Love Ube? This Filipino-style Ube Bibingka is soft, fluffy, and packed with the famous ube flavor, perfect for holiday gatherings or as a sweet snack!
Filipinos also love bread! Take Filipino Spanish Bread, Ube Cheese Pandesal, and Ensaymada, for example. I love these recipes so much that I encourage you to try them!
What is Ube Bibingka?
Ube Bibingka is a Filipino rice cake made with ube (purple yam), coconut milk, and glutinous rice flour. It’s a popular dessert during Christmas in the Philippines, often enjoyed after Simbang Gabi (night masses) alongside classic bibingka and puto bumbong.
This warm, chewy rice cake has a naturally sweet, nutty flavor from ube and is often topped with butter, cheese, or coconut. Its vibrant purple color and soft texture make it an irresistible treat for any occasion!
Why is Ube Bibingka So Popular?
Filipino bibingka recipes have been around since the Spanish colonial era, traditionally baked in banana leaves with charcoal heat. Over time, Filipinos added ube, a beloved ingredient known for its creamy texture and earthy sweetness, creating this unique variation.
Reasons to Love Ube Bibingka
✔️ Perfect for Christmas and special occasions
✔️ Naturally gluten-free (made with rice flour)
✔️ Soft, chewy, and bursting with ube flavor
✔️ Easy to make at home
Substitutions
- Rice Flour - Use glutinous rice flour for a chewier texture or all-purpose flour for a cake-like consistency.
- Ube Flavoring - Use ½ cup mashed fresh ube for a natural taste or 1 tbsp ube powder + 1 tbsp water as a substitute.
- Coconut Cream - Full-fat coconut milk works well but may be slightly thinner, while heavy cream adds richness.
- Evaporated Milk - Fresh milk gives a similar taste, while almond milk is a dairy-free alternative.
- Easymelt Cheese - Quick melt cheese is the closest substitute, but cheddar adds a sharper flavor, and mozzarella makes it gooier.
Variations
- Cheesy Ube Bibingka – Add extra cheddar or quick-melt cheese on top for a richer, savory contrast to the sweet ube.
- Ube Leche Flan Bibingka – Layer leche flan on top for a creamy, caramelized twist.
- Chocolate Ube Bibingka – Swirl in melted dark chocolate or top with chocolate chips for an indulgent twist.
Storage
- Refrigeration: Store Ube Bibingka in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 300°F (150°C) for 5-10 minutes or microwave for 20-30 seconds before serving.
- Freezing: Ube Bibingka freezes well for up to 2 months. Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, place them in an airtight container, and thaw them in the fridge before reheating.
- Wet vs. Dry Ingredients: If using toppings like salted eggs, butter, or cheese, store them separately and add them after reheating for better texture.
- Banana Leaves Consideration: If lined with banana leaves, they may become brittle after freezing - consider removing them before storing.
Ingredients
Listed below are all the ingredients you will need:
- rice flour
- salt
- baking powder
- granulated white sugar
- unsalted butter
- ube flavoring
- coconut cream
- evaporated milk
- eggs
- salted eggs
- easymelt cheese
- banana leaves
- margarine or extra butter (for brushing)
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Prepare the bibingka mold (3 oz) by adding cut-out banana leaves. Set aside for later use. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Meanwhile, whisk together rice flour, salt, and baking powder in a mixing bowl; set aside.
In another large mixing bowl, blend together unsalted butter and white sugar until pale in color for 2 minutes using the paddle attachment of the blender.
Then add the wet ingredients (ube flavoring, coconut cream, evaporated milk, and eggs), and mix well.
Add the dry ingredients and make sure no lumps are visible.
Pour the ube bibingka batter over the prepared molds and place them on a prepared pan.
Add the slices of salted egg on each cup then bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove from the oven and top with grated Easymelt cheese. The place it back in the oven and let it bake for another 5 minutes.
Check using a toothpick for doneness. Once done, remove it from the oven and brush it with margarine.
Let it cool completely before serving.
Hint: Want a perfectly golden top? Brush a little coconut milk over the Bibingka before the final few minutes of baking - it adds a beautiful sheen and subtle coconut aroma!
⭐ Top Tip
Visible white spots can be seen, this is okay since we are using coconut cream. Coconut cream and butter don’t mix well, especially in humid areas.
For extra moisture and richness, use freshly grated ube instead of ube powder or extract. It gives the bibingka a more natural sweetness and a deep, earthy flavor!
FAQ
More Recipes
I love cakes, too! Here are some of my favorites:
Ube Bibingka
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 1½ cups rice flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 tablespoons ube flavoring
- ⅓ cup coconut cream
- ⅓ cup evaporated milk
- 4 eggs
Toppings:
- 3 salted eggs peeled and cut into 4 slices each
- 1 cup easymelt cheese grated
- Margarine or extra butter for brushing
For Baking:
- Banana leaves cut into round liners
Instructions
Prepare the Molds:
- Line bibingka molds (3 oz size) with banana leaves and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Mix the Dry Ingredients:
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the rice flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
Cream the Butter and Sugar:
- In another mixing bowl, beat the unsalted butter and white sugar using a paddle attachment until pale and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
Combine the Wet Ingredients:
- Add the ube flavoring, coconut cream, evaporated milk, and eggs to the butter mixture. Mix well.
Incorporate the Dry Ingredients:
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until smooth and no lumps remain.
Fill the Molds:
- Pour the batter into the prepared bibingka molds, filling each about ¾ full.
Bake the Bibingka:
- Place a slice of salted egg on top of each bibingka.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes at 350°F (175°C).
Add the Cheese:
- Remove the bibingka from the oven, top with grated easymelt cheese, and return to the oven.
- Bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.
Finish and Serve:
- Remove from the oven and brush with margarine while still warm.
- Let it cool completely before serving.
Watch The Recipe Video!
Claire M says
Wow, this is best paired with hot rice coffee! Looks so good!
Julius says
Hindi ko pa nasubukan ang variety na ito ng ube sa bibingka, kahit na laging abot-kamay ang bibingka! 😂
Sheen says
Yum!!
Dimple says
I am a fan of Filipino delicacies! And this one is a great combo! can't wait to try.
Che says
I love this twist of the classic bibingka. Thanks for this recipe! 🙂
Sweet says
Yummyyyyyy! This is one of my favorite snacks or dessert!
Jakey says
I cannot wait to try this, Lainey! Ube and Bibinkga are the perfect combo!
Aira says
I was so excited to try the Ube Bibingka recipe from Simply Bakings, and it did not disappoint! The combination of traditional bibingka with the rich, creamy flavor of ube was absolutely perfect. The recipe was easy to follow, and the result was a soft, slightly chewy, and deliciously sweet treat with that signature coconut and ube goodness.
I also loved the tips provided in the post—they really helped ensure that my bibingka turned out just right. The vibrant purple color made it extra special, and it was a hit with my family! This is definitely a must-try for anyone who loves ube and Filipino desserts. I'll be making it again for special occasions (or just whenever I crave something sweet and comforting).
Highly recommend! 💜✨