KCC: Birthday Party Food - UBE CAKE

January is a special month for me, because it's my birthday month! My 7 yr old son was also born in January a few days before mine, and ever since he was born we tend to focus now on his birthday wishes, like what kind of theme for his party, who to invite to his party or what kind of cake to have.  So unfortunately, I end up spending days making his boy-themed cakes and planning his parties.  If I had a chance to make party food request this year, I'd have special two: my mom's kare-kare and the other is ube cake.  My mom is a great cook, but cakes aren't her forte so I'd let her spoil me by making my ultimate favourite dish.  The cake-making would be left to myself even on my birthday.  I got to admit, I do long for Red Ribbon's Ube cake, but because I can't have that here I have to try making it from scratch.

My aunt sent me a few bottles of McCormick Ube flavouring from the Philippines.  It's purple coloured essence, so you don't have to add food colouring.  If you can't avail of it then you can try using yam essence (try oriental stores) and add the purple food colouring yourself. 

1 cup        cake flour, sifted
3/4 cup      caster sugar
1 tsp        baking powder
1/4  tsp      salt
1/3 cup      canola oil
4              eggs, separated
1/3 cup     water
1 tsp        ube flavouring
1/4 cup     milk
1/4 tsp      cream of tartar
1^1/2 cup   cream
1/4 cup     icing sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp     ube flavouring or purple food colouring

• Preheat oven to 180C (not fan-forced) oven, and line 1 (9-inch) round pan or 2 (6-inch) round pan
• Sift together cake flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt.
• In another bowl, whisk oil, egg yolks, water, ube flavouring and milk. 
• Gently blend the egg mixture to the cake flour until smooth, being careful not to over beat.
• Whisk the egg whites and the cream of tartar until frothy. Set mixer on highest speed, and gradually add 1/2 cup of caster sugar.
• Gently fold the ube mixture into the eggwhites.
• Pour batter in pans and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until done. To test, insert skewer into cake and it should come out clean.
• Let the cakes cool in pan for five minutes then invert on rack to cool completely
• For the frosting, whip the cream, ube flavour (or purple colouring) and gradually add the icing sugar until stiff peaks form.
• To assemble, split the cake in half. Trim the top of cake to make it flat and even.  Place the trimmings in a food processor and set aside.
• Spread whipped cream on one cake layer and top with the second layer. Frost all sides and top of cake. Sprinkle cake crumbs on sides and top. Decorate with piped cream to finish.

Alternative:  Add strips of macapuno in the centre of cake to make ube-macapuno cake.

PS. Here's my mom's Kare-Kare and I ate so much of it with bagoong!