This ube upside-down cake is nutty, sweet, with a balanced decadence for a perfect Halloween dessert table.
A moist upside-down cake, lightly crunchy black sesame caramel, and an irresistible ube whipped mascarpone make this a perfectly spooky dessert for any Halloween party.
I have made this cake over and over and over again to get the recipe to a point where I felt good enough to share it with you. After many iterations, I’m so excited for you to try this ube upside-down cake. The cake is moist with the sweet, nutty flavor of ube. It cooks in a layer of black sesame seed caramel. After inverting the cake, it’s frosted with rich ube whipped mascarpone. Finishing with Halloween sprinkles transforms this simple cake into a perfect treat for spooky season.
How to make this ube upside-down cake
What you need
There are three main elements to this cake: the black sesame caramel layer, the ube cake, and the ube whipped mascarpone.
- Black sesame caramel: You’ll need butter, light brown sugar, heavy cream, and black sesame seeds.
- Ube cake batter: You’ll need all-purpose flour, ube powder, baking powder, salt, butter, granulated sugar, ube extract (optional), eggs, whole milk, and vanilla extract.
- Ube whipped mascarpone: You’ll use heavy cream, powdered sugar, ube powder, vanilla extract, and mascarpone cheese.
What is ube? And what’s the difference between ube powder and ube extract?
Ube is a purple yam native to the Philippines. It’s known for its sweet flavor and is not the same as purple sweet potato! While it can be used in savory dishes, it’s most commonly used in sweets, such as cakes, ice creams, and pastries.
If you’re buying ube online, you’ll most commonly see extract or powder. I’ve made this cake with many different combinations of ube powder and ube extract. Ube powder tends to be a safer bet, in my opinion, since it’s typically 100% powdered ube. If you’re buying the extract, you will want to read the label carefully. I bought a brand by accident that was mostly sugar and artificial flavoring.
As I’ve tested this recipe, I’ve found that relying mostly on ube powder and adding just a few drops of ube extract creates the best balance of flavor and the deepest color. The extract is completely optional, so if you prefer to just cook with the ube powder, it will still be a delicious cake!
How to make it
- Step 1: Make the caramel. Melt butter and add sugar. Cook until the sugar dissolves, and add heavy cream. Whisk until smooth and finish with black sesame seeds, stirring to combine. Pour the mixture into a lightly greased cake pan. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Step 2: Prepare the cake batter. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat until creamy. Add half the sifted dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Add half the milk. Add the remaining dry ingredients and remaining milk, beating after each addition. Finish the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon ube extract if using. Beat until just combined.
- Step 3: Pour the cake batter over the black sesame caramel. Transfer to the oven for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let stand at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Step 4: Invert the cake onto a plate and let it cool completely.
- Step 5: Make the ube whipped mascarpone. Beat heavy cream with powdered sugar, ube powder, and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Add the mascarpone and beat until stiff peaks form, being careful not to overwork it as mascarpone can become grainy.
- Step 6: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star attachment. Once the cake is completely cool, frost it with the piping bag. Alternatively, you can spoon the frosting on top and smooth it out with a rubber spatula. Finish the cake with Halloween sprinkles.
From there, you’re ready to slice the cake and serve it.
Ube Upside-Down Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Caramel layer:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons black sesame seeds
Batter:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons ube powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ube extract (optional)
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ube whipped mascarpone:
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon ube powder (sifted)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces mascarpone (set out at room temperature for 15 minutes)
For serving:
Instructions
Make the caramel:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Set aside.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a small pot over medium heat. Once melted, add ½ cup of light brown sugar. Stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture darkens slightly in color.
- Turn the heat to low and add the heavy cream. Whisk until smooth. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Add 4 tablespoons of black sesame seeds and mix until combined. Turn off the heat.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and smooth it into an even layer. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Make the batter:
- Sift ¾ cup of all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons of ube powder, 1½ teaspoons of baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt into a small bowl. Set aside.
- Add 4 tablespoons of butter and ½ cup of granulated sugar to a large bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to cream them until light. Add 2 eggs and beat until smooth and creamy. Continue beating until the mixture lightens in color, about 3 to 4 minutes total.
- Add half the sifted dry ingredients and beat with the mixer until just combined. Add half the milk and beat until incorporated. Add the remaining dry ingredients and the remaining milk, along with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon ube extract if using. Beat until just combined. Don’t overmix the batter!
Assemble the cake:
- Remove the cake pan from the refrigerator. Pour the batter over the caramel layer and smooth it into an even layer before baking.
Bake the upside-down cake:
- Transfer the cake to the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake stand at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. The cake should still be warm to the touch.
Invert the cake:
- Place a large plate over the cake pan and carefully invert the cake onto the plate. Let stand at room temperature until completely cool.
Make the ube whipped mascarpone:
- While the cake cools, prepare the whipped mascarpone. Place ½ cup of heavy cream in a large bowl. Add ½ cup of powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon sifted ube powder, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
- Add the mascarpone cheese and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Don’t overbeat the mascarpone or it may become grainy.” Refrigerate until needed.
Frost the cake:
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and frost the cake. Or spoon the frosting on top of the cake and smooth it out with a rubber spatula.
- Finish with Halloween sprinkles or sanding sugar. Enjoy!
