Ube Coconut Loaf Cake: Moist Purple Cake with Snowy Coconut Glaze

Step 1: Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Loaf Tin for Ube Cake

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F / gas mark 6). Generously butter a standard loaf tin (around 22 x 10 cm) or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugars for a Moist Loaf Cake

In a large bowl, whisk the softened butter with the granulated sugar and vanilla sugar until pale, light, and fluffy. This takes about 3 minutes with an electric whisk. This step incorporates air into the batter and is what gives the loaf its tender crumb.

Step 3: Add the Eggs One by One for a Smooth Ube Batter

Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well between each addition. Adding them gradually prevents the batter from splitting and keeps the loaf airy.

Step 4: Sift the Flour, Ube Powder and Baking Powder

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, ube powder, and baking powder. Sifting prevents ube clumps and guarantees an even, vivid purple color throughout the loaf.

Pro Tip: Always sift ube powder with the flour. If you add it directly to wet ingredients, it tends to form tiny purple lumps that don't fully dissolve.

Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry, Add Shredded Coconut and Milk

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk: start with one third of the flour mix, then half the milk, another third of flour, the rest of the milk, and finish with the last third of flour. Stir gently after each addition.

Finally, fold in the shredded coconut with a spatula. The batter should be thick, smooth, and a deep, even purple.

Step 6: Pour into the Loaf Tin and Bake the Ube Coconut Cake

Pour the batter into the buttered loaf tin and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 50 minutes. After 15 minutes of baking, you can score a shallow line down the center with a buttered knife to control the crack.

Check doneness by inserting the tip of a knife in the center: it should come out clean or with just a few dry crumbs. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil.

Step 7: Cool and Glaze with Snowy Coconut Sugar Drizzle

Let the loaf cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then unmold onto a wire rack and let it cool completely. Glazing a warm cake will melt the sugar and lose its texture.

In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar with 1-2 teaspoons of coconut milk until you get a thick but pourable glaze. Drizzle generously over the top of the loaf, letting it drip down the sides. Immediately sprinkle the shredded coconut on top so it sticks to the wet glaze and creates a snowy, glossy finish.

Pro Tip: For an extra shiny finish, add 1/4 teaspoon of ube powder to the glaze for a soft purple-tinted drizzle on top of the white shredded coconut. The contrast is stunning.

• Room-temperature ingredients: butter, eggs and milk should all be at room temperature for an even, tender crumb.
• Don't overmix: once the flour is added, mix just enough to combine. Overmixing develops gluten and toughens the loaf.
• Sift the ube powder: always sift it with the flour to avoid purple clumps.
• Use coconut milk: swapping regular milk for full-fat coconut milk dramatically deepens the coconut flavor.
• Score the top: a buttered knife line down the center after 15 minutes guarantees a clean, bakery-style crack.
• Cool before glazing: the cake must be fully cool, or the glaze will melt and lose its texture.
• Sprinkle coconut on wet glaze: add the shredded coconut topping right after drizzling so it sticks evenly.

• Room temperature: wrapped in plastic film or stored in an airtight container, the loaf keeps for 3-4 days and stays moist thanks to the butter and coconut.
• Refrigerator: up to 1 week in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving for the best texture.
• Freezer: wrap the unglazed loaf in plastic film and foil, freeze up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then glaze before serving.
• Make ahead: bake the loaf the day before, store wrapped at room temperature, and glaze just before serving for maximum freshness.

• Natural purple color from anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants
• Authentic flavor with notes of vanilla, toasted biscuit, and white chocolate
• Nutritional value: fiber, manganese, iron, and antioxidants
• Clean label: no artificial dyes, no additives, just pure ube

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