UBE MACAPUNO CAKE (Purple Yam Cake with Preserved Coconut Sport)

UBE MACAPUNO CAKE (Purple Yam Cake with Preserved Coconut Sport)

Ube is a Philippines name for purple yam. Ube macapuno cake is a chiffon cake with purple yam flavour and topped with preserved coconut sport. If coconut sport is not available you can use any type of fruit or sweets toppings you like. I used coconut sport as it is the original and traditional version from Philippines. This cake is very famous and most loved in the Philippines. I love this cake a lot and always buy from one of the famous cake shop in the Philippines, “Red Ribbon” whenever got a chance during our yearly vacation.

 

I baked this cake on my last birthday as a present to myself. Purple yam is hard to find in the market so I used a purple jam or halaya for this recipe instead and it turns out perfect the texture and the taste is amazing. I am sharing below is the recipe I used to bake this cake.

Ube is purple yam this is different from purple sweet potato they are two different species of root vegetables. Yams have a cylindrical shape with blackish or brown, bark-like skin and white, purple or reddish flesh. While sweet potatoes have an elongated shape with tapered ends. Yams are starchier and drier than sweet potatoes. So next time you buy yams do take note of these simple differences.

UBE MACAPUNO CAKE Recipe
 Adopted recipe from Ube Macapuno and modified based on my cooking preferences.    

Ingredients: for 1 9x3 inch round cake pan

For the Cake

1 ¼ cups cake flour.
½  cup sugar.
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder.
½ teaspoon salt.

4 egg yolks
¼ cup vegetable cooking oil (or melted butter)
½  cup milk.
¼ cup grated ube (or 85g ube jam/halaya)

1 teaspoon ube flavouring  

1 teaspoon violet/purple food coloring (or more depending on your color preference)

For the Meringue:

4 egg whites

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

½ cup sugar

Ingredients for cream cheese frosting and filling:
200ml whipping or thickened cream

1 250g package of cream cheese

1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 jar of macapuno (preserved coconut sport), syrup drained

Method:

Bake the cake:

1.   Pre-heat oven to 170deg C. Line the pan with baking paper or parchment paper. No need to grease the pan.

2.   In a large bowl sift together the cake dry ingredients and whisked to combine well. On a separate bowl mixed all the cake wet ingredients and add to the mixed dry cake ingredients beat with electric mixer or by hand just until smooth and well blended. Do not over mix.

3.   In a separate bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed till frothy then slowly add in the sugar until stiff peaks from. Fold the meringue into the yolk mixture in two additions until very well combined, avoid deflating the meringue

4.   Pour the batter on a prepared pan. Tap gently the pan to remove the bubbles and to level the batter to the pan.

5.   Bake at 170deg C for 35 to 40 minutes or until the skewer come out clean. Let the cake rest for at least 3 minutes, then, invert the cake until cool completely.

6.   Carefully run a thin knife around sides of the pan to release the cake. Slice off cake tops to keep the height uniform and to level off surface. Cut the cake half horizontally to make two layers cake.  Reserve trimmings and place in a food processor to turn into crumbs.

Make the icing:

7.   Combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisked on medium speed until smooth. While the mixture is still whipping, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Continue whipping until the cream can hold a stiff peak.

Assemble the cake:

8.   Place one cake layer on top of a cake board. Place enough amount (you decide how much is enough for you) whipped cream over the cake, then spread evenly using spatula. Add about ½ of the macapuno strips. Cover the top layer cake with the remaining whipped cream, covering the top and sides.

9.   Dust sides of the cake first then the top (if you have enough crumbs) with the ube cake crumbs. Use remaining cream to pipe shells on the borders. Decorate cake top with the remaining macapuno strips, placing them on the center of the cake inside the piped borders. Refrigerate to chill it before serving.

Note:'
You can double the recipe and use 2 pans if you want a higher cake.
 

