Ube Pound Cake

5 from 6 votes

Ube pound cake is a rich, moist, and buttery! Everything you enjoy about classic pound cake with the addition of sweet, nutty flavor of purple yam.

Yield: 9x5-inch loaf cake

Prep Time15

Cook Time50

Total Time1 5

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Filipino

Servings: slices

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 9×5-inch metal loaf pan with parchment paper, along paper overhang to extend along the two long sides. Generously grease lined pan with butter. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using an electric hand mixer), cream butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth and slightly pale, about 3 minutes.
Mixing on low speed, add eggs one at a time until thoroughly incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed to ensure thorough mixing.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. On low speed, add dry mixture to wet batter in three additions, alternating with coconut milk. Mix until just combined and there are no longer any dry streaks of flour.
Remove 250 grams of batter from mixing bowl (about 1/3 of batter). Stir in vanilla extract. Set aside.
Add ube halaya and ube extract to mixing bowl. Briefly mix on medium speed (about 30 seconds) until well combined.
Alternate adding dollops of vanilla batter and ube batter into the prepared loaf pan. When finished, use a mini offset (chopstick or knife) to gently swirl together plain and ube batter.
Bang bottom of the filled loaf pan against the counter to ensure there are no air pockets between the two batters. Bake for 45-55 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Then, unmold loaf and continue to cool to room temperature on wire rack. Slice room temperature cake with serrated knife.

This recipe was created using an aluminum 9 x 5 x 2-1/2-inch loaf pan. The "standard loaf pan" of 8.25 x 4.5 x 2.5 inches also works.

I don't recommend using glass loaf pan or silicone loaf pans for this recipe.

Ingredient Notes:

Coconut milk helps to add nutty flavor associated with ube desserts. Alternatively, you may use any milk of your choice. However, it will slightly alter the flavor of finished ube pound cake.
Ube halaya is also known as ube jam or halayang ube. This recipe was tested and created using store-bought jarred ube halaya. I recommend using Bayanihan, Kapuso, or Pamana brand.
Ube extract gives this cake the iconic purple color of ube desserts. I recommend Butterfly or McCormick brand. Ube extract is available at Filipino and Asian supermarkets and online at Amazon.com.

Storage and Leftovers:

Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Alternatively, keep tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature.
For longer storage, keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Bring to room temperature before eating.