Ube Roll Cake with Fluffy Chiffon and Ube Whipped Cream

By:

Ruby Bennett

Published:

July 29, 2026

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What Is Ube Roll Cake?

Ube roll cake is a show stopping Swiss roll dessert that combines a soft, airy ube chiffon cake with a dreamy ube whipped cream filling. Each slice reveals a beautiful purple spiral, giving you the perfect balance of fluffy cake and luscious cream.

This bakery style treat is deceptively simple to make at home and far less work than a traditional layer cake. The cake is designed to roll without tearing or rippling, so you get clean swirls every time.

I first tried an ube roll cake from a local Asian bakery and knew I had to recreate that light, not too sweet magic in my own kitchen. After several rounds of testing, I can promise this recipe rolls up beautifully without cracking.

If you want to compare notes, Sally’s Baking Addiction’s ube roll cake is another trusted resource for this Filipino inspired favorite.

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What Is Ube?

Ube (pronounced “ooh bay”) is a purple yam native to the Philippines. Its flavor is naturally sweet, mellow, and often described as a cross between vanilla and coconut, with a floral note that sets it apart from other root vegetables.

The vivid purple color makes it instantly recognizable in Filipino desserts like halo halo, ube halaya, and cakes. When baking, many recipes use concentrated ube extract instead of the thick jam (halaya) to avoid weighing down delicate batters.

This roll cake relies on ube extract for both the signature purple hue and that unmistakable flavor, keeping the chiffon sponge light and tender.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This ube roll cake has a soft, fluffy, airy texture that melts in your mouth, and it’s not overly sweet, think of the kind of cakes you find in Asian bakeries.

The recipe uses ube extract to deliver that coconut vanilla flavor effortlessly while creating the lovely purple color. The rolling method has been tested so the cake spirals without tearing or rippling.

There’s no complicated decoration required, and the whole process is laid out step by step so you can follow along with confidence.

If you enjoy this cake, you might also love our Carrot Cake Cream Cheese Bars for another cream filled treat that’s just as satisfying.

Tools

A few key tools make this ube roll cake effortless:

12×17 inch baking tray with sides at least 1 inch high. This jelly roll pan yields a thin cake sheet that forms several spiral turns. A 9×13 inch pan can also work but will create a thicker sheet with fewer spirals.
Electric hand mixer. Crucial for whipping the egg white meringue to stiff peaks and beating the cream.
Fine mesh sieve. Sifting the cake flour prevents lumps and ensures a tender crumb.
Offset spatula. Helps spread both the batter and whipped cream evenly. A regular rubber spatula can substitute in a pinch.
Wire rack, parchment paper, and plastic wrap. Needed for cooling, flipping, and wrapping the roll.

Ingredients

This recipe is divided into two distinct parts. All ingredient quantities are based on the source recipe card and are most accurate when weighed with a kitchen scale. Approximate US volume equivalents are given in parentheses where helpful, but the scale measurement always takes precedence.

Component	Ingredient	Quantity
Ube Chiffon Cake	Large eggs	6
	Cream of tartar	¼ teaspoon
	Granulated sugar (divided)	150 g (¾ cup), split into 100 g + 50 g
	Milk	50 g (3 ½ tablespoons)
	Light tasting oil (canola, avocado, or grapeseed)	50 g (3 ½ tablespoons)
	Ube extract	1 teaspoon
	Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
	Cake flour	120 g (1 cup)
Ube Whipped Cream	Whipping cream or heavy cream	400 g (1 ⅔ cups)
	Powdered sugar	40 g (⅓ cup)
	Ube extract	½ teaspoon
	Vanilla extract	½ teaspoon

Eggs are separated so the whites can be whipped into a meringue that gives the cake its rise. Cream of tartar stabilizes the meringue, but you can omit it if unavailable. Cake flour yields a softer, lighter crumb than all purpose flour.

Dairy or non dairy milk both work well. The filling is wonderfully simple: just whip cream, powdered sugar, and the extracts until firm.

How to Make an Ube Roll Cake

This recipe has three ordered stages: first, bake and pre roll the ube chiffon sheet; second, whip the ube cream until firm; third, fill, reroll, chill, and slice. Handling the warm cake correctly and giving the assembled roll enough chilling time are the keys to a clean spiral that stays put.

