Vegan Ube Cake

Slice of ube cake on a white plate with cut cake and knife in the background.

5 from 3 votes

This vibrant ube cake is sweet, moist, and packed with ube flavor. It's easy to make using ube extract - no purple yams needed! It's the ultimate Filipino dessert!

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Filipino

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 539kcal

Author: Jen Cardenas

Equipment

2 8" cake pans
cooling rack
Electric mixer

Ingredients

Cake

1 ½ cups non-dairy milk
2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 ⅓ cups sugar
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon ube extract

Frosting

1 cup vegan butter, softened I like Country Crock Plant Butter.
3 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoon non-dairy milk
½ teaspoon ube extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Prepare 2 8" cake pans by coating with non-stick oil spray.
Mix the apple cider vinegar into the non-dairy milk and set aside. This will make a vegan buttermilk.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt until well mixed.
Mix in the vegetable oil, ube extract and milk/vinegar mixture. Stir until there are no large lumps but don't overmix.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the 2 cake pans. Bake for 35 minutes.
Take the baked cake layers out of the oven and let rest for at least 20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the frosting. Cream together the softened vegan butter, 1 cup of powdered sugar, and 1 tablespoon of pant-based milk with a stand mixer or hand mixer in a mixing bowl. Start on low speed until combined and then turn to high for about 30 seconds.
Add in another cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk. Again, mix on low before increasing to high speed for 30 seconds. Repeat one more time with the remaining powdered sugar and milk.
Mix in the ube extract and frost the completely cooled cake.

Notes

Be careful with the ube extract as it’s also a food coloring and can easily stain. I use Butterfly brand of ube extract which I buy on Amazon.
I highly recommend using all purpose flour (not whole wheat) so the cake comes out fluffy and moist.
Store this cake in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days at room temperature. You can also store it in the fridge but it might make the cake slightly dry.

Nutrition