This ube roll cake is made with a soft and fluffy ube chiffon cake that rolls up perfectly without tearing or rippling. It's filled with ube whipped cream to complete this vibrant purple yam dessert!
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Roll cakes or swiss rolls are one of my favourite cakes to make. They can be baked in a baking tray that you probably already own and they're not as work-intensive as a layer cake.
The cake-to-cream ratio of roll cakes is perfect. It's just enough cream to keep the cake moist. Because of the way it's rolled, you get a bite of fluffy cake and whipped cream in every bite.
This swirly ube roll cake looks beautiful and impressive without any fussy decorations. To level it up even more, I love making roll cakes with fresh fruit like my Honeydew Roll Cake or White Peach Swiss Roll recipes. They always turn out looking completely bakery-worthy.
What is ube?
Ube (pronounced "ooh-bay") is a purple yam or purple sweet potato originating from the Philippines. Ube tastes like a sweet and mellow coconut and vanilla flavour. It's fragrant and delicious. It's most commonly used in Filipino desserts that are instantly recognizable from their vibrant purple colour.
In baking, ube is typically used in the form of a boiled and mashed paste called ube halaya or in the form of a concentrated liquid ube extract. In this recipe, we'll be using ube extract. You only need a small amount of ube extract so it won't alter the delicate texture of this chiffon cake.
Why you'll love this recipe
- This ube cake roll has a soft, fluffy, and airy texture!
- It's not too sweet and tastes just like a cake you would get at an Asian bakery.
- The coconut and vanilla-like ube flavour is delicious and so easy to add to the cake.
- This roll cake recipe rolls up perfectly without tearing or rippling.
Tools
- 12x17" baking tray - I used the same baking tray that I use for baking cookies. You just need a baking tray with at least 1" high walls so if the baking sheet you probably already own has sides like this - perfect! You can also use a 9x13" cake pan with taller 2.25" sides that you would typically use for cakes or brownies to make a thicker cake sheet.
- Electric hand mixer - A hand mixer is essential for beating egg white meringue to stiff peaks. If you bake often, I'd highly recommend picking one up. They're pretty affordable and vital for making almost all my recipes!
- Fine mesh sieve - You'll need this to sift the flour into the cake batter to break up any lumps. Cake flour is finely milled and tends to clump.
- Offset spatula - You can use a regular spatula but an offset spatula has the perfect angle and flat edge for spreading batter and whipped cream.
Ingredients
As always, the fullย recipe cardย with ingredient amounts and instructions is at the bottom of this post! Keep reading for more details on each ingredient or skip ahead to theย recipe.
- Eggs - You'll need to separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. We'll be mixing them separately and then folding them back together to make the chiffon cake batter.
- Cream of tartar - This is an acidic powder that helps stabilize the egg whites so that they whip up into a more stable meringue faster. If you don't have this on hand, you can omit it.
- Granulated sugar -ย You'll need to divide the sugar into two separate portions. One portion will be added to the egg white meringue, one portion will be added to the egg yolk mixture. Don't ask me why you need to separate them. I've made this recipe many times with the sugar separated and not separated (added all of it to the meringue) and it almost always turns out slightly better when they were separated.
- Milk - Use any dairy or non-dairy milk you prefer.
- Oil - Use a light-tasting oil like canola oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil.
- Ube extract - Ube extract is a natural or artificial ube flavouring and colouring that gives ube treats its recognizable smell, flavour, and taste. You can find it at specialty Filipino grocery stores, some Asian grocery stores, the international section of supermarkets, and online.
- Vanilla extract
- Cake flour - Cake flour contains less gluten than all-purpose flour and makes softer and lighter cakes.
- Whipping cream - You can also use heavy cream with a higher fat content for a richer cream filling.
- Powdered sugar
How to make an ube roll cake
For the ube chiffon cake
Prep - Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF. Line a 12x17" baking tray with parchment paper only on the bottom. Set aside.
