This Filipino Ube Swiss Roll Cake started purple. And then I baked it. Imagine my face when I opened the oven and my beautiful purple ube cake had transformed into…green. 😂
So instead of pretending that didn’t happen, we’re calling this what it is: my Chameleon Ube Swiss Roll Cake.
The cake is soft and light, thanks to egg whites beaten to stiff peaks, then rolled around a creamy ube cream cheese frosting with a little almond extract—my secret ingredient.
And while the finished color wasn’t what I originally planned, the cake itself was too good not to share.
Sometimes the recipes that don’t behave exactly as expected are the ones worth talking about.
Why Did My Ube Cake Turn Green?
Ube powder doesn’t necessarily behave like concentrated purple ube extract.
Natural pigments can change color when they’re exposed to changes in pH and heat during baking. Depending on the particular ube powder and the other ingredients in the batter, the beautiful purple you see before baking can shift toward blue, gray or even green. Which is exactly what I watched happened.
So, if your ube cake doesn’t emerge from the oven bright purple, that doesn’t automatically mean something went wrong.
Ube extract generally produces a much stronger and more predictable purple color than ube powder.
And that’s exactly why I’m showing you what actually happened instead of changing the recipe photograph to make the cake look more purple than it really was.
That’s the chameleon. 💜➡️💚
How The Ingredients Will Behave In Your Batter
Ube powder: We’re using ube powder rather than extract in the cake. This was what I had on hand. It gives us ube flavor but can produce a more natural—and sometimes unpredictable—finished color.
Eggs: Separate the eggs while they’re cold if that’s easier, then allow them to come to room temperature. The whites are whipped to stiff peaks before we prepare the rest of the batter. Room temperature allows the eggs to behave better.
All-purpose flour: There’s no need for specialty cake flour here. I wouldn’t use Cake flour here, because cake flour consists of cornstarch and this will alter the texture of the cake.
Vegetable oil: Helps keep the thin sponge cake flexible and moist enough to roll.
Vanilla: Complements the subtle flavor of the ube.
Cream cheese: Forms the base of our rich, creamy filling.
Almond extract: My little secret ingredient. I use it a lot in Haitian recipes. That hint of almond works beautifully with ube without overpowering it.
My Special Tips For A Perfect Swiss Roll Cake
Whip the whites first (Important). Use a completely clean, dry bowl and beat them until stiff peaks form. You can also use a hand mixer or a stand mixer.
Keep yolk out of the whites. Even a little fat from the yolk can interfere with whipping.
Fold—don’t stir. Gently folding the whites into the batter preserves the air that helps give the cake its light texture.
Don’t overbake. Swiss roll cakes are thin. Overbaking dries them out and makes them more likely to crack.
Roll while warm (Essential). Don’t wait until the cake is completely cool to make the first roll.
Cool before frosting. Cream cheese frosting + warm cake = trouble.
Don’t panic about the color. If you’re using ube powder, your baked cake may not have the same bright purple appearance as the raw batter.
Questions To Keep In Mind When Making This Cake
Why did my ube cake turn green?
Natural pigments in ube can respond to heat and the pH of the batter. Ube powder may therefore change color during baking rather than maintaining the bright purple color associated with concentrated ube extract.
Can I use ube extract instead of ube powder?
You can use ube extract when a stronger purple color and more concentrated ube flavor are desired.
How do I keep a Swiss roll cake from cracking?
Avoid overbaking and make the first roll while the sponge is still warm and flexible. Let it cool in that rolled shape before unrolling and adding the filling.
More Ube Recipes
If you’re here because you can’t get enough ube, try our soft and fluffy Ube Donuts next.
For more delicious recipes, check out our videos here!
Chameleon Ube Swiss Roll Cake
Equipment
- Approximately 12 x 17-inch rimmed baking sheet/jelly-roll pan
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
Ingredients
For The Ube Cake
- 2 Tbsp. ube powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- ¾ cup water
- 4 large eggs; separated and brought to room temperature
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
Ube Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz. cream cheese; softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. almond extract
- ¼ cup creamer
- 1 tsp. ube powder
Instructions
- Prepare The Ube Sponge CakePreheat the oven and prepare a jelly roll/Swiss roll pan with parchment paper.Separate the eggs, making sure no yolk enters the egg whites.Add the egg whites to a clean, dry mixing bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside.In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ube powder, baking powder and salt.In another large bowl, combine the egg yolks, granulated sugar, ¾ cup water, vegetable oil and vanilla extract.Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter in portions until incorporated. Avoid overmixing.Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.Bake until the cake is set and springs back lightly when touched.
- Roll The CakePreheat the oven to 350°F. Line an approximately 12 x 17-inch rimmed baking sheet or jelly-roll pan with parchment paper.Spread the prepared ube cake batter evenly into the pan, making sure it reaches the corners.Bake at 350°F until the cake is baked through and springs back when gently pressed in the center. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.Avoid overbaking. Because this is a thin sponge cake, overbaking can dry it out and make it more likely to crack when rolled.Remove from the oven and proceed with rolling the cake while it is still warm.
- Prepare The Ube Cream Cheese FrostingBeat the softened cream cheese until smooth.Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue beating.Add the almond extract, creamer and ube powder.Beat until smooth and creamy.Fill & FinishCarefully unroll the completely cooled cake.Spread the ube cream cheese frosting evenly over the surface, leaving a small border around the edges.Gently roll the cake again without the towel or parchment.Place seam-side down and refrigerate briefly to help it set before slicing.
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