If you’ve ever wanted an excuse to eat tres leches and cookies at the same time, this ube cake recipe is it. It’s like your favourite Filipino purple yam cake met a tub of whipped cream, a cookie crumble, and decided to take a long nap in sweet milk. Soft, fluffy, and unapologetically purple, this ube sponge cake is an easy twist on the classic tres leches! Totally worth making for your next party or when you’re having a baking moment:)
And while this isn’t your traditional Latin American dessert, it borrows that ultra-soft, soaked texture and Filipino twist! It’s a surprisingly simple ube cake recipe easy enough for beginners, but looks and tastes like it came from a bakery.
The ube flavour shines through with that signature nutty vanilla note, and when it soaks into the sponge? Chef’s kiss. You’re gonna want seconds. Maybe thirds. No judgment here.
🧡 WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
Light, moist, and fluffy sponge. The base is an airy chiffon-style cake that holds up beautifully to all that yummy milk soak. No dry cake here! Just melt-in-your-mouth texture that stays tender for days.
Perfect balance of sweet and creamy. The ube adds a rich, earthy note to offset the sweetness, while the whipped cream topping keeps it light and fluffy. It’s indulgent without being overwhelming.
Ube-forward! With the help of good ube extract, this cake is packed with that nutty, vanilla-meets-earthy flavour we love in all ube cake recipes.
A fun twist on a classic. We’re taking the iconic tres leches cake and giving it a ube makeover (Filipino inspo!) with an Oreo cookie topping for crunch and contrast.
🔪 KITCHEN EQUIPMENT
- Mixing bowls — One for dry, one for wet, and one more for the meringue (yes, it’s a three-bowl day).
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Fine mesh sieve
- Rubber spatula
- 9×13-inch baking pan — No need to grease or line it — the cake clings to the sides and rises best this way.
- Whisk
- Fork or skewer
🥚 INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED for this ube cookie tres leches
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Eggs: Separate your yolks and whites when cold, but whip your whites while they’re still cold for better structure.
- Granulated sugar: The amount here is a touch lower than traditional cakes — ube extract and condensed milk bring enough sweetness.
- Lemon juice: Just a few drops in your egg whites help stabilize your meringue.
- Milk: Whole milk preferred for richness, but feel free to use 2% if that’s what you’ve got.
- Ube extract: A little goes a long way. Adjust to taste depending on your brand — some are stronger (and more purple!) than others. You can find this at your local Asian supermarket.
- Evaporated milk + Sweetened condensed milk: The classic tres leches duo. Add an extra splash of regular milk if the mix tastes too sweet.
- Heavy whipping cream: Make sure it’s cold — it whips better and holds its shape longer.
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Crushed Oreos: Go as fine or chunky as you like. A fun texture contrast that plays surprisingly well with the soft cake.
*These are the main ingredients. The full list of ingredients and measurements can be found at the bottom of this post!*
What is tres leches?
Tres leches (which literally means “three milks” in Spanish) is a sponge cake that’s soaked in a blend of evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and whole milk or cream. The result? A super moist, custard-like dessert that’s soft all the way through but still holds its shape. Traditionally, it’s topped with whipped cream, but there’s lots of room to play, which is where this ube and cookie version comes in. It’s a little East meets West, a little classic meets fun, and 100% worth making again and again.
What about ube?
If you’ve never heard of ube before, Ube (pronounced oo-beh) is a purple yam that’s super popular in Filipino desserts — and yes, its vibrant violet hue is 100% natural. It has a mild, slightly nutty, vanilla-like flavour.
You’ll often find ube used in cakes, ice creams, puddings, and pastries! It pairs perfectly with creamy textures (which is why it works so well in this tres leches cake!). Most recipes, like this one, use ube extract rather than the fresh yam, because it’s easier to find and gives a stronger, more consistent flavour and colour. You can find ube extract in most Asian grocery stores or online — and trust me, a little bottle goes a long way.
📝 HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
CAKE
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Set your 9×13” cake pan aside, no need for greasing or lining.
2. In a small bowl, sift together all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the large egg yolks with ½ cup (100 grams) of granulated sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
4. Mix in the milk, vanilla extract and ube extract until combined.
5. Mix the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined.
6. In a clean, large separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cold large egg whites and lemon juice on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
7. Gently fold in 1/3 of whipped egg whites into the cake batter using a rubber spatula. Ensure the mixture is well combined without deflating the egg whites, preserving the cake’s light texture. Stir in a “J” motion.
8. Pour this mixture back into the egg white bowl and fold until one colour in the same “J” motion.
9. Pour the batter into the 9×13 inch pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
10. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
MILK SOAK
11. In a large bowl, whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and until fully blended. Taste test this milk to make sure it is not too sweet, if too sweet add a little bit more milk. (Add some ube extract for extra ube flavour if you’d like!)
