =) this is normal. Patience is what we need when making Swiss Meringue Buttercream ;). Just keep on adding the butter while the mixer is going. When the butter is all add up, turn the speed to higher setting and wait until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add the extract and beat on high for another 2 minutes. Enjoy your fluffy and light buttercream frosting.

Optional: If you prefer a darker color, feel free to add purple food color.