Iced Matcha Ube Latte: Layered Purple and Green Drink

Layered iced matcha and ube lattes — green and purple layers in clear glasses
Key Takeaways
  • This recipe makes two stunning layered iced lattes — one matcha-on-ube, one ube-on-matcha — so you can see which combination you prefer.
  • The secret to clean layers is whisking each powder into a concentrate first, then pouring slowly over ice and milk.
  • Both drinks are naturally caffeine-light — matcha has about half the caffeine of coffee, and ube powder is completely caffeine-free.
  • The purple-and-green color contrast is completely natural, with no food coloring or artificial dyes.
  • Total prep time is under 10 minutes for both drinks.

Matcha and ube are two of the most beautiful ingredients you can put in a glass — one bright green, the other deep purple. This recipe puts them side by side in layered iced lattes that taste as incredible as they look. We made a "Best Mommy" and "Best Daddy" version to settle the ultimate question: which layer goes on top?

The answer? Both are delicious. But building them is half the fun.

Watch Us Make It

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Ingredients

Makes 2 layered iced lattes:

  • 1 scoop (1–2 tsp) matcha powder
  • 1 scoop (1–2 tsp) Ube Bae organic ube powder
  • Hot water — about 2–3 oz per powder for whisking
  • 2 cups milk (any kind — the video uses a gluten-free plant milk)
  • Ice cubes — 5–7 per glass
Pro Tip: Use clear glasses so the layers are visible. The whole point of this drink is the color contrast — opaque mugs hide it.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Part 1: Make the Concentrates

Step 1: Whisk the matcha. Add 1 scoop of matcha powder to a small bowl. Pour about 2–3 oz of hot water over it and whisk with a bamboo chasen (matcha whisk) until smooth and slightly frothy. Set aside.

Step 2: Whisk the ube. Add 1 scoop of ube powder to a separate small bowl. Pour the same amount of hot water and whisk until you have a smooth, vibrant purple concentrate. No lumps.

Part 2: Make the Infused Milks

Step 3: Make ube milk. Pour about half a cup of milk into a pitcher. Add the ube concentrate and stir until the milk is evenly purple.

Iced matcha ube latte next to plain iced matcha latte comparison

Step 4: Make matcha milk. Pour another half cup of milk into a second pitcher. Add the matcha concentrate and stir until evenly green.

Part 3: Build the Layered Lattes

Step 5: Prep the glasses. Fill two glasses with ice cubes (5–7 per glass). Pour a splash of plain milk over the ice in each glass — about a third of the way up.

Step 6: Build "Matcha x Ube" (green on top). Into the first glass, slowly pour the ube-infused milk over the ice. Then carefully pour the matcha concentrate on top. The green will float on the purple, creating a layered effect.

Step 7: Build "Ube x Matcha" (purple on top). Into the second glass, slowly pour the matcha-infused milk over the ice. Then carefully pour the ube concentrate on top. Purple floats on the green.

Pro Tip: Pour the top layer slowly over the back of a spoon held against the inside of the glass. This slows the flow and keeps the layers from mixing immediately. The ice also helps — cold liquids layer better than warm ones.

Matcha x Ube vs Ube x Matcha — What's the Difference?

Matcha x Ube Ube x Matcha
Top layer Green (matcha) Purple (ube)
Bottom layer Purple (ube milk) Green (matcha milk)
First sip flavor Earthy matcha hit Sweet ube hit
Best for Matcha lovers who want to try ube Ube lovers who want a caffeine boost

Once you stir the layers together, both drinks taste the same — a creamy, earthy-sweet blend. The difference is really about the visual presentation and what flavor hits your tongue first through the straw.

Why Ube and Matcha Work Together

Ube has a sweet, vanilla-hazelnut flavor. Matcha has an earthy, slightly bitter, grassy flavor. Together they balance each other perfectly — the ube softens the bite of matcha, while the matcha adds depth and complexity to the ube's sweetness. It is the same sweet-meets-savory principle behind salted caramel or chocolate and sea salt.

Pouring milk into layered ube and matcha latte glass

If you are new to ube, our guide on what ube is and how it tastes covers the full flavor profile.

Variations

Hot version: Skip the ice and use steamed, frothed milk instead. Layer the same way — the concentrate on top, infused milk below. The layers hold for about 30 seconds before merging, so take the photo fast.

Sweetened: Add a tablespoon of honey or condensed milk to each infused milk before building the layers. Ube is naturally mildly sweet, but matcha can taste bitter to some people without a sweetener.

Solo ube version: Skip the matcha entirely and make a pure ube iced latte. Layer ube concentrate over plain milk and ice for a simpler but still stunning purple drink. Check out our ube hot latte recipe for the warm version.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this drink have caffeine?
A small amount from the matcha — roughly 30–40 mg per serving, which is about half a cup of coffee. The ube has zero caffeine. If you want a fully caffeine-free version, replace the matcha with butterfly pea flower powder for a blue-and-purple layered latte instead.
How do I keep the layers from mixing?
Three things help: plenty of ice (cold liquids layer better), pouring slowly over the back of a spoon, and making sure the bottom layer is denser (milk-based) while the top is lighter (water-based concentrate). The layers will eventually merge — that is normal and actually tastes better — but they hold long enough for the visual effect and a great photo.
Can I use ube extract instead of ube powder?
Ube extract will give you color but not the real flavor or the body needed to create distinct layers. Real ube powder has natural starch that thickens the concentrate slightly and helps it float or sink predictably. Extract is too thin and will blend immediately into the milk.
What does ube and matcha taste like together?
Creamy, earthy, and subtly sweet. The matcha brings a grassy depth and slight bitterness, while the ube adds vanilla-hazelnut sweetness and a smooth, milky body. When mixed, they create a balanced flavor that is more complex than either one alone — similar to how a matcha latte benefits from a touch of vanilla.
Ready to Try Ube x Matcha?

Our organic ube powder whisks smoothly into concentrates and milk — perfect for layered drinks. One bag makes 30+ lattes for under $0.90 each.

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