This beautifully bright purple cheesecake taste just as great as it looks. This UBE CHEESECAKE is made with ube extract and ube halaya which gives it a deep purple color. The base of the cheesecake is made with a crushed graham cracker which will give the cheesecake a nice crunch with the velvety cream cheese. The coconut cream topping will balance out the flavors. Let’s see how we can make this amazing UBE CHEESECAKE!!
This is the most perfect ube cheesecake recipe you will ever find. It is creamy, and smooth and screams decadence. Made with just the right amount of ube extract and ube halaya, this ube cheesecake is made with cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, eggs and a buttery graham cracker crust.
Cheesecake has been my go-to dessert for when I need a decadent slice of cake but I don’t want it to be overly sweet. Lately, I’ve been eyeing store-bought cheesecake but nothing beats a homemade cheesecake where you can adjust the level of sweetness and elevate it with some exotic flavors like ube. If you like this cheesecake recipe check out the matcha cheesecake, black sesame cheesecake or pandan cheesecake recipes for more Asian-inspired cheesecake recipes.
Why make this?
Purple Cheesecake. What decadent recipe can you say is going to be eye-catching like this beautiful purple cheesecake
Unique. I rarely see ube baked goods in bakeries or stores. This unique flavored cheesecake will be a huge hit with your friends and family. The vanilla marshmallow flavor will hit differently than any cheesecake flavor you will find in stores.
Great for parties. This cheesecake can easily serve up to 8 -12 people depending on the size of the slice. It’s great to bring to a party or if you are hosting.
Why we love this recipe.
Fool-proof recipe. Cheesecake may sound hard to make but this recipe will yield a great-tasting cake and will guarantee perfect results each time. Don’t use the excuse of thinking that making cheesecake is hard keep you from baking your very own cheesecake at home.
Rich and Creamy. This recipe makes a creamy and smooth cheesecake that is both rich and flavorful.
No Water Bath. Typical recipes use a water bath where you wrap the cheesecake in aluminum and place it in a water bath which could be a bit messy. However, this one only needs a pan of hot water in the lower rack
Equipment
9” springform pan: A springform pan is a must to get perfect results after the cheesecake is done baking. The 9” springform pan works perfect for this recipe as it makes 8-10 slices.
Stand mixer or hand mixer: The KitchenAid stand mixer will mix the cream cheese and whip it up in a short amount of time.
Food processor: I use the food processor to make my own fresh graham cracker crumbs. I use the Kitchenaid food processor that can easily turn the large graham crackers into small fine crumbs.
Ingredients, Substitution and Variations
graham crackers crumbs. I make my own graham cracker crumbs but yo can buy them in stores already in crumbs. I use a food processor and run it until they are fine crumbs. You can also crush the crackers with a rolling pin as well in a zip lock bag.
unsalted butter. The melted unsalted butter helps bind the graham cracker crust together so it holds crust together. I use unsalted butter, but if you would like to use salted butter omit the extra salt.
granulated sugar. The sugar sweetens the graham cracker crust. You can omit if you don’t like the cheesecake too sweet.
vanilla extract. Adds a lovely flavor the crust. Use real vanilla extract or artificial, either one will work fine for this recipe.
salt. I add salt if I use unsalted butter.
full-fat cream cheese. Using full fat will give the cheesecake the best flavor. Only use the blocks, not the cream cheese in a tub. Take the cream cheese out 2 hours before you start to prepare the batter to bring it to room temperature.
granulated sugar. Sweetens the batter. If you prefer a sweeter batter add more, but only add 1 tablespoon at a time.
ube halaya. The ube halaya jam gives a nice vanilla sweetness to the batter.
full-fat sour cream. This is the key to getting a classic soft, moist and tender cheesecake.
ube extract. Ube extract is the key to getting the beautiful purple cheesecake, it will add a lovely ube flavor.
vanilla extract. Gives it even more flavor
large eggs. The eggs give the cheesecake the classic smooth and rich texture
How to make the Ube Cheesecake
Preparing the graham cracker crust
Preheat oven to 350F.
Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine all graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Stir until well combined and evenly moist.
Transfer to your prepared pan and use the back of a spoon or measuring cup to pack it tightly to the bottom. Bake crust for 10-15 minutes. Set aside.
Make the ube cream cheese filling
Lower the oven temperature to 325F.
Using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy (2-3 mins).
Add sugar and continue beating for another 2 minutes.
Add ube jam and sour cream. Beat until smooth and well incorporated. Make sure to break apart any chunks of ube jam before adding to the mixture.