For the Ube Chiffon Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12×17 inch baking tray with parchment paper on the bottom only. Set aside.
Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites into two large bowls, being careful no yolk gets into the whites. Set the yolks aside.
Add cream of tartar to the egg whites. Beat on medium speed until foamy, like cappuccino froth.
Sprinkle in 100 g of the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Continue beating until stiff peaks form. When you lift the beaters, the meringue should stand up in glossy peaks with tips that curl over. Set aside.
To the egg yolk bowl, add the remaining 50 g sugar, milk, oil, ube extract, and vanilla extract. Mix with the same hand mixer until combined.
Sift the cake flour into the yolk mixture and mix just until no dry flour remains.
Fold about one third of the meringue into the yolk batter with a spatula until mostly combined. Then add the rest of the meringue and fold gently until no white streaks remain. The batter should be light and airy.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Use an offset spatula to push it into the corners and smooth the top into an even layer.
Bake for 12 13 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the surface springs back when pressed gently.
Let the cake cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Do not let it cool completely. Run an offset spatula around the edges to release it.
Place a wire rack on top of the pan. Holding both together, flip them upside down. Remove the pan and carefully peel off the parchment paper from the cake.
Place a fresh sheet of parchment paper on top of the cake. Grab both the rack and the new parchment, and flip again. Remove the rack. The nicest side of the cake is now facing down on the parchment, ready to become the outside of the roll.
Starting from a short end, roll the still warm cake tightly with the parchment into a log. Let it rest in this rolled position until completely cool.

For the Ube Whipped Cream

In a large mixing bowl, combine the whipping cream, powdered sugar, ube extract, and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer on low medium speed and beat until the cream thickens and holds firm peaks.

It should be stable enough to spread and hold its shape when rolled. Overbeating can turn it grainy, so stop as soon as the peaks stand up straight.

Assemble the Roll Cake

Unroll the completely cooled cake sheet. Drop dollops of the ube whipped cream on top and use an offset spatula to spread an even, generous layer, leaving about 2 inches of empty space at the far short end, this will be the closing edge of the roll.
Starting from the same short end you used during pre rolling, begin rolling the cake again, slowly and tightly. The cream will squeeze toward the open end; wipe off any excess that spills out with the spatula.
Wrap the cake roll securely in plastic wrap, twisting the ends and securing them with clips if you have them. Gently reshape the roll with your hands to make it uniformly round.
Chill the wrapped roll in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, but overnight is ideal for the cream to set fully.
Once chilled, trim about ½ inch off both ends to reveal the stunning spiral. Slice the roll into 1 to 1.5 inch pieces and serve.

Storage

Keep the assembled roll cake in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap inside the refrigerator. It stays fresh for up to 5 days. Covering it well prevents the chiffon and cream from drying out and helps the spiral keep its shape.

If you’re looking for another make ahead dessert, Creamy Rhubarb Cheesecake Crumble Bars are similarly fridge friendly and delicious.

Freezing

Leftover slices can be frozen for up to 1 month. Wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil for extra protection against freezer burn.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or let them sit at room temperature for several hours before serving. Note that the texture may soften slightly after freezing, but the cake still tastes wonderful.

Tips for Success

Stiff peak meringue is non negotiable. Because there’s no baking powder or soda, the air trapped in the meringue is what makes the chiffon rise. Whip until the peaks stand tall and curl only at the tip.
Don’t underbake. The edges should be faintly golden and the surface should spring back when touched. An underbaked sheet will collapse as it cools.
Pre roll while warm. The cake is most flexible right out of the oven. Rolling it in parchment while warm trains it to bend later without cracking.
Chill overnight for perfect slices. A long chill firms up the cream and prevents it from squirting out when you cut. Those clean, defined swirls are worth the wait.
Handle the batter gently. Fold the meringue in with a light hand; overmixing deflates all the precious air.
Use room temperature eggs. They yield a more voluminous meringue.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ube and what does it taste like in an ube roll cake?

Ube is a purple yam from the Philippines with a naturally sweet, mellow flavor that tastes like a mix of vanilla and coconut. In an ube roll cake, bottled ube extract is used to capture that flavor and vivid purple color without weighing down the light chiffon sponge, giving the cake a fragrant, dessert-friendly taste that feels familiar to many U.S. palates.

How do I make an ube roll cake without it cracking when I roll it?

Bake the chiffon cake in a 12×17 inch jelly roll pan at 350°F just until the edges turn lightly golden and the surface springs back, then pre-roll it while still warm. Flip the cake onto fresh parchment, roll it up with the parchment from a short end, and let it cool completely in that log shape. This “training” step plus avoiding overbaking helps the sheet bend smoothly later when you fill and re-roll it.

Why is my ube roll cake pale, and how can I get a vibrant purple color?

A pale ube roll cake usually means your ube extract is lightly pigmented or you used too little. Start with the recipe’s 1 teaspoon of ube extract in the batter and ½ teaspoon in the whipped cream, then adjust brand or add a small extra amount if your batter looks too light before baking. For a deeper purple, many U.S. bakers switch to more intensely colored Filipino or Asian brands or add a touch of purple food coloring while keeping the liquid balance the same.

How should I store and can I freeze ube roll cake with whipped cream?

Ube roll cake should be kept refrigerated because it is filled with whipped cream; store the whole roll or slices tightly wrapped or in an airtight container for up to 5 days. For longer storage, you can freeze individual slices for about 1 month, wrapped well to prevent freezer burn. Thaw them in the fridge or at room temperature for several hours, knowing the cake will still taste good but may lose a bit of its airy, freshly made texture.