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    Home » Frostings, Fillings & Decorations

    Ube Buttercream Frosting

    Published: Dec 26, 2022 · Modified: Apr 16, 2023 by Kachina · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    easy purple yam ube buttercream frosting in bowl
    easy purple yam ube buttercream frosting in bowl with ube extract and coconut milk
    easy purple yam ube buttercream frosting in bowl with ube extract
    easy purple yam ube buttercream piped on a cake with ube extract

    This easy ube buttercream frosting is a creamy purple yam buttercream made with ube extract and a hint of coconut. It’s only 4 ingredients and ready in less than 15mins.

    purple ube buttercream frosting in a piping bag on a cake
    Jump to:
    • ✏️ Recipe creation
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • ♻️ Substitutions / Variations
    • 📖 Method
    • 🎥 Recipe video
    • 💭 Top tips
    • ❔ Recipe FAQs
    • 🧁 Other goodies
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    ✏️ Recipe creation

    I love ube, it’s such a popular Filipino flavour for desserts! You can use ube buttercream to turn all your baked goods into an ube dream. Everything from filling ube macarons and ube cakes to topping cupcakes, brownies and more.

    This ube frosting is an American-style buttercream but with this delicious purple yam flavour loved in the Philippines.

    It’s the same homemade buttercream that I use to frost and fill my easy ube layer cake!

    🥘 Ingredients

    purple yam ube buttercream frosting recipe ingredients in bowls with labels

    This ube buttercream frosting recipe calls for the following ingredients:

    • Unsalted butter: room temperature for a softened butter that’s easier to beat.
    • Powdered icing sugar: sieve your confectioners’ sugar for a smooth frosting.
    • Ube extract: this can be found online or from specialist Asian grocery stores.
    • Coconut milk (or other milk): use full fat coconut milk for the best flavour.
    • Salt (optional)

    See the recipe card for quantities.

    Top tip: For accuracy, it’s best to weigh your ingredients rather than using cups.

    ♻️ Substitutions / Variations

    Coconut milk gives the best flavour for this ube frosting, but you can swap this for another milk of your choice such as semi-skimmed milk or evaporated milk.

    For a richer coconut flavour and creamier texture, you can swap the coconut milk for coconut cream instead.

    For a stronger purple yam flavour, you can add a tablespoon of smooth ube halaya (ube jam or halayang ube). This will change the texture to be less creamy and soft, but add more tasty ube flavour to your ube icing.

    purple yam ube buttercream frosting in a bowl with coconut milk and ube extract

    📖 Method

    how to make purple yam ube buttercream frosting recipe method steps 1 to 4.

    Step 1: Beat the butter (either by hand, using an electric mixer or stand mixer) until pale, light and fluffy. This could take several minutes.

    Steps 2 - 3: Sieve half of the icing sugar into the butter and beat until combined, then repeat this with the remaining half of the icing sugar.

    Steps 4 - 5: Add in the ube extract, milk and salt (if using).

    how to make purple yam ube buttercream frosting recipe method steps 5 to 6.

    Step 6: Beat until only just smooth then use to frost or fill your desserts as needed.

    🎥 Recipe video

    Check out the recipe video below for how to make the best ube buttercream!

    💭 Top tips

    • For creamy ube frosting, beat your butter until it’s pale, light and fluffy first. This could take several minutes with an electric mixer.
    • If your ube icing is too thick to pipe, then you can add more coconut milk (½ tablespoon at a time) to thin the frosting until you get the desired consistency.
    • If your ube frosting is too thin, you can try chilling it in the fridge for 15-20mins before use. Alternatively, you can beat in a few more tablespoons of butter to thicken it.

    ❔ Recipe FAQs

    How long does homemade ube buttercream last?

    Your ube buttercream should last for up 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

    Can you freeze ube buttercream?

    Yes! You can freeze your ubr buttercream in an airtight container. Defrost and re-beat before use.

    What is ube?

    Ube is a purple yam that is popular in Filipino cuisine.

