Indulge in a delicious clash of cultures with my Ube Basque Cheesecake recipe. This showstopping cake combines the vibrant Filipino purple yam ube and the burnt, creamy wonders of Basque-style cheesecake. With its retro color palette and charm, my Ube Basque Cheesecake is a vintage-inspired fusion sure to impress. Keep reading as I explore ube’s role in Asian baking, the unique allure of Basque cheesecake, and how these two whimsical desserts come together in one East meets West cake. My Ube Basque Cheesecake blends tastes and textures for a mouthwatering trip across continents with every slice.
TOC
What is Ube?
Ube, also known as purple yam, is a vibrant ingredient popular in Asian desserts. This colorful root vegetable lends a nutty, earthy flavor and beautiful lavender hue. In this cake, we marry ube with the unique charms of basque cheesecake for an East meets West fusion with vintage style.
Ube has an earthy, mellow flavor that pairs deliciously with creamy or fruity elements in desserts. When cooked, ube becomes softer and imparts a lovely lavender/violet shade from its anthocyanin pigments. The ube flavor is often described as a cross between vanilla and pistachio.
Native to the Philippines, ube is a sweet purple yam teeming with antioxidants. With its bright pop of color and distinctive taste, ube is often used in Filipino desserts like ice cream, pastries, and cakes. The ube flavor pairs perfectly with creamy or fruity elements.
Ube extract or powder infuses baked goods with a delightful violet tint and subtle nutty essence. It adds an exotic twist to familiar treats. Ube’s texture also lends moisture for tender cakes. No wonder it’s a favorite in Asian baking!
What is a Basque Cheesecake?
Hailing from the Basque region nestled between Spain and France, Basque cheesecake has a rustic identity all its own. This style of cheesecake gets its signature flavor from being baked at extremely high heat. The ultra-hot oven temperature causes the exterior of Basque cheesecake to caramelize and darken dramatically.
This burnt top crust provides an enticing contrast to the molten, creamy cheesecake center hiding underneath. The texture is almost like a dense cheesecake custard enclosed in a crispy, toasted exterior.
This unique baking method gives Basque cheesecake an utterly distinctive finish. The combination of the dark, crunchy top crust with the silky interior creates taste and texture contrasts unlike any other cheesecake.
The intensified roasted flavors from the dramatic Maillard reaction have made this cheesecake style coveted worldwide. Basque cheesecake offers an irresistible eating experience featuring layers of flavors and textures in each bite.
The Ube Basque Cheesecake – East Meets West
By infusing ube into a Basque cheesecake, we blend European and Asian flavors for an ingenious fusion. The ube creates a stunning lavender-swirled surface with extra moistness. Against the distinctive charred crust, the nutty ube taste shines.
Every forkful is a delicious mouthful of creamy cheesecake with ube’s mellow sweetness. You get the best of both worlds in one cake!
What You’ll Need
Before we dive into the recipe, it’s worth noting that some of the ingredients used in this recipe may be unfamiliar and slightly challenging to find. Don’t worry, though! We’ve got you covered. While we are not endorsing these specific brands, we’ve provided links below to help you explore and potentially source the required ingredients and tools. Remember, feel free to explore different brands and options that suit your preferences and availability. It’s all about creating a delightful culinary experience tailored to your taste buds. Now, let’s get ready to whip up this fantastic Asian fusion dessert!
Recipe
Vintage Ube Basque Cheesecake
Equipment
- 1 6 in cake pan Preferably one with removable bottom
- 1 hand mixer
- 1 silicone spatula
- 1 rotating cake stand optional for frosting / decoration
- parchment paper
- 1 potato masher
Ingredients
Ube basque cheesecake
- 320 g cream cheese must be softened to room temperature
- 45 g sugar
- 2 large eggs At room temperature
- 200 g heavy cream
- 10 g cake flour
- 1 tsp ube extract
Mashed Ube
- 300 g ube
- 30 g sugar
- 50 g heavy cream
Mashed Ube
- 300 g heavy cream cold from refrigerator
- 15 g sugar
- 1/2 tsp ube extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425F and line a 6in pan with parchment paper. Allow for extra height with the paper to catch the cake when it raises in the oven.
- Gently beat the cream cheese and sugar with a hand mixer or with the paddle attachment on your stand mixer until the mixture becomes creamy. (See tip 1 below)320 g cream cheese, 45 g sugar
- Add in eggs one at a time.2 large eggs
- Use 50g of the heavy cream and mix it separately with the cake flour until you get a well incorporated paste. Add the rest of the heavy cream slowly into the paste and mix.200 g heavy cream, 10 g cake flour
- Add the cream and flour mixture into your cream cheese mixture and beat until incorporated.
- Add ube extract and mix.1 tsp ube extract
- Bake for 20-25min in oven. The cake should have a burnt top and still slightly jiggle when you remove it from the oven.
- Let the cake cool completely.
- Steam the ube for the mashed ube. Remove skin.300 g ube
- Mash with a blender or by hand using a potato masher. Add sugar and heavy cream and mix until incorporated.30 g sugar, 50 g heavy cream
- Scoop the mash onto the top of the cake, which should now be a cavity with a burnt top. Level out the cake and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before decorating.
- Whip 300g of heavy cream in cold bowl with sugar until it just reaches hard peak. (80%)300 g heavy cream, 15 g sugar
- Separate cream into two parts, add ube extract to one for color and flavor.1/2 tsp ube extract
- Frost and decorate cake as desired.
Notes
- You can test whether the cream cheese and sugar mixture is ready by rubbing a little bit of the mixture between your fingers. If you don’t feel grains of sugar anymore, you’re good to go.
- For a smoother consistency, pass the mixture through a sieve before pouring into baking pan.
- Every oven is different, test your oven’s temperature with shorter bake time first to make sure the cake doesn’t complete burn through. You want a burnt top, but not a burnt cake.
With its retro charm, our Ube Basque Cheesecake is perfect for vintage-style gatherings. The ube purple is reminiscent of 1970’s aesthetics. And the rustic burnt edges give old-fashioned appeal.
Serve our cake at your next retro party for a conversation-starting dessert with nostalgic novelty. A deliciously unique blend of Filipino ube and Spanish Basque cheesecake, this cake brings fun fusion flavors for a tasteful blast from the past!
Dig into purple sweetness with our Ube Basque Cheesecake recipe. This East meets West fusion cake is a vintage lover’s dream.
