Ube Macapuno Cake for Clarise's 10th Birthday

Clarise turned 10 last Monday. Unlike the previous years, she didn't want a party...she said all she wants is to have a family celebration at Master Grill (her favorite resto) and that I make her an Ube Macapuno Cake...and that we buy her a laptop and a Kindle Touch. I'm not sure if she really didn't want a party or she was just trying to be considerate because she knew that the gifts she requested were kinda expensive. Anyway, we granted her requests...all of it. We ate at Master Grill with some friends last weekend...we bought her a laptop and a Kindle Touch...and I made her an Ube Macapuno Cake.

I also prepared some of her favorite food that she said she wants to eat on her birthday. 

Though Clarise insisted that she wanted her birthday celebration to be a family thing, I invited some friends to join us for dinner last Monday. I'm pretty sure she didn't mind. She had so much fun and didn't have the time to complain. :)

Thanks to Abigail of Cuddles and Crumbs for the Ube Macapuno Cake recipe. Clarise and everyone else loved it! 

Ube Macapuno Cake is one of my family's favorite cake from Red Ribbon Bakeshop in the Philippines. It has been almost 5 years since the last time we had it. I'm really glad I was able to find a good recipe!


Ingredients:
Adapted from Cuddles and Crumbs (originally from Heart of Mary)

For the Cake:

• 2¼ cups cake flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1½ cups sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 7 eggs, yolk and white separated
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup milk
• 1 cup grated ube (If using fresh ube, cook it first in boiling water. Peel it after allowing to cool down, then grate. If using frozen ube, use it as is.)
• ½ tsp cream of tartar

For Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1 *8oz. package of cream cheese
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 *12 oz jar of macapuno (preserved sweet coconut strings)

Procedure:

For the Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line two 9" round, 1½" high pans and one 4"x8" loaf pan with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, sift cake flour, baking powder, ¾ cup sugar and salt and mix until well combined. On a separate bowl, combine egg yolks, oil, milk, and ube. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Beat on lowest setting until just combined. Set aside. 

3. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites on high speed until frothy. Gradually add in remaining ¾ cup sugar and cream of tartar and beat until stiff peaks are formed. Gently fold in egg whites into mixture until very well combined. 

4. Divide batter into prepared pans. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool down in pans for about 5 minutes then transfer to wire racks and allow to completely cool down.

For the Frosting:

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth and creamy. In another bowl, beat heavy cream, sugar and vanilla on high speed until stiff. Slowly fold in cream cheese and beat again at high speed for a few seconds just until well combined. Be sure not over beat your frosting.

To assemble:

1. Drain some of the syrup from the macapuno. Set aside. 

2. Place one of the round cakes on your serving plate or cake board. Spread and level about 1/3 of  frosting onto the cake layer until it is about ¼" thick. Top with 1/3 of the macapuno. Place second round cake on top of macapuno. Spread the next 1/3 of frosting to cover top and sides of cake. 

3. Remove sides and bottom of the loaf cake. Cut the cake into cubes then crumble using a food processor or blender. Gently stick the crumbs to the cake top and sides until it is fully covered. 

5. Using the remaining frosting, pipe out big rosettes around the cake’s top edge, and some small ones around the bottom part. Spread the remaining macapuno in the center of the cake. You may also top the rosettes with macapuno.
Note:
I only made 2 layers. If you want more filling, you can make it 4 layers by dividing each round cake into two but you will have to double your frosting ingredients if you will do that.