Add vanilla extract and ube extract and stir until combined. Taste your batter and decide if the cream cheese filling is sweet enough. Add sugar 1 tsp at a time, if necessary.
Add eggs one at a time, beating each one just until combined on a medium-low setting. Scrape the bottom and sides of your bowl to make sure you’re getting to every last inch of batter.
Pour the batter into your pan and tap gently on your counter. Place the pan on your oven’s middle rack. Place a roasting pan filled with hot water on the bottom rack.
Bake for 30 minutes at 325F then lower the oven temperature to 300F and bake for 30 minutes more or until set.
Turn the oven off, open the oven door slightly but keep the cheesecake inside for another 1 ½ hour so it can gradually cool.
Take the cheesecake out of the oven, using a knife to run around the edges to separate the cake from the pan. Don’t take the cake out of the pan though. Place the cheesecake directly into the fridge to chill 6-8 hours, preferably overnight.
Success tips on making the best cheesecake
Cool cheesecake. Let the cheesecake cool inside the oven with the door slightly opened. I leave it inside for 1.5 hours.
Chill overnight. For best results, I chill the cheesecake overnight so it keeps the shape of the cheesecake. I don’t dare to cut the cake until it has been chilled for at least 12 hours. This way you will get the clean cut.
Tap the air bubbles out. After pouring the batter into the springform pan gentle tap the air bubbles out on the countertop. Look for little bubbles that will come to the surface. Continue to tap it out until there are no more bubbles that come to the surface.
Recipes FAQs
Do we need to do a WATER BATH?
I don’t use a water bath but I like to add a pan of hot water in the lower rack to keep the oven moist.
How to tell when the cheesecake is done baking?
The best way to tell if the cheesecake is done is by see the edges of the cheesecake. If you see it slightly hard and the surface in the center looks smooth yet slightly dry it means its ready.
How can I prevent cracks on the ube cheesecake?
To get a nice smooth surface, avoid overmixing the batter and mixing at high speed. You want to prevent adding too many air bubbles into the batter which will lead to the cheesecake rising too much and deflating.
How to store
The cheesecake can be store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days wrapped up. If the cheesecake cannot be finished with the 4 days you can freeze it.
How to Freeze
The cheesecake can be kept for up to 3 months in the freezer. If you like to eat a slice at time precut the slices and use cut parchment paper to the small sizes and place them on the sides. Use saran wrap to wrap them up individually and freeze. Store them in a container to keep their shape. When ready to eat take the slice out and defrost in the refrigerator overnight to thaw out.
Love ube? Check out my other Ube recipes.
- Ube Brownies
- Ube Waffles
- Ube Mochi Donuts
- Ube Cinnamon Rolls
- Ube Horchata
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Ube Cheesecake with Graham Cracker Crust
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 1½ cup graham cracker crumbs 225 g
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter melted 71 g
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar 24 g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract 5 ml
- pinch of salt
Ube Cheesecake Filling
- 2 bars full-fat cream cheese 8 oz each (total 16 oz)
- ½ cup granulated sugar 200 g
- ¼ cup ube halaya jam 60 ml
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream 453 g room temperature
- 2 tsp ube extract 15 ml
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs room temperature
Instructions
Preparing Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine all graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Stir until well combined and evenly moist.
- Transfer to your prepared pan and use the back of a spoon or measuring cup to pack it tightly to the bottom. Bake crust for 10-15 minutes. Set aside.
Make the Ube Cream Cheese Filling
- Lower the oven temperature to 325F.
- Using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy (2-3 mins).
- Add sugar and continue beating for another 2 minutes.
- Add ube jam and sour cream. Beat until smooth and well incorporated. Make sure to break apart any chunks of ube jam before adding to the mixture.
- Add vanilla extract and ube extract and stir until combined. Taste your batter and decide if the cream cheese filling is sweet enough. Add sugar 1 tsp at a time, if necessary.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating each one just until combined on a medium-low setting. Scrape the bottom and sides of your bowl to make sure you’re getting to every last inch of batter.
- Pour the batter into your pan and tap gently on your counter. Place the pan on your oven's middle rack. Place a roasting pan filled with hot water on the bottom rack.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 325F then lower the oven temperature to 300F and bake for 30 minutes more or until set.
- Turn the oven off, open the oven door slightly but keep the cheesecake inside for another 1 ½ hour so it can gradually cool.
- Take the cheesecake out of the oven, using a knife to run around the edges to separate the cake from the pan. Don't take the cake out of the pan though. Place the cheesecake directly into the fridge to chill for 6-8 hours, preferably overnight.
