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Ube Cake Roll Recipe with Cream Cheese Filling

Ube Roll Cake with cream cheese frosting — a moist, tender chiffon cake rolled with a rich homemade cream cheese filling that highlights the sweet, earthy flavor of ube. This recipe includes clear step-by-step instructions and images to guide you through each stage, from preparing the batter and meringue to rolling, filling, and finishing the cake.

Ube roll cakes were a staple pasalubong (souvenir) in the Philippines for many of us growing up; they bring back memories of simple celebrations and neighborhood bakeries. This version aims to recreate that familiar flavor and texture at home with an approachable technique and thoughtful tips so you can get a dependable, attractive cake roll every time.

UBE CAKE ROLL — RED RIBBON STYLE IMITATION

Ube Roll Cake with cream cheese frosting. Moist, tasty and earthy cake roll recipe with a step by step instruction video to guide you. Frosted with homemade cream cheese frosting, this cake is worth a try.

How to make an ube cake roll

Making an ube roll requires attention to a few key points: accurate measuring, gentle folding so the chiffon stays light, and careful rolling so the cake holds together without cracking. The rolling step is the one that usually gives home bakers the most trouble, so read those instructions slowly and prepare your work surface beforehand. If you need a stronger purple hue or a bolder ube aroma, add a bit more ube extract to the liquid mixture as indicated in the recipe.

  1. Prepare and measure all ingredients ahead of time.
  2. Line the pan with parchment paper and do not grease the pan — the batter needs to cling slightly while baking.
  3. Use the correct pan size: a non-greased 9.5 x 13 inch pan lined with parchment.
  4. If ube powder is hard to source, use ube-flavored extract for truer ube flavor.
  5. To get a brighter purple color, increase the ube extract slightly, but taste as you go to avoid an overly artificial note.

Making Ube Cake is easy with this detailed Instructions and Video Process. Click the link how.

If you can’t find ube flavor

  • Ube extract is often available online or in specialty Asian markets. In this recipe, the extract gives a more authentic ube flavor than most powders.
  • If you must substitute, choose an extract designed for pastry use so the flavor blends naturally into the batter and filling.

What I love about this ube cake roll

  • The cake captures the deep, earthy ube taste remembered from Filipino bakeries.
  • The natural purple color develops nicely using ube extract, producing the vibrant hue you see in the photos.
  • The texture is moist yet light when the chiffon technique and folding are done correctly.

Making Ube Cake is easy with this detailed Instructions and Video Process. Click the link how.

Tips for a successful ube cake roll

  • Use the correct pan size — 9.5 x 13 inches lined with parchment — so the cake bakes evenly and has the right thickness for rolling.
  • Start checking doneness at about 15 minutes using the toothpick test; if it comes out clean the cake is done. Overbaking dries the cake and makes rolling more difficult.
  • Position the oven rack in the center for even heat circulation.
  • When the cake comes out of the oven, dust the top generously with powdered sugar before rolling; this prevents sticking during the first roll and preserves the cake’s surface.
  • Roll the cake while it’s still hot to form the initial shape; allow it to rest rolled until cool before unrolling to fill. Do not let it remain rolled for too long after cooling, or it will become soggy.
Making Ube Cake is easy with this detailed Instructions and Video Process. Click the link how.

Ube Cake Roll

This moist chiffon roll is filled with a homemade cream cheese filling that balances the sweet, nutty ube flavor. Follow the steps below for best results.

Recipe details

Course: Sweets | Cuisine: Filipino | Keyword: ube cake, ube roll cake

Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes | Servings: 6 | Author: Shobee

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 6 egg yolks
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 80 ml coconut oil (or canola oil)
  • 100 ml coconut milk (or whole milk/evaporated milk)
  • 10 tablespoons cake flour
  • 1–2 teaspoons ube flavor extract, divided

Meringue:

  • 6 egg whites
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 11 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • Powdered sugar to dust the cooked cake

Cream cheese filling:

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the cake roll

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and position the rack in the middle.
  2. Mix 1 teaspoon ube extract into the milk so the combined liquid equals 100 ml. Set aside.
  3. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar, then add the cake flour and mix to combine. Stir in the oil and the milk/ube mixture until smooth. Add the remaining ube extract and set aside.

For the meringue

  1. Beat the egg whites until frothy, then add cream of tartar and continue beating while gradually adding sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form — the meringue should hold a firm peak when the whisk is lifted.

Assembling the chiffon batter

  1. Fold a cup of meringue into the yolk mixture to lighten it, then gently fold that mixture back into the remaining meringue. Use a spatula and fold gently to preserve airiness.
  2. Pour into a non-greased, parchment-lined 9.5 x 13-inch pan. Tap the pan lightly to remove air bubbles.
  3. Bake 10–15 minutes at 350°F, checking at 15 minutes with a toothpick. When it comes out clean, remove the cake.

Rolling the cake

  1. While still hot, dust the top generously with powdered sugar. Cover with a tea towel or parchment, leaving about an inch of overhang on one side. Flip the cake onto the towel or parchment, remove the pan, then gently roll the cake from the shorter side using the towel to guide it.
  2. Let it rest rolled for 30–60 minutes. Slice off 2-inch strips from both ends for crumbs; set aside to cool and crumble for decoration.
  3. Unroll carefully and allow the cake to cool about 40 minutes before filling.

Filling and finishing

  1. Beat the cream cheese for about a minute, then add powdered sugar slowly. Add heavy cream and beat until stiff peaks form. Reserve about 2 cups of filling in a piping bag if you plan to pipe decorations.
  2. Place the unrolled cake on a long flat plate lined with parchment. Spread the filling evenly, leaving about 1 inch at the edge to prevent overflow when re-rolling.
  3. Roll the cake again without the towel, cover the exterior with remaining frosting, press on the reserved crumbled cake for a crumb coating, and arrange strawberries or cherries on top if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Video

Notes

Watch the accompanying video for a visual walkthrough of rolling and filling techniques if you prefer step-by-step visuals. Keep the cake chilled after decorating to help the frosting set and the roll hold its shape for clean slices.