Baking · Cake

Ube Leche Flan Cake

This is the ube version of my Pandan Leche Flan Cake and it is just as dramatic and just as satisfying to flip out. The ube extract gives the chiffon this beautiful deep purple colour that looks stunning against the amber caramel pooled on top. The flan layer is silky and rich and sits below the airy chiffon, and the whole thing gets inverted once baked so the caramel runs down the sides. It is the same beloved recipe as my Pandan Leche Flan Cake, simply swapping pandan extract for ube.

Ingredients

Serves 8 to 10  ·  8-inch round pan, 4 inches deep  ·  350°F

Caramel

• 200g granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water

Flan (adapted from Ash Baber)

• 6 egg yolks
• 320g condensed milk
• 350ml evaporated milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt

Ube Chiffon

• 3 large egg yolks
• 100g sugar
• 60ml coconut oil
• 110ml coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp ube extract
• 112.5g flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 large egg whites
• 50g sugar

Method

1. 1Start with the caramel. Combine the sugar and water in a pot over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring and let it cook undisturbed until it turns a deep golden amber. Pour straight into your ungreased 8-inch pan and let it harden at room temperature before moving on.
2. 2For the flan, combine the egg yolks, condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla extract, and salt in a bowl. Whisk gently until smooth, then pass it through a fine mesh sieve and pour it over the set caramel. Set aside while you make the chiffon.
3. 3In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks, 100g sugar, coconut oil, coconut milk, and ube extract. Whisk until smooth and well combined. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until no dry streaks remain.
4. 4In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites with the 50g sugar until stiff peaks form.
5. 5Fold a third of the egg whites into the ube batter to loosen it, then fold in the rest until just combined with no streaks remaining. Pour the batter slowly over the flan layer in the pan.
6. 6Sit the pan inside a large deep roasting tray and carefully pour boiling water into the tray until it reaches the midpoint of the cake pan. Bake at 350°F for 55 to 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. The cake will still jiggle when it comes out. This is normal.
7. 7Cool completely at room temperature then refrigerate overnight before unmoulding.
8. 8Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen. Use a blowtorch or warm water bath on the bottom to release the caramel. Place a serving plate on top and flip in one confident motion.
9. 9Slice and serve as is. The caramel on top acts as the sauce so no extra toppings are needed. Best enjoyed the same day but will keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Tips & Notes

For the caramel, keep the heat at medium and do not walk away from it. Pull it off the heat as soon as it turns golden as it will continue to darken even off the stove. You are going for a deep amber colour, not dark brown, or it will taste bitter. The water bath is what gives you that silky smooth flan. Skipping it risks the eggs curdling and you will lose that creamy texture entirely. The flan also needs time to fully set in the fridge overnight. Rushing this means it will be too soft to hold its shape when you flip. When flipping, do it in one swift confident motion to get the cleanest result.