Easy Ube Flan Cake

Ube Flan Cake

Hello, my fellow home bakers! I'm so excited to finally share with you this special Filipino dessert that you and your loved ones will surely enjoy!

I made it extra easy for you all by using whole eggs to make the flan and cake mix to make the chiffon cake. Yes, you heard it right cake mix.

Agreed, while we all love a homemade cake, there are times when a cake mix serves as a convenient last-minute solution especially during the bustling holiday season of Thanksgiving and Christmas when we're juggling multiple dishes simultaneously.

All tips and techniques are here! Let's start shall we?

Flan Ingredients

Here's what you need to make the leche flan:

• Whole eggs - You will only need four whole eggs (not egg yolks) which means no egg whites are wasted!
• Condensed Milk - creamy, sweet, and milky;  way better than just using sugar.
• Evaporated Milk - has a rich caramel-milk flavor compared to regular milk.
• Salt - enhances and balances the flavor of the flan.

Ube Cake Ingredients

To make the easiest ube chiffon cake, you will need these:

A few notes about the ingredients:

• Cake mix - Use a box of 15.25 oz (430g) yellow cake which comes complete with all-purpose flour, sugar, and leavening agents.
• Butter - use melted unsalted butter or vegetable oil alternately. Butter has richer and better flavor of course.
• Eggs - Must be at room temperature. Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks.
• Water - You can also use low-fat or skim milk as a substitute.
• Ube Halaya - Also known as ube jam. THIS IS AN OPTIONAL INGREDIENT. Keep in mind that if you include it, the chiffon cake will have a slightly denser and richer texture.
• Lemon juice - This is added to meringue to stabilize and strengthen the egg whites.
• Ube flavor extract - For a deeper ube flavor. Add an extra drop of purple or violet color as needed.

How to Make It

Here's the summary on how to make the easiest ube leche flan cake recipe:

1. Caramelized the sugar - use a pot or directly into the pans
2. Prepare the leche flan mixture - use a large bowl or combine everything in a blender.
3. Make the cake batter.
4. Whip the egg whites and fold with the cake batter.
5. Assemble - prepare boiling water beforehand.
6. Bake using the water bath method.

1. Make the Caramel

This is the very first step we need to do when making ube flan cake. You can make the caramel directly into the baking pan or in one big batch using a pot then just pour the syrup into each mold while still hot.

💭Tip: As soon as the color changes, swirl the pot using cooking tongs to prevent sugar from burning.

Remove from heat when it turns golden, as residual heat will keep cooking the caramel. While hot, quickly swirl to coat the pan for easy flan removal later.

2. Leche Flan

Next, get the flan mixture ready by combining all the ingredients in a bowl. Let it sit aside while you make the ube chiffon cake, but don't pour on the pans yet.

• Whisk the eggs. Do this gently to prevent any air bubbles. Then pour the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.
• Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or muslin cloth to remove any bits of egg and air bubbles. This is the secret of making a smooth and creamy flan.

3. Make the cake batter

And here's how to make the ube cake batter:

Once the wet ingredients are thoroughly combined, sift the cake mix to remove the lumps. You can do this directly into the bowl of wet ingredients.

4. Whip the egg whites

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form - it's ready when the meringue stands tall and does not fall back into itself. Remember to use a clean dry large mixing bowl. Preferably a stainless or glass bowl.

Pour a third of the egg white mixture into the cake batter and stir until well combined. Then, add this mixture to the remaining whipped egg whites in the other bowl and GENTLY FOLD this time using a rubber spatula.

5. Assemble

Finally, assemble everything. Before beginning, have a kettle filled with hot water ready. It must have a spout for easy pouring.

To assemble:

1. Place the cake pans with the caramelized sugar in a larger baking pan. I use the pan that came with my oven.
2. Pour the custard mixture. If using two small pans, divide it as equally as possible.
3. Pour the ube chiffon cake mixture over the flan. If using two pans, divide it as evenly as you can.
4. Pour the hot water into the water bath pan, making sure it reaches only halfway up the sides of the pan. Aim for enough water to prevent evaporation but avoid splashing into the batter.

6. Bake and Cool

Bake the cake in a preheated oven at 170℃/325°F until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean. The baking time may vary depending on your pan size. Remember, the key is to bake this cake slowly at a low heat to avoid overcooking the flan.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Transfer the whole pan to a cooling rack. Let it cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Cooking Time and Pan Size

Here's the recommended cooking time and pan sizes for ube flan cake:

1. Small Cakes - use two 7-inch pans.
   - Cooking time is approximately 45 minutes.
2. Large Cake - use one 9-inch pan.
   - Cooking time is approximately 60 minutes.

Please note that these cooking times are approximate and can vary depending on your specific oven and its temperature accuracy. Be sure to perform the toothpick test mentioned in the recipe to ensure the cake is done before removing it from the oven.

How to Serve

When ready to serve, run a thin spatula around the edges and invert onto a rimmed serving dish. Gently slice with a thin knife and place on individual dessert plates. Serve with coffee, tea, and hot dark chocolate.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!