Soft and airy chiffon cake topped with a thin layer of milk custard flan, this Ube Flan cake is a delicious combination of two luscious desserts!
This recipe is originally published in 2019 and is now updated with an improved recipe and pictures.
Hi there bakers! How have you been? I know my posting here on the blog has become so random lately. While I am not really able to bake that much because school is out (hello motherhood!), and I am very pregnant, I am able to bake some bread for my friend’s blog Kawaling Pinoy. You guys should check those goodies out.
Today, I have something for you that I have made and photographed last year ( along with the Basic Fried Donuts recipe)before I went on a vacation to the Philippines. This Ube Flan Cake is a unique cake that has three layers: a caramel layer, a flan layer and the ube cake layer.
An Improved Ube Flan Cake Recipe
- It is a simple, icing- free cake that is easy to serve on gatherings, you know, when frosted and fondant cakes are not really the thing of your guests. You can’t go wrong with this simple cake that packs a unique combination of flavor in every slice.
- This update is to address the issue of flan not setting after baking. I increased the baking time and tweaked the recipe so that it has now a thicker flan for a perfect cake to custard ratio. This is the ube version of the original, Custard Cake.
Ube Flan Cake: Step by Step Process
The caramel layer. Or simply, caramelized sugar.
- Add the sugar on a 9-inch round baking pan. Set the baking pan over low heat on the stove and allow the sugar to melt.
- Use tongs to swirl the pan around to distribute the sugar as it starts to melt. Be careful as the pan is hot. The melted sugar will slowly turn from clear to golden. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the pan to cool.
The Flan Layer
The Flan Layer- Preheat oven to 350 F. Add the egg yolks, evaporated milk, and condensed milk in a mixing bowl. Gently stir the mixture until the yolks are dispersed and the mixture is uniform in color.
- Strain the custard over a strainer. Pour it over the cooled caramel mixture in the pan.
The Chiffon Cake Layer
In a large mixing bowl, beat together yolks and sugar, until the color is lighter and the mixture is frothy. Add the sugar, oil, and the ube flavoring. Stir until blended.
Combine cake flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl. Gradually sift the dry mixture over the yolk mixture. Use a hand whisk to beat the mixture after each addition, until it is lump-free and smooth. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use an electric hand mixer), beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/4 cup of sugar and continue to beat until the egg whites form stiff peaks.
Using rubber spatula, fold a little bit of the beaten egg whites to the yolk batter just to thin it down. Then, in three gradual additions, fold the remaining egg whites to the yolk batter until the mixture is streak-free and uniform in color.
Place the prepared pan on a larger rimmed baking pan. Pour and scrape the cake batter over the flan layer in the prepared round pan. The pan will be almost full. Then, gently pour some water into the rimmed pan so that the round pan is submerged about ½.
- Bake the assembled ube flan at 350 F for 60-75 minutes, or until the cake is set and springy to the touch.
- Allow the cake to cool. To unmold, gently run a knife along the edges of the pan. Turn the cake over gently on a rimmed serving plate and gently tap the bottom of the pan to release the cake.
And behold the yumminess!
Frequently Asked Questions
The cake is ready once the chiffon is set and springs back to the touch. Insert a toothpick in the center of the cake, once it comes out clean, the cake is done.
 Worry not! There is a solution. As long as it is just a slight jiggle in the middle and not a big wave across the cake, you are still fine. Just allow the residual heat of the cake to cook the flan completely. Let it sit until it is cool, or maybe even chill it in the fridge for an hour. The flan will set as it cools.
Yes, and for the same reason. For custard base desserts like this, you want to cool it completely so the custard will set completely. Slicing it right away may cause the custard to collapse. Or, you can really bake the flan to the point that it so cooked, but you run the risk of over cooking the chiffon.
Need more Ube? Check these Out:
Ube Flan Cake
Soft and airy chiffon cake topped with a layer of milk custard flan, this Ube Flan cake is a delicious combination of two luscious desserts!
Ingredients
For the Caramel Layer
- 3 tbsp sugar
For the Custard/ Flan Layer
- 354 ml can evaporated milk
- 300 ml can condensed milk
- 6 egg yolks
For the Ube Chiffon Cake Layer
- 3 egg yolks, from large eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2 tsp liquid ube flavoring
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 egg whites, from large eggs
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
Make the Caramel Layer
- Sprinkle the sugar on a 9-inch round baking pan. Set the baking pan over low heat on the stove and allow the sugar to melt. Use tongs to swirl the pan around to distribute the melting sugar. The melted sugar will slowly turn from a clear color to a golden one. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the pan to cool.
