Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour: This is the structural backbone of our cake, providing the framework and texture. Ensure it’s sifted for a lighter crumb.
- ¾ cup Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness to balance the earthy ube flavor. You can adjust slightly based on the sweetness of your ube halaya.
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder: The leavening agent that will help our microwave cake rise and become fluffy, even without the conventional oven heat.
- ¼ teaspoon Salt: Enhances all the other flavors in the cake, particularly the sweetness of the sugar and the unique notes of ube.
- 1 Large Egg: Acts as a binder, holding the ingredients together, and adds richness and moisture to the cake.
- ½ cup Milk (whole milk or evaporated milk recommended): Adds essential moisture for a tender cake. Evaporated milk can lend a slightly richer taste. Coconut milk can also be used for a more tropical flavor profile.
- ¼ cup Vegetable Oil (or other neutral-flavored oil): Contributes to the cake’s moistness and tenderness, ensuring it doesn’t dry out in the microwave. Melted butter can be substituted for a richer, buttery flavor.
- ½ cup Ube Halaya (Purple Yam Jam): This is the star ingredient, providing the distinct ube flavor, vibrant purple color, and additional moisture. Use a good quality, store-bought version or homemade if you have it.
- 1 teaspoon Ube Extract: Intensifies the ube flavor and color, making the cake even more visually appealing and delicious. A little goes a long way.
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract: Complements the ube flavor beautifully, adding a subtle warmth and depth to the overall taste profile.
Instructions
- Prepare the Microwave-Safe Dish: Generously grease and flour a 7 or 8-inch round microwave-safe glass or ceramic baking dish. Alternatively, you can line the bottom with parchment paper cut to size, then grease and flour the sides. This step is crucial to prevent the cake from sticking and ensures easy removal. Avoid using metal dishes in the microwave.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisking thoroughly helps to evenly distribute the baking powder and salt, which is essential for a uniform rise and flavor. This also aerates the flour slightly, contributing to a lighter cake.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate, larger mixing bowl, crack in the egg and whisk it lightly until the yolk and white are just combined. Add the milk, vegetable oil, ube halaya, ube extract, and vanilla extract to the whisked egg. Stir everything together with a spatula or whisk until the ube halaya is well incorporated and the mixture is smooth and homogenous. Break up any large clumps of ube halaya for an even distribution of flavor and color.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Gradually pour the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredient mixture. Using a spatula, gently fold the ingredients together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few small lumps are perfectly fine. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour too much, resulting in a tough cake. Mix only until you no longer see streaks of dry flour.
- Transfer Batter to Dish: Pour the prepared ube cake batter into your greased and floured microwave-safe baking dish. Use the spatula to spread the batter evenly, ensuring it reaches all corners and has a relatively level surface. This will help the cake cook more evenly in the microwave.
- Microwave the Cake: Place the dish in the center of your microwave. Microwave on HIGH power (100%) for 6 to 8 minutes. Microwave cooking times can vary significantly based on the wattage of your microwave. It’s best to start checking for doneness around the 5-6 minute mark.
- Check for Doneness: To check if the cake is cooked through, insert a toothpick or a thin skewer into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached, the cake is done. If there’s wet batter on the toothpick, continue microwaving in 30-second to 1-minute intervals, checking after each, until cooked. The surface of the cake should also spring back when lightly touched. Be cautious not to overcook, as this can lead to a dry and rubbery cake.
- Cool the Cake: Once cooked, carefully remove the dish from the microwave (it will be hot, so use oven mitts). Let the cake cool in the dish on a wire rack for at least 10-15 minutes. This allows the cake to set further and makes it easier to handle. After this initial cooling period, you can carefully invert the cake onto the wire rack to cool completely before frosting or serving. If you lined the bottom with parchment, peel it off at this stage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: one normal portion
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Protein: 5g