Ube Cream Cheese Cupcakes

I made this because I had some ube powder in my pantry that I wanted to use for something. I rehydrated it a day or two before making this recipe.

Ube powder is a dehydrated and powdered form of ube. It is made by drying and pulverizing the yam and can be used in Filipino desserts and baked goods. It can also be used as a natural food coloring, giving a purple hue to dishes and beverages. It can be used in its powdered form but I decided to rehydrate it with some water. You can find it in your local Asian market or online.

I ended up adapting The Novice Chef’s Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins recipe. When I gave some to my chef friend, she asked for the recipe because she loved it so much.

I would recommend being generous with the cream cheese topping.

You can order some ube powder or ube extract using these affiliate links:

Ube extract: https://amzn.to/3JTmz5g
Ube powder: https://amzn.to/3TR1A7T

Ingredients

Cupcake

  • 1 3/4 cups (210g) all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 15 oz rehydrated ube powder
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (106g) brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon ube extract

Cream Cheese Swirl

  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together ube puree (rehydrated ube powder), oil, and eggs, Then add sugar and brown sugar and mix again. Then mix in flour, salt, and baking soda. Finally, mix in the ube extract.

3. In a separate bowl, make the cream cheese swirl by beating cream cheese until smooth. Add in sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined.

4. In a muffin tin lined with cupcake papers, pour in the cupcake batter. Then top each with cream cheese swirl. I used a piping bag to control the design but the original recipe recommends you can use a toothpick to create a swirl pattern

5. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

6. Remove from oven and let cool. Enjoy!

Recipe

Ube Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Ingredients
  

Cupcake Batter

  • 1 ¾ cup (210g) all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 15 ounces rehydrated ube powder (or ube puree)
  • ½ cup (106g) brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon ube extract

Cream Cheese Swirl

  • 8 ounces cream chees
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375° F.
  • In a medium bowl, mix together ube puree (rehydrated ube powder)oil, and eggs, Then add sugar and brown sugar and mix again. Then mix in floursalt, and baking soda. Finally, mix in the ube extract.
  • In a separate bowl, make the cream cheese swirl by beating cream cheese until smooth. Add in sugaregg yolk, and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined.
  • In a muffin tin lined with cupcake papers, pour in the cupcake batter. Then top each with cream cheese swirl. I used a piping bag to control the design but the original recipe recommends you can use a toothpick to create a swirl pattern
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and let cool. Enjoy!