Separate eggs -ย Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites into two separate large mixing bowls, being careful not to get any yolk in the egg whites. Set the bowl of egg yolks aside.
Beat egg whites -ย To the bowl of egg whites, add cream of tartar. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the egg whites on medium speed until they become foamy like cappuccino foam.
Add sugar -ย Sprinkle in 100g of sugar, one tablespoonful at a time, mixing well in between each addition.
Whip to stiff peaks -ย After all the sugar has been added, keep beating until the meringue becomes stiff peaks. When you pull the mixer out of the bowl, the meringue should stand up on its own in small spikes and the tips should curl over. Set the meringue aside.
Egg yolk mixture -ย To the bowl of egg yolks, add 50g of sugar, milk, oil, ube extract, and vanilla extract. Use the same hand mixer to mix until combined.
Sift in flour - Use a fine mesh sieve to sift in the flour and mix again until just combined.
Fold meringue into egg yolk mixture -ย Add about โ of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture. Use a spatula to fold them together until just combined.
Add the rest of the meringue and fold until no streaks remain.
Fill pan -ย Pour the batter into your lined baking tray. Use an offset spatula to push the batter into the corners of the pan and smooth it into an even layer.
Bake -ย Bake the cake for about 12-13 minutes or until the edges of the cake are slightly golden brown.
Release the cake -ย Let the cake cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Don't let it cool completely. The next steps should be done while the cake is still warm. Run an offset spatula around the edges of the cake to release it from the pan.
First flip -ย Place a wire rack on top of the baking tray. Grab both sides of the tray and the rack and flip them upside down. Remove the tray and the cake will be on the rack. Peel the parchment paper off the cake.
Second flip -ย Place a new sheet of parchment paper on top of the cake. Grab both sides of the rack and the parchment paper and flip them upside down again. Remove the rack. The nicest side of the cake sheet will now be facing down on the parchment paper and will become the outside of the cake roll.
Pre-roll the cake -ย Starting at one short end of the cake sheet, roll the cake upย withย the parchment paper. Let it rest in this rolled-up log shape until it cools completely.
For the ube whipped cream
Whip cream -ย In a large mixing bowl, add whipping cream, powdered sugar, ube extract, and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer on low-medium speed to beat them until it thickens and becomes firm peaks.
Assemble the roll cake
Smooth cream onto the cake - Unroll the cooled cake sheet. Plop some of the whipped cream on top and use an offset spatula to smooth it into a generous, even layer. Leave about 2" of empty space at one end of the cake sheet (this will be the end of the roll).
Roll cake -ย Starting at one short end of the cake sheet, start rolling up the cake in the same way it was pre-rolled. When you get to the end of the roll, use an offset spatula to clean up any excess whipped cream that may have squished out before letting the cake roll rest on top of the last edge.
Chill -ย Wrap the cake roll with plastic wrap. Twist the plastic wrap at both ends of the roll and secure with clips. Gently reshape the roll with your hands if needed. Chill the cake in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight to let the cream set before slicing into it.
Slice -ย Once chilled, slice about ยฝ" off both ends of the roll to reveal the beautiful swirl. Cut the roll into 1-1.5" slices and serve!
Storage
This ube roll cake can be stored in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing
Leftover cake slices can be frozen by placing them in an airtight container or wrapping them well in plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil and freezing them for up to 1 month.
Thaw them in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for several hours before serving.
Tips for success
- Whip the egg white meringue to stiff peaks. The meringue is what leavens this cake and makes it rise without any baking powder or baking soda. When it reaches stiff peaks, that means it's the correct consistency and there is enough air whipped into it for it to make a fluffy and airy chiffon cake.
- Don't underbake the cake. Underbaked chiffon cake will deflate and sink down after taking it out of the oven. The edges of the cake touching the pan should be slightly golden brown and the surface of the cake should have some resistance when you gently press it. In this case, overbaking slightly is better than underbaking.
