If you’re looking for an easy way to impress your family or friends with a new type of dessert, try this UBE Cheesecake Recipe!
It is loaded with flavor — not just from the fruit but also from the chocolate chips.
What Is Ube?
UBE (Upland Banana Extract) is a natural flavoring extract made by steeping plant parts in alcohol until they are infused with their flavor.
The process takes about two weeks, after which it can be bottled and stored indefinitely without spoiling.
This sweetened beverage was originally developed as a healthier alternative to traditional root beer.
Today, it is used primarily as a flavoring agent.
In fact, there is even a UBE-flavored ice cream sold at select grocery stores across America.
How does ube work?
The first thing you should know about UBE is that its effects vary depending on how much sugar is added.
For example, if you use only 1 cup of sugar per 12 ounces of water, then the final product will have no detectable amount of artificial ingredients whatsoever.
However, if you add more than 2 cups, the sugars in the mix begin reacting with each other in a chemical reaction called caramelization.
The end result is a dark brown liquid that tastes like burnt sugar candy.
At higher concentrations, the sweetness becomes overpowering, so using less than 2 cups of sugar isn’t recommended unless you want a very mild taste.
Another important thing to remember when choosing between the various flavors of UBE is that the darker the color, the stronger the flavor.
Therefore, choose the darkest one available to ensure maximum potency.
What Is A Cheesecake?
Cheesecakes are dense desserts made with cream cheese (or other types of soft cheeses), sweeteners such as sugar, eggs, and sometimes nuts.
- These cakes can be baked in individual ramekins, small molds, and springform pans.
- They may have a crumbly base, or a crust made from cookies or piecrust dough.
- The most common form of cheesecake is a thick layer cake, which typically contains at least four layers of different flavors, textures, or colors.
- A typical cheesecake will contain about 30% fat.
- Some versions include nuts, fruits, or whipped topping instead of sugar.
What Is The Difference Between Ube And A Cheesecake?
A cheesecake is typically made by combining cream cheese (or other types of soft cheese) with sugar or honey in equal parts until it becomes thick.
The mixture is then poured into a pan and baked at low heat until set.
You can add nuts, fruits, and even some spices to give it more variety.
Some people prefer using whipped cream as part of their cheesecakes instead of using cream cheese alone because they think it adds extra depth of flavor.
However, I find heavy whipping cream too sweet and rich for my taste so I usually opt for plain cream cheese.
UBE stands for “Ubay na Elemeko” which means “Sweetened Rice Flour” or “sweet rice flour”.
What makes them different from regular breadflours are the brown-colored grains found within each bean.
These have been roasted and ground into fine powder before being added to doughs, pastries, and desserts.
They provide a deep caramel color and nutty flavor that blends well with many ingredients such as milk, eggs, chocolate, and vanilla.
Some varieties of ubes come pre-roasted while others need to be roasted yourself.
If you want to roast them on your own, here is how you can do it:
- Soak the beans overnight or boil them for approximately one hour.
- Drain the water and place the beans in a dry frying pan over medium heat.
- Roast the beans until they turn golden brown in color.
- Let the beans cool down and grind them into fine powder (you may use a coffee grinder).
- Store the powdered ubes in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
How Do You Make A Ube Cheesecake?
Here’s how you can make a ube cheesecake:
- Preheat oven to 350℉ (177℃) degrees Fahrenheit.
- Put all ingredients into a bowl and whisk until everything is combined well.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes at 350℉ (177℃).
- Remove cake from oven and let it cool completely before placing in fridge for about 20 minutes.
- Place cake on top of a serving plate and cover it with a piece of parchment paper so that no liquid gets on the plate while cutting.
- Once done, remove parchment paper.
- Slice the cake using a sharp knife dipped in cold water.
- Sprinkle some crushed graham crackers over the sliced cake.
- Drizzle a little bit of honey over the cheese cake slices and then sprinkle some powdered sugar on top.
- Enjoy!
What Is The Best Ube Cheesecake Recipe?
This is a rich, decadent, and tasty treat that will be sure to wow everyone at your next gathering.
Best of all, it doesn’t require any special equipment so anyone can whip up this beauty in no time flat.
The secret behind this amazing recipe lies in its use of ube (purple yam).
In fact, ube itself is used as a flavoring agent throughout the entire dish.
The purple-colored yam adds a sweet yet tangy taste to the cheesecake.
In addition to its unique taste, the cheescake has another feature that makes it stand out from other recipes.
You see, while most cheesecakes are made using cake flour or cornstarch, this one uses brown rice flour instead.
Brown rice flour gives the cheesecake a nice texture, making it more dense and flavorful than regular cakes would have been.
You might think that this is a very difficult recipe to master.
But don’t worry because we’ve got you covered here! We’ll walk you through everything you need to know about how to make this cheesecake.
How Do You Make A Perfect Ube Cheesecake?
A good ube cheesecake recipe should be made with fresh ingredients, so start by purchasing ripe ube fruits (or frozen).
If you can find it fresh, use the purple variety.
The color will help add visual appeal and give you more control over the taste of the final product.
You’ll need about 1 cup of fresh ube per batch.
After peeling off the skin, cut them into small pieces.
Next, prepare the cream cheese.
To get started, put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well until they have combined.
Once everything is mixed together, pour the mixture into a baking pan.
The size doesn’t matter much as long as there is enough room to spread out during cooking.
Set aside for at least 20 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients.
Now move on to the next step which involves preparing the cake batter.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients including flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
Then add the butter and egg yolks.
Mix well until everything is evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
Add the milk and vanilla extract and continue stirring until everything combines.
Then slowly incorporate the sour cream and melted chocolate chips while continuing to stir.
