Ube Flan is a rich dessert with two dreamy layers - smooth flan and fluffy ube chiffon cake. Made with real ube halaya and flavored with sweet ube extract, it’s the perfect mix of silky, sweet, and slightly earthy flavors in every bite!
Do you love ube desserts? Try my Ube Buchi and Ube Hopia recipe, too!
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ube Flan is a layered Filipino dessert made with leche flan on top and ube cake on the bottom, similar in concept to crème caramel but with a fun twist. It combines two classic Pinoy favorites into one colorful dessert.
The key ingredient is ube halaya, a sweet purple yam jam that brings vibrant color and deep flavor. It's soft, creamy, and melts in your mouth, with a caramel glaze that forms a shiny caramel layer on top once flipped.
The Story Behind Ube Flan
Ube Flan is a modern twist on traditional Filipino desserts. It's inspired by two well-loved treats: ube cake and leche flan, both staples at Filipino celebrations. Combining them gives a layered dessert that's both nostalgic and new.
Where Ube Flan Comes From
It's difficult to pinpoint the exact origin of ube flan but its rise came from online food trends and potluck favorites. It then become a popular dessert in the recent years.
Ube and leche flan are both popular in the Philippines. Home bakers and food vloggers started combining the two for visual appeal and richer flavor. Nowadays, it’s a must-try in Filipino dessert culture.
When is this Dish Typically Enjoyed?
Ube Flan is often served during holidays like Christmas, New Year, and Fiestas, but it’s also great for birthdays and special gatherings. Because of its festive look and indulgent flavor, it’s a popular dessert choice for potlucks and family parties. Read on to learn how to make this deliciously sweet dessert!
Ingredients
Listed below are all the ingredients you will need:
- Brown sugar
- Water
- Egg yolks
- Whole milk
- Condensed milk
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon juice
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated white sugar
- Eggs
- Cream of tartar
- Ube extract
- Cake flour
- Baking powder
- Ube halaya
- Salt
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Make the Caramel
1. In a nonstick skillet over low or medium heat, combine brown sugar and water. Without stirring, swirl the pan gently until the sugar turns an amber color.
2. Pour into an 8-inch cake pan and swirl to coat evenly at the bottom of the pan. Let it cool completely until hardened.
3. Brush the sides of the pan with oil or butter to prevent sticking.
Prepare the Flan Base
4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks, milk, condensed milk, vanilla extract, and lemon juice using a silicone spatula or spoon.
5. Mix gently to avoid creating air bubbles. Cover and place in the fridge to rest while making the cake base.
Make the Ube Cake Base
6. In a separate large bowl, whisk together ¾ of the sugar, cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
7. Add egg yolks, ube extract, milk, butter, and ube halaya. Mix until smooth (do not overmix).
Make the Meringue
8. In a stand mixer, whisk egg whites, cream of tartar, and remaining sugar until medium stiff peaks form.
9. Gently fold half the meringue into the cake batter, then fold in the remaining half until just incorporated.
Assemble and Bake
10. Pour the chilled flan mixture over the hardened caramel in the cake pan.
11. Slowly pour the ube cake batter over the flan and level the top.
12. Place the cake pan into a larger baking tray filled with hot water (water bath).
13. Bake in a preheated 320°F (160°C) oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
14. Let the cake cool completely. Use a wire rack.
15. To remove, flip onto a serving plate and gently heat the bottom using a kitchen torch if needed.
16. Cover with plastic wrap and chill before serving!
Substitutions & Variations
- Ingredient Swap
You can swap ube extract with real mashed purple yam if available.
Use evaporated milk in place of whole milk for a lighter texture. - Variation
No cream of tartar? A dash of lemon juice helps stabilize the meringue. - Mistake to Avoid
Avoid overbeating the egg whites, or your cake layer will deflate. - Storage Tips
- This dessert doesn’t freeze well. Flan gets watery.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
FAQs
Ube Flan
Ingredients
Caramel:
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
Flan Base:
- 4 egg yolks
- ⅔ cup whole milk
- ⅔ cup condensed milk
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Ube Cake Base:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter slightly softened
- ½ cup granulated white sugar divided
- 2 large eggs separate the egg whites and yolks
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tablespoons ube extract
- ½ cup cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup ube halaya
Instructions
Make the Caramel:
- In a nonstick skillet, heat brown sugar with water until it turns to amber like color over low heat. DO NOT MIX with a spoon or a spatula.
- Then swirl the melted brown sugar and pour it into an 8-inch cake pan. Let it cool completely until hardened. Brush the sides of the pan with oil or butter to prevent sticking.
Prepare the Flan Base:
- In a bowl, mix egg yolks, whole milk, condensed milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract using a spatula.
- Stir until well combined, then place in the chiller and set aside while preparing the cake layer.
Make the Ube Cake Base:
- In a separate bowl, combine ¾ of the granulated white sugar, cake flour, baking powder, and salt using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer.
- Add egg yolks, ube extract, milk, butter, and ube halaya. Then, mix completely, but do not overmix. Set aside.
Make the Meringue:
- In a stand mixer, whisk egg whites, cream of tartar, and remaining sugar until medium peaks form.
- Add half of the meringue over the cake batter and mix well. Then pour the remaining half over and slowly fold into the mixture.
Assemble and Bake:
- Pour the chilled flan base over the hardened caramel in the cake pan.
- Slowly pour the ube cake batter over the flan and level the top.
- Place the cake pan into a larger baking tray with hot water inside as a water bath.
- Bake in a preheated 320°F (160°C) oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool and Serve:
- Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.
- Flip the cake pan onto a large serving plate that can hold the entire flan. Then, gently torch the bottom of the pan to release the caramel and flan. You will notice the pan slightly lifting.
- Slice and serve.
Notes
- Brush the sides of the cake pan with butter or oil to help prevent the flan from sticking and to easily remove the flan from the cake pan.
- You can use a small blowtorch to aid in removal.
Watch The Recipe Video!
More Ube Recipes
Recipes for Every Moment
Celebrating a birthday, reunion, or just feeling extra nostalgic for something Filipino? This Ube Flan brings the wow factor to any table!
Julius says
If it’s ube, it’s a must-try—no questions, just yum! Purple YUM! 😊
Dimple says
This looks delicious!
Sweet says
I so love leche flan so this looks very welcoming. Oh my, I gotta try this!
Lizzy says
Lainey, this tasted awesome, worth every step! The Ube flavor with the flan is a perfect match!! Great job on this recipe!!! 😍
Camilla Remneblad says
Great recipe and great easy to follow instructions! This is all that you want in a dessert! Lovely moist cake and creamy flan! Delicious!
Kevin Foodie says
I am drooling reading your recipe. I love Ube. It's a slightly sweet taste and unique flavor. I am not a fan of flan, but your Ube flan has won me over. I can only imagine the contrasting textures and flavors. Thanks for sharing your Ube Flan recipe 👍.
Sheen says
Absolutely delicious! The ube flan turned out so creamy, rich, and perfectly sweet. I love the combo of silky flan and fluffy ube cake—definitely a new favorite!
Anika says
What an amazing recipe!!!! Thank you!
Cherry says
This ube flan looks so delicious! It's just amazing to have two desserts in one bite. Yum!
Claire M says
Can this be made using steamer?
Jenna says
Hi! I might be blind but I can't find what size or type of cake pan to use?