- Pre-roll the cake sheet while it's still warm. Let the cake cool completely in this rolled-up shape. This helps "train" the cake to stay in this shape while it's warm and flexible so that the cake won't rip or tear later on when you roll it up with the cream filling.
- Chill the roll cake overnight before serving. The whipped cream filling needs time to set and firm up. A few hours of chilling time is enough but I prefer to make cakes the day before and chill them overnight. This helps the cake hold its shape and prevents the cream from squishing out when slicing it.
Frequently asked questions
Using a smaller pan will make a thicker cake sheet that will roll only once (instead of rolling several times to make a spiral design). This is definitely something you can do and it's just a different look.
If you're using a larger pan, you'll have to double the recipe or scale it to make slightly more batter otherwise there won't be enough batter to fill the pan and the cake sheet will be very thin.
This roll cake already needs time to chill in the fridge before serving so making it 1-2 days in advance is perfect.
More roll cake recipes to try
Recipe
Ube Roll Cake
Equipment
Ingredientsย ย
Ube Chiffon Cake
- 6 large eggs
- ยผ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 150 g granulated sugar, divided into 100g + 50g
- 50 g milk
- 50 g light-tasting oil
- 1 teaspoon ube extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 120 g cake flour
Ube Whipped Cream
- 400 g whipping cream
- 40 g powdered sugar
- ยฝ teaspoon ube extract
- ยฝ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructionsย
Ube Chiffon Cake
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF. Line a 12x17" baking tray with parchment paper only on the bottom. Set aside.
- Separate eggs: Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites into two separate large mixing bowls, being careful not to get any yolk in the egg whites. Set the bowl of egg yolks aside.
- Beat egg whites: To the bowl of egg whites, add cream of tartar. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the egg whites on medium speed until they become foamy like capuccinno foam.
- Add sugar: Sprinkle in 100g of sugar, one tablespoonful at a time, mixing well in between each addition.
- Whip to stiff peaks: After all the sugar has been added, keep beating until the meringue becomes stiff peaks. When you pull the mixer out of the bowl, the meringue should stand up on its own in small spikes and the tips should curl over. Set the meringue aside.
- Egg yolk mixture: To the bowl of egg yolks, add 50g of sugar, milk, oil, ube extract, and vanilla extract. Use the same hand mixer to mix until combined.
- Sift in flour: Use a fine mesh sieve to sift in the flour and mix again until just combined.
- Fold meringue into egg yolk mixture: Add about โ of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture. Use a spatula to fold them together until just combined. Add the rest of the meringue and fold until no streaks remain.
- Fill pan: Pour the batter into your lined baking tray. Use an offset spatula to push the batter into the corners of the pan and smooth it into an even layer.
- Bake: Bake the cake for about 12-13 minutes or until the edges of the cake are slightly golden brown.
- Release the cake: Let the cake cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Don't let it cool completely. The next steps should be done while the cake is still warm. Run an offset spatula around the edges of the cake to release it from the pan.
- First flip: Place a wire rack on top of the baking tray. Grab both sides of the tray and the rack and flip them upside down. Remove the tray and the cake will be on the rack. Peel the parchment paper off the cake.
- Second flip: Place a new sheet of parchment paper on top of the cake. Grab both sides of the rack and the parchment paper and flip them upside down again. Remove the rack. The nicest side of the cake sheet will now be facing down on the parchment paper and will become the outside of the cake roll.
- Pre-roll the cake: Starting at one short end of the cake sheet, roll the cake up with the parchment paper. Let it rest in this rolled-up log shape until it cools completely.
Ube Whipped Cream
- Whip cream: In a large mixing bowl, add whipping cream, powdered sugar, ube extract, and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer on low-medium speed to beat them until it thickens and becomes firm peaks.