12. Once the cake has cooled, use a fork to poke holes all over the surface.
13. Slowly pour the milk mixture over the cake, ensuring to distribute it evenly by pouring near the edges and all around. Allow the cake to absorb the milk soak for at least 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight for enhanced flavor infusion.
TOP AND SERVE
14. In a large bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
15. Spread the whipped cream evenly onto the cake and smooth it out.
16. Evenly sprinkle the crushed oreos onto the whipped cream.
17. (Optional) Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 1 hour to allow the whipped cream to set and the flavours to meld before serving.
☝🏻 Tips and tricks
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Use a light hand when folding. The fluffiness of this cake depends on those whipped egg whites. Try not to overmix, gentle folding in a “J” motion will keep your batter light and airy.
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Check your oven temp. A light sponge like this one is sensitive to temperature. If your oven runs hot, the cake may rise too fast and deflate.
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Let it soak. Don’t rush the milk soak! Give the cake at least an hour (or overnight if you’re patient) to fully absorb all that goodness, it’s worth it, promise.
Why did my sponge deflate after baking?
A little shrinkage is normal as the cake cools, but if it collapsed dramatically, it’s likely due to overmixing or underbaking. Be sure to beat those egg whites to stiff peaks and fold gently to keep the structure. Also, try not to open the oven door too early or slam it shut mid-bake, chiffon cakes are delicate and a bit dramatic like that.
How do I know if my egg whites are properly whipped?
You’re looking for stiff peaks that stand tall and don’t droop when you lift the beaters. The meringue should look glossy and smooth. If it looks dry or clumpy, it may be overbeaten and harder to fold in, which can deflate your batter.
Can I reduce the sweetness even more?
Totally. This recipe already cuts the sugar a bit compared to traditional tres leches, but if you prefer things even less sweet, you can cut down the sweetened condensed milk slightly or dilute the milk soak with more regular milk. The whipped cream is also only lightly sweetened, so you could even skip the powdered sugar altogether if that’s your vibe.
And there you go: a soft and creamy Ube Cookie Tres Leches that feels fancy but is surprisingly easy to pull together. It’s the kind of dessert that hits all the right notes: fluffy cake, velvety milk soak, pillowy cream, and that little crunch of Oreo on top for good measure.
Whether you’re baking for a party or just want to treat yourself (we love a good fridge cake moment), this one’s got you covered. Keep it chilled, take a forkful, and let the flavours do the rest 💜✨
Tag me on Instagram or Tiktok or DM me a photo if you make this recipe!
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Ube Cookie Tres Leches
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 1 cake, serves 12 1x
Description
This Ube Cookie Tres Leches Cake is a soft, light ube sponge soaked in a creamy milk mixture and topped with whipped cream and crushed Oreos. A fun twist on a classic tres leches, with a gentle sweetness and an extra pop of ube flavour. Perfect for make-ahead desserts, holiday gatherings, or just because you’re craving something fluffy and cool.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 large eggs, separated and keep egg whites cold
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar, split into 1/2 and 1/4 cup
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon ube extract
Milk soak
- 12 ounce can evaporated milk
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 cup milk, if the milk mixture is too sweet, dilute with milk
Topping
- 2 cups (~500ml) heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 24 Crushed Oreo Cookies
Instructions
Ube Cake Batter
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Set your 9×13” cake pan aside, no need for greasing or lining.
- In a small bowl, sift together all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the large egg yolks with ½ cup (100 grams) of granulated sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Mix in the milk, vanilla extract and ube extract until combined.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined.
- In a clean, large separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cold large egg whites and lemon juice on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold in 1/3 of whipped egg whites into the cake batter using a rubber spatula. Ensure the mixture is well combined without deflating the egg whites, preserving the cake’s light texture. Stir in a “J” motion.
- Pour this mixture back into the egg white bowl and fold until one colour in the same “J” motion.
- Pour the batter into the 9×13 inch pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Milk Soak
- In a large bowl, whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and until fully blended. Taste test this milk to make sure it is not too sweet, if too sweet add a little bit more milk.
- Once the cake has cooled, use a fork to poke holes all over the surface.
- Slowly pour the milk mixture over the cake, ensuring to distribute it evenly by pouring near the edges and all around. Allow the cake to absorb the milk soak for at least 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight for enhanced flavor infusion.
Top and serve
- In a large bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Spread the whipped cream evenly onto the cake and smooth it out.
- Evenly sprinkle the crushed oreos onto the whipped cream.
- (Optional) Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 1 hour to allow the whipped cream to set and the flavours to meld before serving.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Chill Time: 1 hr
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Filipino
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