    What does ube taste like?

    Ube tastes like a slightly nutty and vanilla sweet potato. It has a distinctive flavour and a strong purple colour.

    How can I thicken my ube frosting?

    If your ube frosting is too thin, you can try chilling it in the fridge for 10-20mins before use. Alternatively, you can beat in a few more tablespoons of butter to thicken it.

    How can I thin my ube frosting?

    If your ube frosting is too thick to spread easily, then you can stir some more coconut milk or coconut cream (½ tablespoon at a time) to thin the consistency.

    purple yam buttercream frosting in a bowl with coconut and ube extract

    🧁 Other goodies

    Looking for some tasty desserts to frost with ube buttercream? Why not give these baked goods recipes a try:

    • Ube brownies
    • Green tea brownies
    • Funfetti cupcakes
    • Strawberry vanilla cake
    • Lemon cake with lemon curd

    If you love ube desserts, check out this best easy ube cake and ube coconut no-bake cheesecake!

    You might also like these other tasty buttercream ideas:

    • Matcha buttercream
    • Orange buttercream
    • Lemon buttercream

    For more tasty frostings, check out my full collection of the best frosting recipes.

    Other Related Recipes:

    • purple yam ube cake with four layers of ube sponge and an ube frosting and filling.
      Ube Cake
    • purple ube cheesecake with a coconut graham cracker base and shredded coconut topping with ube extract.
      No-Bake Ube Cheesecake
    • fudgy ube brownies squares with white chocolate chips.
      Ube Brownies
    • easy matcha green tea cake with white chocolate ganache frosting and matcha powder dusting
      Easy Matcha White Chocolate Cake

    Looking forward to some new recipes? Check out my Youtube, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest pages for a few sneak peeks and some sweet inspiration!

    Or if you’d like to hear about our latest recipes, why not subscribe to our newsletter?

    📋 Recipe

    purple ube buttercream frosting in a piping bag on a cake

    Ube Buttercream

    Kachina
    The best easy purple ube buttercream frosting made using ube extract!

    Rate this recipe here:

    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine Fusion
    Servings 12 servings

    Equipment

    • Hand mixer optional

    Ingredients
     

    • 175 g (¾ cups) unsalted butter room temp.
    • 375 g (3 cups) powdered icing sugar
    • 2 teaspoon ube extract
    • 1 - 2 teaspoon coconut milk
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt optional

    Instructions
     

    • Beat the butter (either by hand, using an electric mixer or stand mixer) until pale, light and fluffy. This could take several minutes.
    • Sieve half of the icing sugar into the butter and beat until combined, then repeat this with the remaining half of icing sugar.
    • Add in the ube extract, milk and salt (if using) mixing until only just smooth.

    Video

    Notes

    Serving size:
    • This recipe makes enough frosting for roughly 12-14 cupcakes, or to frost a single-layer 8-inch cake.
    • Scale up the recipe by ½ to fill and frost a 2-layer, 8-inch cake generously
    Storage: Keep ube frosting in an airtight container in the fridge. It should keep for up to 4 days.
    Freezing: You can freeze your ube frosting in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost and re-beat before use.
    Top tips:
    • Use softened room temperature butter for ease of mixing.
    • For creamy frosting, beat your butter until it’s pale, light and fluffy first. This could take several minutes with an electric mixer.
    Substitutions:
    • You can swap the coconut milk for coconut cream or another type of milk or for coconut cream for more flavour and creamier texture.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 27mg | Potassium: 7mg | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 364IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.1mg

    Nutritional information is an estimate based on an online nutritional calculator, actual values may vary.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @sweetmouthjoy or tag #sweetmouthjoy!

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    Kachina from Sweet Mouth Joy

    Hi there! I'm Kachina, and I'm a smidge obsessed with baking. I love making all things sweet and I hope I can convince you to join in my addiction by sharing some of my favourite dessert recipes with you.

    Happy baking!

    More about me →

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