Make the Flan Layer
- Preheat oven to 350 F. In a mixing bowl, add the egg yolks, evaporated milk, and condensed milk. Gently stir the mixture until the yolks are dispersed and the mixture is uniform in color. Strain the custard over a strainer. Pour it over the cooled caramel mixture in the pan.
Make the Ube Chiffon Cake Layer
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together yolks and sugar, until the color is lighter and the mixture is bubbly. Add the milk, oil, and the ube flavoring. Stir well.
- Combine flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl. Gradually sift the dry mixture over the yolk batter. Use a hand whisk to beat the mixture after each addition until it is lump-free and smooth. This is a thick batter. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use an electric hand mixer), beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/4 cup of sugar and continue to beat until the egg whites form stiff peaks.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold about 1/4 cup of the beaten egg whites to the yolk batter to slightly thin it down. Fold the remaining egg whites gradually in three additions, until the mixture is streak-free and uniform in color.
- The water bath set up: Set the prepared round pan inside a bigger, rimmed pan.
- Pour and scrape the cake batter over the flan layer in the round pan. The pan will be almost full. Gently pour some water in the larger pan so that the round pan is submerged about half way in.
- Bake the assembled ube flan at 350 F for 60-70 minutes, or until the cake is set and springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool. To unmold, gently run a knife along the edges of the pan. Turn the cake over gently on a rimmed serving plate and gently tap the bottom of the pan to release the cake.
Notes
- The cake is done when the chiffon is springy to the touch. Insert a toothpick at the center, and if comes clean, the cakes is ready.
- If in case the flan is still a bit jiggly after turning over, do not worry, the residual heat will cook and set the flan. So, it is important to allow the dessert to cool completely and even chill it in the fridge for about an hour or two. The flan will set completely as it cools.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 493Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 285mgSodium: 400mgCarbohydrates: 62gFiber: 0gSugar: 49gProtein: 15g
Hi Sanna! Can I ask for the old recipe? That one worked really well for me. Thank you!
Hi Luvvy! Thank you so much! I am glad that you love the old recipe 🙂
For sure:
Ube Flan Cake ( old recipe)
For the caramel in the pan
3 tbsp sugar
For the custard
5 yolks
1/2 can evap milk (150 ml)
1/2 can condensed milk(150 ml)
For the chiffon cake
4 yolks
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp oil
1 ¼ tsp ube flavor liquid
3/4 cup cake flour
1/2 tbsp baking powder
4 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
Use same instructions as the post
Bake in a 9 inch round pan at 350 F for 25-30 minutes
I did this today and just like the first commenter, the flan was runny and didn’t quite set. The chiffon was good and yummy though. I’ll probably adapt the flan recipe from Panlasang Pinoy’s custard cake and then follow the chiffon recipe here.
Hi Aurora! I have updated this recipe to address this issue! I hope you get to try it again. 🙂
I attempted to bake this last week, but unfortunately, something went awry. The flan did not set properly and remained runny, despite baking it for a longer duration. Additionally, the cake was not fully cooked and remained jiggly. I patiently waited for it to cool down before attempting to unmold it, but the flan still didn’t settle. I was looking forward to this recipe given that my family adores ube and flan.
I remained determined to perfect this recipe. I will give it another try during our next family gathering.I’m sure with a bit of tweaking, I can create a delectable dessert that my loved ones will enjoy.
I am sorry you had trouble Ana. Please keep me posted if you every try and make this gain with your tweaks, Thanks!
Hi Sanna,
I made Custard Cake a few times and now I want to make this Ube Flan Cake, I noticed that in the Custard Cake, it’s done using the bain-marie – water bath] is it okay to bake it straight to the oven or to use the bain-marie method?
Hope to hear from you soon.
Hi Lin! You can also bake this in a water bath like the custard cake. This cake is spongy and airy, but if you want a moist type of chiffon, you can bake it in waterbath. You may need to adjust thw baking time ( for a bit more). Happy baking!
Do I need to spray the pan first?
Hi Erika! No you dont need to spray it first 🙂