Lunchbox cakes - ube layers with whipped cream frosting
Let's make ube cake with whipped cream frosting! These are mini 4 inch cakes with two layers that are ube flavored, filled with ube whipped cream and covered in sweetened cream.
I'm making lunchbox cakes, so I'm going to frost them in their little takeout containers.
The cake flavor is called "Ube Velvet" because it's based off of my red velvet recipe, which has a tang from buttermilk, a bright color, and a soft texture.
Below is the recipe I used in the video, which I copied from my cakeculator, or my cake recipe app. You can also use it to choose your own cake size if you want to do something other than mini cakes that is ube flavored. Just choose ube velvet for you cake flavor and customize the rest.
You can check out my cakeculator here.
Step by step:
Video
Read this before you begin
Measure by weight, if possible.
Measuring by weight is the best way for you to replicate my recipes. I develop recipes using ingredients (even liquids) measured in grams, which is why you see them listed first in the recipe cards. For measurements under 5 grams, I will typically only list the volumetric measurements (teaspoons, etc.), as most home scales are not precise for such small weights.
In most cases, I have converted grams to volumetric measurements (aka US customary units) for bakers who prefer this method. However, the measurements are not as precise and may have awkward proportions. The recipes should still work, but for the ultimate precision, try to use weight.
This is the OXO scale I use daily. I also purchased this budget version of a good scale, which I keep at my Mom’s house for baking. If you’re interested in other tools I use for my baking, I’ve compiled a list here.
Use room temperature ingredients.
All my ingredients should be used at room temperature, or 65-75 °F/18-24 °C. I will always indicate if you need something outside this range. If no details are given, room temperature is the default.
Pay attention to the ingredient descriptions.
I try not to be brand-specific, but I will always note an interesting result from a type of ingredient, be it negative or positive.
A specific note regarding salt: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt for everything on this site except for frostings. In frostings, you want the salt to dissolve more easily, and kosher salt tends to leave granules behind. If you substitute table salt (more finely granulated) for recipes that list kosher salt, you must use half the volume indicated in my recipes.
Substitutions are hard.
That’s not to say they’re impossible, though. For instance, in many cases, substituting reduced fat for whole milk (and thus reducing fat by less than 2%) will probably be fine. Using applesauce for oil or even Greek yogurt when sour cream is listed will definitely alter the fat content and adversely affect the crumb texture and density of the cake.
I experiment for hours to get these recipes to work for us. First, try to make them as written or use one of my tested substitutions, which I often dedicate a section to. Then, if necessary, you can make modifications afterward. Even then I would be pretty cautious, as substitutions are one of the hardest things to investigate in recipe development.
Read all the recipe instructions before beginning.
I’m in the “Pre-read the Chapter before Class Lecture” club... and I invite you to join! Baking new recipes can be intimidating, so let’s set you up for success. I want you to think about timeframes. Most fillings and frostings can be made ahead of time, and give you an extra day for mental space. Also, as you become a more proficient baker, you can anticipate and recognize steps. (“Oh, this has a meringue step, so I’ll need an extra clean bowl…” etc.) Ensure you go down the ingredient list and have everything at the right temperature.
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Ube Velvet Mini 4-inch Cakes
Ube Mini Cakes
- 2 1/2 cups (300g) cake flour*
- 3 tsp (12g) baking powder
- 1 tsp (4g) salt
- 1 cups (242g) buttermilk
- 1/2 cups (120g) ube jam**
- 2 tsp (8g) ube extract
- 1/2 cups (114g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoon (36g) oil (canola or other unflavored oil)
- 1 1/2 cups (320g) brown sugar***
- 4 large (60g) egg yolks
- 2 large (100g) eggs
Whipped Cream
- 2 cups (425g) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1/4 cups (62g) granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp (6g) vanilla extract
Ube Mini Cakes
- 2 1/2 cups (300g) cake flour*
- 3 tsp (12g) baking powder
- 1 tsp (4g) salt
- 1 cups (242g) buttermilk
- 1/2 cups (120g) ube jam**
- 2 tsp (8g) ube extract
- 1/2 cups (114g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoon (36g) oil (canola or other unflavored oil)
- 1 1/2 cups (320g) brown sugar***
- 4 large (60g) egg yolks
- 2 large (100g) eggs
Whipped Cream
- 2 cups (425g) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1/4 cups (62g) granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp (6g) vanilla extract
Bake the mini cakes
- Make sure you have an oven rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Food-safe silicone is a naturally non-stick surface. No need to grease the pans as the cake will release easily after cooling a bit in the mold.
