Description
This Ube Tres Leches Cake is a vibrant and decadent Filipino-inspired dessert featuring a moist ube-flavored sponge cake soaked in a luscious blend of coconut milk, ube condensed milk, and evaporated milk, topped with fluffy whipped cream. Perfect for celebrations or a sweet treat with a tropical twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup sugar
- 5 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 tbsp ube extract
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
Milk Mixture
- 1 14-oz can coconut milk (room temperature)
- 1 14-oz can ube condensed milk (room temperature, can sub with sweetened condensed milk flavored with ube extract)
- 1 12-oz can evaporated milk (room temperature)
Whipped Cream Topping
- 2 cups heavy cream (chilled, can sub with whipped cream)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or butter a 9×13 inch baking pan and set aside.
- Beat Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add Eggs: Incorporate the eggs one at a time into the butter-sugar mixture, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
- Mix in Ube Extract: Stir in the ube extract until evenly blended into the batter.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt directly into the bowl. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Pour Batter and Bake: Pour the cake batter into the prepared 9×13 inch pan and smooth the top. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with minimal crumbs.
- Prepare for Soaking: Remove the cake from the oven and immediately pierce the surface all over with a fork to create holes for the milk mixture to seep in.
- Mix Milk Soaking Mixture: In a large bowl, stir together the coconut milk, ube condensed milk, and evaporated milk until fully combined.
- Soak the Cake: Slowly pour the milk mixture over the pierced cake in increments of about half a cup at a time, allowing the milk to absorb fully before pouring more. Continue until the entire milk mixture is absorbed into the cake.
- Chill Cake: Place the soaked cake in the refrigerator and chill for at least 15 minutes or until completely cool.
- Whip Cream: While the cake chills, whip the heavy cream with sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form, creating a light and fluffy whipped cream topping.
- Top Cake: Spread the whipped cream evenly over the cooled, soaked cake.
- Final Chill: Refrigerate the fully assembled cake until ready to serve, allowing flavors to meld and the topping to set properly.
Notes
- Make sure all your wet ingredients are at room temperature to achieve a smooth batter.
- You can substitute ube condensed milk with sweetened condensed milk flavored with ube extract if unavailable.
- Be sure to poke plenty of holes in the cake to allow the milk mixture to soak thoroughly.
- Use chilled heavy cream for best results when whipping.
- For extra flavor, garnish with toasted coconut flakes or purple yam slices before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Filipino
Keywords: ube tres leches cake, ube cake, filipino dessert, tres leches cake, purple yam cake, creamy cake, milk soaked cake
