Ube Ombré Cake: How I Created My Dream Purple Layer Cake

aka Crème Fraîche Pound Cake with Ube Glaze

This crème fraîche pound cake is finished with a glossy, vibrant ube glaze that adds a stunning purple pop to any dessert table.

Ube cake — crème fraîche Bundt cake with ombré purple ube glaze on a wire cooling rack, overhead shot

I was thrilled when Vermont Creamery reached out after spotting my purple ube birthday cake on Instagram. In 2023 ube was named one of the New York Times’ ingredients of the year, and they asked me to develop a recipe inspired by that cake. It was a dream come true: turning a playful passion project into something I could share more widely.

Crème fraîche Bundt cake with dramatic ombré purple ube glaze, overhead shot on dark background — said bday cake

Ube is a purple yam from the Philippines, known for its sweet, earthy, and slightly nutty flavor with vanilla-like notes. It’s often confused with purple sweet potato, but they are distinct roots. Their purple color comes from anthocyanins, the same natural pigments found in many fruits and vegetables.

I first fell for ube while living in Kauai, where Filipino immigrants brought the ingredient to the islands in the 1800s and it has since become a beloved staple in local desserts. I spent a few years working as a chef on the north shore and was instantly captivated by both the color and the flavor.

Close-up detail of ube ombré glaze swirls on crème fraîche Bundt cake on pink plate

This cake is a modern take on the classic pound cake. Traditional pound cake once used equal weights of butter, flour, sugar, and eggs; here I lighten the texture and add a subtle tang with crème fraîche for a moist, tender crumb. I finish it with an ube glaze made from extract for a vivid purple sheen; a fresh ube version can be made as well, and I plan to share that soon.

The recipe is not intended as a strictly traditional pound cake or an indigenous ube cake, but rather a personal, celebratory dessert—my purple birthday cake reimagined in ombré. For the ombré finish, add ube extract a few drops at a time to create a range from pale lavender to deep violet. A single shade works perfectly too. The batter bakes well in either a loaf pan or Bundt pan.

Ube Cake

A crème fraîche pound cake with a glimmering, gloriously purple ube glaze that wows on any table.

Prep Time
20

Total Time
1 20

Course: Dessert

Servings: 12

Author: Daniela Gerson

Ingredients

For the Cake

1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
½ cup granulated sugar plus more for coating the pan
½ cup brown sugar
3 eggs room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup crème fraîche at room temperature
1-2 tablespoons vanilla extract

For the Glaze

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
1/2 teaspoon ube extract optional; add more to reach desired purple hue
1-2 tablespoons water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a loaf or Bundt pan and dust it with granulated sugar, coating bottom and sides evenly.
Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and both sugars on low just to blend. Increase speed to medium and cream until light and fluffy, about 2–5 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. (A hand mixer or vigorous hand mixing works as well.)
Add the eggs one at a time, beating to fully incorporate each before adding the next, and scrape the sides of the bowl when needed.
Reduce mixer speed to low. Beat in half the flour mixture, then the crème fraîche, then the remaining flour mixture. Mix in the vanilla extract and scrape the bowl to ensure everything is combined.
Pour the thick, creamy batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake 45–55 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a thin metal spatula or knife around the edges to loosen, then invert the cake while still warm. Let cool completely before glazing.

To Glaze Cake

Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a small bowl. Add the crème fraîche and then water a half teaspoon at a time, whisking until smooth and pourable. Stir in ube extract, a half teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired purple color.
Pour or brush the glaze over the cooled cake and allow it to set for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear about it—leave a comment and tag me on Instagram, @danielagerson, so I can see your creations.

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