Adobo Roll/Buns (Buns with Savory Meat filling)

Adobo Roll/Buns (Buns with Savory Meat filling)

Adobo is a well-known Filipino dish it’s a meat stew in soya sauce, vinegar, bay leaves and peppers. The meat can be chicken or pork or combination of both. Some put potatoes and boiled eggs and some put pigs liver or chicken liver for additional flavor and variations. There are many ways of cooking the adobo. On this bun, I used pork and potatoes as a filling and cooked it the same way as how the normal dish is being cooked except that I need to make the filling thicker. The dough I used here is my favorite sweet bun dough. This roll can be as a snack or breakfast with hot coffee

I remember few years back on one of our trips  to the Philippines my brother-in-law brought us some rolls with meat filling and he said it was Adobo roll and bought from well-known bakery shop in Pasig,City, the Dimasalang where it is just across the road from their place. Adobo roll from this bakeshop is saleable, he was just fortunate when he drop by to the shop they have this roll on the shelf. It was also my first time to try this bun and it was so good and I liked it! So, whenever I got a chance to pass by on that bakery shop I always check on if they have this roll, and there was no luck for me to meet this roll. August last year (2016) during our short trip to Philippines I managed to get a chance to meet this roll again as there still four pieces left, that's all only four pieces.

When, we're back in Singapore I craved for this roll and decided to make one. I searched thru the internet for recipe to follow but there is none I can find. I have no option left but to make my own Adobo roll recipe, by tweaking the normal adobo recipe and I was pleased with my creation it turns out very nice and almost identical to the one from the bakery shop. My son was very happy as well since Abodo is his favorite dish. I am humbled to share this recipe  and below is the simple recipe that you can follow. Hope you will like it. Enjoy baking!

Adobo Roll/Buns (Buns with Savory Meat filling) Recipe

Ingredients:

Adobo Filling

500   g chicken breast or pork lean meat, chopped in small dice

1       medium size onion, minced

6       cloves garlic, minced

1/8    tsp of ground pepper

2       pcs bay leaves

1/3    cup white vinegar

1/2    cup soya sauce

1                tbsp oyster sauce

1                tbsp brown sugar

3       tbsp oil

2       tbsp cornstarch diluted in 1 tbsp water

1       medium potato, minced and fried (optional)

Sweet dough

500   g bread flour, sifted

20     g powdered milk, sifted

75     g caster sugar

6       g salt

8       g instant yeast

1       egg, lightly beaten

270   g water or milk (do not use milk powder if using milk)

60     g butter, softened

Sesame seed toasted (optional)

 

Egg wash

1 egg beaten mixed with 1 tbsp of milk and few drops of oil, sift into small container

 
Procedure: 

For Filling:.

1.      Heat oil in a pan, saute garlic and onion till fragrant then put in the meat saute till the meat change color (brown for pork and white for chicken).

2.      On separate bowl, mix all the rest of the ingredients except the cornstarch slurry.

3.      Pour in the seasoning mixture and the fried potato (if using) to the meat and let it simmer till the meat is cooked. Constantly stir to prevent burning/sticking at the bottom of the pan. Check the sauce if drying up then adds enough amount of water.

4.      Once the meat is cooked, pour the cornstarch slurry mix till the sauce thickens and can be mounded.

5.      Turn off the heat and set the filling aside to cool down.

For Sweet Dough:

6.      Mix sifted flour, castor sugar and salt in electric mixer with dough hook on low speed for one minute

7.      Mix in yeast. Add egg and water or milk. Mix on low speed for another minute.

8.      Mix on medium speed for eight minutes.

9.      Mix in butter. Mix five minutes more on medium speed until soft, smooth and elastic(but not sticky) dough forms.

10.   Remove dough from mixture and shape into a ball.

11.   Divide the dough into 55 g portions. Roll each portion into a ball. Cover the balls of dough and leave to rest for 10 minute

12.   To shape the buns:

13.   Flatten a ball of dough with the palm of your hand or by using a small rolling pin, make sure that the center is thicker than the side. Place a ball of filling in the center of the dough.

14.   Gather the edge and pinch to seal. (Be sure to seal well or the filling will leak out during baking.)

15.   Pat into shape and place on a greased baking tray.

16.   Repeat with remaining portions of dough.

17.   Place each bun about 5.5 cm apart on the baking trays.

18.   Prove for 45 min in a warm place.

19.   Egg washed the buns and put sesame seed on top.

20.   Bake in preheated oven at 180 deg C for 20 to 25 min or until buns are lightly brown.