- There are at least 10 distinct types of ube cake — from Filipino classics like mamon and chiffon to American-adapted roll cakes, cupcakes, and cheesecakes.
- Most "ube cake" in the US is either a chiffon (light, airy) or a butter cake (denser, richer) — these are the two foundational styles.
- The signature purple color comes from real ube powder, fresh ube, or (in bakery versions) ube extract plus added food coloring.
- The chiffon technique was invented in 1927 by Harry Baker in Los Angeles — Filipino bakers adapted it with ube in the 1950s, producing the country's most iconic cake style.
If you've ever walked into a Filipino bakery — Red Ribbon, Goldilocks, a local panaderya — you've seen the purple parade: ube chiffon, ube mamon, ube roll, ube cupcakes, ube cheesecake, ube halaya-topped butter cake. "Ube cake" is not one thing. It's a whole category. Here's the complete guide to every major type, how they differ, and which one to order (or make) based on what you're craving.
The Two Foundational Styles
Almost every ube cake traces back to one of two base recipes:
- Chiffon-based: Egg whites whipped to stiff peaks, folded into an oil-based batter. Result: tall, light, cloud-like texture. This is the style of Filipino ube cake, mamon, and most bakery roll cakes.
- Butter-based: Creamed butter and sugar, eggs, flour. Result: denser, moister, richer — more like a classic American layer cake.
Knowing which base a cake uses tells you what to expect: chiffons are fluffy and eat like a cloud; butter cakes are substantial and hold up better to heavy frosting.
1. Ube Chiffon Cake — The Classic
The icon. Tall, pillowy, and unmistakably purple, ube chiffon is what most Filipinos mean when they say "ube cake." It's based on the chiffon technique developed in 1927 by Harry Baker, a Los Angeles insurance salesman who kept his recipe secret for 20 years before selling it to General Mills in 1947. Filipino bakers began adapting the method with ube in the 1950s, creating the version sold today.
Signature traits: airy crumb, bouncy texture, and a light macapuno (coconut jam) or cream frosting that doesn't overwhelm the delicate ube flavor.
2. Ube Mamon
A mini ube chiffon, usually baked in small rounds about the size of a muffin, topped with butter and shaved cheese or a dusting of sugar. The name comes from the Spanish "mamón" (small sponge cake), a Filipino adaptation from the Spanish colonial era. A staple of merienda (afternoon snack).
3. Ube Roll Cake
A thin sheet of ube chiffon rolled around whipped cream, buttercream, or ube halaya. Japanese-Filipino crossover — inspired by Japanese roll cakes (roll-cake) that became fashionable in Asia during the 2000s. Look for bakeries selling "ube roll" or "ube swiss roll."
4. Ube Cupcakes
American-style cupcakes made with ube. Generally butter-based (so they can hold up to ube-cream-cheese frosting). Easy to find at Filipino-American bakeries across California and along the East Coast. Read our full recipe guide at ube cupcakes.
5. Ube Cheesecake
A baked or no-bake cheesecake with ube blended into the filling. Often topped with ube halaya or a swirl of real ube purée for visual drama. Distinct from the rest of the list: no traditional cake base — this is a set custard, not a sponge or butter cake. Our no-fail ube cheesecake recipe walks through both versions.
6. Ube Crinkle Cookies (Yes, Technically Not a Cake)
We include these because they get shelved next to ube cake and are probably the most-searched ube bake of 2024. A dense, fudgy cookie rolled in powdered sugar that crackles as it bakes — a purple cousin of the 1950s Betty Crocker chocolate crinkle. Viral on TikTok since 2020.
7. Ube Flan Cake (Pianono)
Two layers in one: purple ube chiffon on the bottom, smooth leche flan on top, caramel-drizzled. Also known as "ube custard cake." A Filipino bakery signature and a birthday-party fixture.
8. Ube Mochi Cake
Dense, chewy, slightly bouncy — made with glutinous rice flour (mochiko) rather than wheat. Hawaiian butter mochi's Filipino-ized cousin. Baked in a square pan and cut into bars. Texture is gloriously not-like-any-other-cake.
9. Ube Birthday Cake (Layer Cake)
Two or three tall layers of ube butter cake or ube chiffon, filled with macapuno, ube halaya, or ube buttercream, and frosted with ube cream-cheese icing. This is the "American wedding cake" treatment of ube and the format used in most Filipino-American celebrations.
10. Ube Cake With Halaya Topping
A butter cake or chiffon topped with a thick layer of ube halaya (traditional Filipino purple yam jam), often with macapuno strings for added sweetness. One of the richest ube cake formats.
Quick Reference: Which Ube Cake Should You Choose?
| Type | Base | Texture | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chiffon | Egg-white foam | Airy, fluffy | First-time ube tasters |
| Mamon | Mini chiffon | Light, cheesy | Snack / merienda |
| Roll | Thin chiffon | Soft with cream filling | Coffee / afternoon tea |
| Cupcakes | Butter cake | Dense, moist | Parties, lunch boxes |
| Cheesecake | Cream cheese custard | Rich, creamy | Dinner parties |
| Flan cake | Chiffon + leche flan | Two textures in one | Birthdays |
| Mochi cake | Glutinous rice flour | Dense, chewy | Gluten-free option |
| Layer cake | Butter or chiffon | Tall, frosted | Weddings, milestones |
| Halaya-topped | Butter cake + ube jam | Rich, sweet | Filipino traditionalists |
Where to Try (or Make) Each Type
Store-bought: Red Ribbon Bakeshop (chiffon, roll, halaya-topped), Goldilocks (mamon, chiffon), Valerio's Tropical Bake Shop (crinkle cookies, chiffon), Magnolia Ice Cream cafes (cheesecake).
Homemade: All types above are achievable at home with real ube powder and standard cake-making equipment. Chiffon and mochi are the easiest starting points — chiffon because the technique is forgiving once you get the egg-white fold right, and mochi because there's no creaming step or rise to manage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular type of ube cake?
Is ube cake naturally purple?
What's the difference between ube cake and taro cake?
Can ube cake be made gluten-free?
How do you keep ube cake purple?
Our organic ube powder works in every cake style above — from delicate chiffon to dense mochi cake. 100% real Philippine ube, no food dye.
Shop Organic Ube Powder →