- Smooth cream onto cake: Unroll the cooled cake sheet. Plop some of the whipped cream on top and use an offset spatula to smooth it into a generous, even layer. Leave about 2" of empty space at one end of the cake sheet (this will be the end of the roll).
- Roll cake: Starting at one short end of the cake sheet, start rolling up the cake in the same way it was pre-rolled. When you get to the end of the roll, use an offset spatula to clean up any excess whipped cream that may have squished out before letting the cake roll rest on top of the last edge.
- Chill: Wrap the cake roll with plastic wrap. Twist the plastic wrap at both ends of the roll and secure with clips. Gently reshape the roll with your hands if needed. Chill the cake in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight to let the cream set before slicing into it.
- Slice: Once chilled, slice about ยฝ" off both ends of the roll to reveal the beautiful swirl. Cut the roll into 1-1.5" slices and serve!
Riza says
Really really good, not too sweet.
And i always used this recipe everytime i have parties at home.โค๏ธ
Theresa Osullivan says
I made this Uber Roll & it came out perfect! My whole family enjoyed it. Will definitely make it again. Thanks for the recipe
sheni says
I have Ube powder , how much do you think for the powder in the cake ?
Jenny says
My cake was not the deep rich color purple, can you explain why? I purchased a bottle of Ube flavour & coloring and used the amount in recipe.
Carolyn says
I made this for Father's Day and everyone loved it! I only had an 18 X 26 inch baking sheet, so I multiplied the recipe by 1.5 and it still turned out great. My mom, who doesn't really care for cake, made herself a second plate!
Yhen says
Can i make it into a cake and for how long ;does it need to be baked?
G says
I made this for my dadโs birthday and frosted with swiss meringue buttercream. It was so delicious. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
SHEETAL ZAVERI says
Hi.
Any substitute for eggs in the recipe? Also what is Ube?
Autumn says
I made this today! But sadly my rolls cracked haha. I still added the filling and roll it again. I know it will taste good as I keep licking my fingers thank you for this recipe!
j says
can I substitute the extract with Halaya?
Gail Ng says
The extract gives the cake the vibrant colour and a more concentrated flavour. You would have to add a lot more halaya to get the same flavour so it would throw off the ingredient ratios so I wouldn't substitute it!
Ara says
The roll tasted delicious, but my cake was so sticky when i unrolled so it was quite ugly lol. Any tips on how to make the cake not so sticky? I stuck with 350F , but added 5 more minutes so total 18 minutes, since the cake wasn't golden brown yet and the middle was still soft.
I might try bumping up the heat to 375F, maybe my oven isn't calibrated well.
Carolyn says
The same thing happened to me. I think it was because of the condensation from the still-warm cake. But mine still turned out great! I think the whipped cream hid the "ugliness".
Irene says
Turned out delicious! Ended up decorating with more ube cream and some shredded coconut
Lucy says
Great as a gluten free cake!
Iโve made this twice now. Once with regular all purpose flour, and once with Bobs Mills gluten free flour. Both were a hit. No noticeable difference in taste or texture. We especially love that this cake is moist, filling is light, and nothing is too sweet. Perfectly satisfying, and my gluten-sensitive daughter has asked for this to be her annual birthday cake.
Farah says
My cake did break when I unrolled before putting the filling in, but it was delicious nonetheless. Can you please advise what I can do better next time to ensure the cake doesnโt break? Thank you for a delicious recipe.
Wendy says
The first time you roll it, it doesnโt have to be very tight. It just needs to be rolled. Then you can tighten it up on your next roll with your filling.
MCB says
Perfect Ube roll cake
Yhen says
Hi, can we make this as a cake instead of the roll? If so, how long does it need to be in the oven?
Thanks, Iโve actually made it and my kids loved it. Thank you for sharing.
Justine says
This recipe was absolutely amazing, however since I used a few different ingredients the whipped cream kinda turned into an ice cream so the cake had to be frozen constantly. It was still super yummy and we absolutely love this cake!! Hahaha thank you for the great recipe.