When everything is incorporated, spoon the batter onto the prepared layer and bake it at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes.
Make sure to keep checking the cheesecake after 25 minutes because if you let it go longer than 35 minutes, it won’t set properly.
After the cheesecake cools down, take it out of the oven and allow it to sit for 5 minutes before slicing it using a sharp knife.
Now comes the fun part, decorating the top with colorful sprinkles, candies, etc., to match the flavor of the ube cheesecake.
What Are Some Tips For Making A Great Ube Cheesecake?
This is one of those recipes where it isn’t so much about following the exact steps as it is about understanding what ingredients will work best in creating something amazing.
- Achieving the right texture of cake batter can be tricky if you aren’t sure how to mix things properly. Using a stand mixer makes mixing easier because it helps distribute air evenly into all parts of the mixture. If using a hand-held blender, take care not to overmix the batter.
- You want to use fresh vanilla beans and extract for the cheesecake to achieve maximum flavor. The longer they sit, the more their potency diminishes.
- The key to achieving a good texture for the cheesecake is baking at a low temperature. You don’t want to bake them too hot, which results in a dense texture. Baking at 200 degrees Fahrenheit (95 degrees Celsius) gives the cheesecake a nice, soft crumbly texture.
How Do You Know When A Ube Cheesecake Is Done?
You can tell if it’s done by using a toothpick.
If there’s no batter left on the stick, then it’s ready.
To be extra sure that the cake isn’t overbaked, insert one more time into the middle of the cheesecake so that you don’t burn yourself.
It may seem like a lot of steps in this Ube Cheesecake Recipe, but once you get the hang of it, it will go very quickly.
Here’s how to make it:
- Line a 9-inch springform pan (the bottom half) with parchment paper. Make sure that you have enough space between each piece of parchment paper to allow room for expansion while baking.
- In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla extract, heavy whipping cream, and sour cream until well combined. Add flour mixture and stir until all ingredients are mixed evenly through.
- Pour mixture into prepared spring form pan and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes. The center should still look jiggly, but they shouldn’t wobble much after removing them from oven.
- Let cool completely before adding topping.
- For the top, melt butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once melted add milk and corn syrup and whisk till smooth. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips. Stir gently to coat evenly and set aside.
- To assemble, place cooled cheesecake in a serving dish and cover with whipped cream. Top with marshmallows, caramelized nuts and additional chocolate chips.
Can You Freeze Ube Cheesecake?
Yes, it can be frozen.
- Before freezing, wrap in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Place in freezer bags so they don’t stick together.
- Freeze at 0° F for up to 2 months (but only if it was made ahead).
- Make sure to thaw overnight before serving.
What Are Some Common Mistakes People Make When Making Ube Cheesecake?
The most common mistake people make when trying out any new recipe is over-mixing the batter after it comes together.
The more time you spend mixing up the ingredients, the less likely you will be able to achieve the right texture in your final product.
Another mistake people often make is adding too much sugar into their recipes.
A lot of times, people think that because they want something sweet, they should add as much sugar as possible.
But if you do that, then you will end up with a very dense cake.
Instead, use only enough sugar so that you can taste the sweetness, but don’t go overboard on it.
You need about 1 tablespoon per cup (240ml) of liquid added to your batter.
Lastly, another important aspect to consider when baking cakes is using a good quality pan.
If you bake your cake in a cheap aluminum pan, you might find yourself having to throw away your creation half way through its life cycle because of how quickly it degrades.
Always choose a nonstick pan instead, which means you won’t have to worry about cleaning off excess oil later.
Now let us dive into our favorite UBE Cheesecake recipe!
Ingredients:
- 1 (8oz/250g) package cream cheese at room temperature
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅔ cup shredded coconut
- ½ cup frozen strawberries
- ⅔ cup fresh blueberries
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
- ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips
- Graham Cracker Crust
Equipment
- Springform Pan
- Stand Mixer
- Hand mixer
Ingredients
Coconut Cookie Crust
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup coconut sweetened shredded
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- pinch salt
Ube Cheesecake Filling
- 16 oz cream cheese room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar may need more
- 5 oz ube jam room temperature
- ¾ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tsp ube extract
- 3 pcs large eggs room temperature
Coconut Whipped Cream
- 14 oz coconut cream chilled
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Set aside. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
- Combine all crust ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and stir until evenly moist.
- Transfer to your prepared pan and pack it tightly to the bottom with the back of a spoon or measuring cup. Place aside.
- Beat cream cheese on medium/high speed with a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until fluffy (2-3 mins).
- Continue beating for 2 minutes after adding 12 cup sugar.
- Pour in 5 oz ube jam and 34 cup sour cream. Blend until smooth and well combined. Make sure to break up any ube jam chunks (some brands are chunkier than others).
- Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 3 teaspoon ube extract until combined. Taste your batter to see if you like how sweet it is. If necessary, add sugar 1 tbsp at a time.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, just until combined. Remember to scrape the bottom and sides of your mixing bowl to ensure you get every last inch of batter.
- Pour the batter into the pan and gently tap it on the counter. Place the pan on the middle rack of your oven. On the bottom rack, place a roasting pan filled with hot water.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 325F, then reduce to 300F and bake for another 30 minutes, or until set.
- Turn off the oven, slightly open the oven door, but leave the cheesecake inside for another hour to cool gradually.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and run a thin, sharp knife around the edges to loosen it from the pan. However, do not remove the cake from the pan. Place it in the refrigerator to chill for 6-8 hours, preferably overnight.
- a person or a group of people (see notes). Beat in 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract until stiff.
- To serve, top with a dollop of coconut whipped cream and a sprinkle of shredded coconut.
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My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.