I have always loved butterflies… their vibrant colors, graceful flight, and symbolic representation of transformation. Their beauty lies in their intricate wing patterns, which serve purposes like camouflage, mimicry, and mate recognition. The complete life cycle, from caterpillar to butterfly, is also considered a remarkable transformation. The magnificent yet short life of butterflies serves to remind us that life is short and to make the most of each day we have.
I wanted to create a spring/summer inspired treat, so what better way than making some ‘butterfly’ cupcakes. When I was thinking of a filling that would correlate with all the beautiful colors of the butterflies, ube came to mind.
Ube (pronounced OO-bay), is a purple yam native to the Philippines and other areas of Southeast Asia. Ube is a very versatile ingredient. It is not a purple sweet potato or taro, it is a purple yam. Many folks describe ube’s flavor as a mix between vanilla and pistachio. It has a wonderfully earthy and almost nutty flavor and the vibrant purple color inside and out is uniquely photogenic.
Ube has been used for decades in Filipino cuisine and has now caught on in North America, especially in the form of desserts.
The symbolic seasonal butterfly always seems to work its way into my kitchen each year, so this is my creation for this season!
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- 227 gm cream cheese, softened
- 113 gm (1/2 cup) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup ube haleya (jam) Can be found at T & T stores OR you can make your own with the recipe below.
- 10-15 drops purple coloring, optional
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 tsp ube extract Substitute pure vanilla if ube extract isn't available.
Ingredients
Ube Cream Cheese Filling
Cupcakes
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- In a bowl, cream butter & cream cheese. Add powdered sugar, ube haleya & coloring. Combine until smooth. Set aside.
- In a bowl, combine streusel ingredients. Using your finger tips work streusel until crumbles form. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. On a baking sheet place 7 paper cupcake cups.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt. Set aside.
- With an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth & creamy (about 1 minute), then add sugar & cream together. Add eggs, ube extract & sour cream. Mix just enough to combine then fold in flour mixture.
- Spoon batter into cupcake cups, filling them about 1/2 full of cupcake batter.
- Drop about a Tbsp (or more) into the center of each cupcake, then cover with a thin layer of batter. The cups should be about 3/4 full. Generously top with streusel crumbs. Gently press the crumbs to help them stick to the batter.
- Bake for about 25 minutes or until the cupcake has set & the crumbs get a slight golden color.
- Remove from oven & allow to cool.
Ube Halaya (Jam) BEST TO MAKE A DAY AHEAD OF USING
454 gm frozen, grated ube Can be purchased in Filipino grocery stores.
400 ml coconut milk
300 ml sweetened condensed milk
110 gm (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
In a medium, heavy saucepan, melt butter. Add coconut & condensed milks; stir until heated. Add thawed, grated ube & combine well. Cook over a low heat. It is important to stir the mixture often during cooking to prevent it from forming a 'crust'. This process takes about 40-50 minutes until the ube is cooked. The mixture should be thick & sticky. Transfer the ube jam to a container & set aside. If you are making this amount, keep in mind you only need 1/2 cup for this recipe but there are plenty of recipes on my site to help use it up.