Cheryle says
I made this to bring to work because one of my Filipino coworkers bought something like it from the local Filipino store and she told me about it (she now admits because she wanted me to try to make it - brat). She liked the recipe better than the one she bought!
I followed the recipe to the letter (except I added an imprime design for fun) and the instructions were very detailed and informative. I've made a lot of roll cakes and the texture of this one is great. It's delicate but not so fragile that it cracks easily.
Heather says
So easy to follow! The pictures are super helpful. Mine turned out perfectly flavored and a beautiful shade of purple. I used Butterfly brand ube extract.
Cherie says
My apologies. Please disregard. I missed it. Can't wait to make this.
Thank you for your recipe.
Cherie says
I'm eager to try this, however, what do you mean by light-tasting oil? May you clarify? Thank you.
Gaosheng says
Hello, I am wanting to attempt to make this for an event. I'm just wondering how long will these rolls last for if I make it a couple days in advance and refrigerate them?
Annette says
What happened to my comment? I didn't rate it the first time because I had questions. My cake lacked color. I asked the brand of UBE you used. I really want to make this cake with all the color you show on your website. The recipe worked just fine. It just wasn't pretty like yours. Is it better to purchase the UBE from a Filipino food supply?
Annette says
Well, my cake was nowhere near purple. It was a pale lavender at best. Should i have used clear vanilla? What brand of UBE Extract did you use Where did you get your extract?
Gail Ng says
My ube extract is from the brand McCormick! I bought it from a local Filipino grocery store but you can get it online too. No need to use clear vanilla extract. You can gauge the colour of the batter after you add the ube extract - it should be very, very deep purple and keep in mind this colour will lighten after you add the egg white meringue. If it's not dark enough, you can add a bit more. If all else fails, you can always add a bit of purple gel food colouring but I've never found the need to since the ube extract already contains colouring.
Victoria says
I followed the recipe exactly, except with the addition of pandan extract to the whip cream filling, and it turned out so good! I was very happy with how it turned out so perfect because I tried making a roll cake once before using a different recipe, but that was a huge fail and disappointment as the cake was dry/dense and cracked even though I rolled the cake warm. This recipe was fairly easy to follow and execute, so I highly recommend trying it out if you're looking for a perfect roll cake recipe like I was! The texture of the cake was so light and moist and the sweetness was just right. I made this cake for a family party and everyone was impressed and it did not survive long! This will definitely be my go-to recipe! Thank you.
Min says
Texture and taste good. Color wasnโt as vibrant as shown in the photos. The pan I used 11 x17.
Gail Ng says
The colour entirely depends on the ube extract you use - I would recommend trying a different brand of ube extract or adding more if yours isn't vibrant enough.
Gg says
Can I substitute ready cake mix for a flour?
Gail Ng says
No, cake mix contains many other ingredients (usually already has leavening agents, sugar, and other things) that won't react the same as just flour.
Jessica says
Girl are you sure that's a 13x9 pan that you used... mine ended up super thick compared to yours. I even went out to buy a 13x9 to make sure it ended up okay. Should have trusted my gut and sized up to my normal 13x18.:(
Gail Ng says
Oh noo youโre right! Iโm very sorry about the pan size typo! My pan was actually 12x17โ - a standard jelly roll pan size. Iโve corrected it in the recipe now. I hope your cake at least tasted good ๐
Also, I actually didnโt delete your comment, as you can see. I just hadnโt replied to it yet. Your other comment, however, wonโt be posted because this is my personal site and I wonโt allow verbal abuse over a recipe or misunderstanding. Be kind and have a good day!
Lyndsay says
Hi Gail! As usual, completely enthralled by your gorgeous photography and seriously deliciously looking recipes!! Canโt wait to try this Ube one! Thank you!
Gail Ng says
Aw thank you so much Lyndsay! I so appreciate you and I hope you love it!