- In a small bowl, whisk together your cake flour, baking powder, and salt for about 30 seconds.
- In a measuring cup, combine your buttermilk, ube jam, and ube extract. Mix very thoroughly to completely dissolve the ube until your buttermilk turns a bright purple and is very smooth. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl, add your butter, brown sugar and oil and beat with the paddle attachment for a minute until it's combined.
- Add your egg yolks to the butter-sugar, one at time. Make sure the previous yolks are blended in before adding the next. Then add your egg(s). Beat this on medium speed for one minute until it's a little lighter in color and texture.
- We are now going to alternate flour-mixture (dry) / buttermilk-mixture (wet) ingredients. I like to do this step by hand with a spatula to minimize overmixing the batter. If you have good control over your mixer on it's lowest setting, feel free to use that if you like. Add the dry in 3 additions, and the wet in 2 additions as follows:
1. Add half of your flour mixture to the bowl. Mix until all the flour has just been incorporated. Scrape down with a spatula.
2. Add in half of your buttermilk, mix, and scrape.
3. Next, add half of your remaining flour mixture, mix, and scrape.
4. Add the rest of your buttermilk, mix, and scrape.
5. Finish with the rest of the flour. You got it - mix and scrape ;)Fill each silicone mold cavity about 2/3 full. You want the baked cakes to reach the top edge of your mold. Don't worry if you cake domes in the middles, because we can trim the tops to get nice little even layers for you cakes. - Fill each silicone mold cavity about 2/3 full. You want the baked cakes to reach the top edge of your mold. Don't worry if you cake domes in the middles, because we can trim the tops to get nice little even layers for you cakes.
- Bake the cakes for approximately 18-22 minutes. Start checking at 15 minutes if this is your first time with the recipe/your oven. You can use a skewer test to make sure there are no crumbs attached to ensure the cake is done.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the mold for at least 10 minutes or cool to the touch. If the cakes have a domed top, use a serrated knife to trim off the excess cakes, using the mold as a guide.
- Once your cakes are trimmed, carefully peel the silicone away from the cakes (not the other way around) and allow the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating. I like to make my cakes ahead of time (like a couple days before needed) then freeze them in neat little stacks. I put a small square of parchment in between each layer, wrap a stack of cakes in saran wrap, then place them in a freezer safe bag. They are much easier to decorate when frozen.
Make the whipped cream
- Place your mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for about 15 minutes. A cold bowl helps the whipped cream develop nice peaks. Add heavy whipping cream and whisk on medium speed until slightly thickened.
- Add granulated sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until you just reach soft peaks. It will droop slightly when picking up some with the whisk. When you scoop up a bit with your spatula it should retain its shape but still be super smooth and not grainy, which can occur if you overbeat your cream. Use immediately.
- Continue to whisk on low speed with a stand mixer (or you can remove the bowl and use a hand whisk, which is what I do) until you reach your desired texture. It will be super smooth and form a peak on the end of the whisk that doesn't droop.
Recipe Card - Adriana's Notes
*For the ultimate velvety crumb, look for cake flour, which has a lower protein content. I use King Arthur's unbleached cake flour as it's always available at my local Target.
**I purchase my ube jam and the brand they have at my market is from the brand "Pinoy Fiesta", which is a little bit thick. Feel free to sub your homemade ube halaya, and keep an eye on the texture of my batter (I show you in the video) to make sure it's similar so you'll get a similar cake texture as mine.
***I love brown sugar in this cake! The molasses flavor I think enhances the earthy and nuttiness of ube, but feel free to sub out white sugar if you prefer. You can use the same amount (weight or volume).
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