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    Home » Recipes » Dessert

    Published: Jul 31, 2022 · Updated: Dec 13, 2024 by Joanne

    Ube Crunch (Dump) Cake

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, Sees Food, Will Travel will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See terms and conditions for details.

    This recipe, an ube crunch, is a version inspired by pumpkin crunch cake. Pumpkin crunch is a popular dessert in Hawaii. Instead of pumpkin puree, I used ube halaya and replaced the pecans with chopped nuts I had in my kitchen. It is buttery, creamy, and has tropical flavors thanks to the ube's unique taste and a bit of coconut milk!

    Ube crunch cake close up with another cake in background

    Update Disclosure: This post has been updated for one or more of the following reasons: easier reading, updated photos, clearer instructions, and just plain ol' improvements to the recipe (as noted).

    Jump to:
    • What is Ube Crunch?
    • Ingredients
    • Substitutes
    • Recipe Tips
    • How to Make Ube Crunch 
    • Let it Sit in the Fridge
    • Ube Crunch Cake
    • Have You Tried This Recipe?

    What is Ube Crunch?

    A dump cake is basically a recipe that requires you to 'dump' the cake ingredients together in a large baking dish. The idea is to mix it all up before placing the baking dish in the oven. The finished product would be a solid cake.

    Ube crunch is a type of dump cake made with a few ingredients such as ube halaya, extract, heavy cream, coconut milk, a box of cake mix, butter, and nuts. It involves two more steps than your typical dump cake to achieve the pretty, aesthetic layers. But it is totally worth it! The crunch comes from the streusel-like crust of nuts and baked cake batter crisped by melted butter. The middle layer is a soft filling with ube halaya (ube jam), sugar, heavy cream, eggs, and coconut milk. After the cake cools, you flip it over and top it with whipped cream!

    Ingredients

    Here are the essential ingredients you will need:

    • Ube Halaya
    • Heavy Cream
    • Coconut Milk
    • Ube Extract
    • Granulated Sugar
    • Eggs
    • Cake Mix
    • Butter
    • Chopped Nuts (your choice!)

    Substitutes

    • Homemade Cake Mix: You can make your cake mix from scratch! If you don't have cake mix ready at home, you can check out this pumpkin crunch with homemade cake mix recipe.
    • Heavy Cream: You can use regular whole milk instead of the heavy cream that you add to the filling batter.

    Recipe Tips

    • Look at Sugar Content: Since ube halaya is a premade jam, it will already contain sugar. Unfortunately, I am not able to define how much sugar every brand contains, so I start this ube crunch recipe with about half a cup of added white sugar.
      • Taste test your ube halaya to check whether you should add more sugar. If you are using unsweetened ube puree, use 200 grams of sugar or about one cup.
    • Be Gentle with the Cake Mix: When you add the cake mix on top of the batter, be careful not to break the surface area. This way, you can make sure you have a clearly defined layer of filling and crust.
    • Go Nuts: I use a variety of nuts to add to the cake mixture which includes hazelnuts and walnuts. But pecans and macadamia nuts would add some tasty flavor to the cake as well.

    How to Make Ube Crunch 

    Ube crunch cake ingredients in a glass bowl
    raw ube crunch cake batter in a glass bowl beneath egg beater
    Lined baking dish with parchment paper
    Mixed ube crunch cake batter in a lined baking dish
    Dry cake mix on top of raw ube crunch cake batter in baking dish
    Melted butter on top to dry cake mix in baking dish
    Melted butter with chopped nuts on top of dry cake mix in glass baking dish
    Upside ube crunch cake

    This is a one bowl type of recipe - yay, less dishes! Start by preheating your oven to 180°C (350°F) and then check out the simple steps below:

    1. Add the ube halaya, coconut milk, heavy cream, eggs, sugar, ube extract, and coconut milk and whisk all the ingredients together.
    2. Butter and line a baking dish with parchment paper and pour in the ube batter.
    3. Gently top with cake mix, add melted butter, then top with nuts.
    4. Bake for one hour and then let it sit on the counter to cool completely.
    5. Flip the ube crunch upside down on a plate and release from the baking dish.
    6. Make a whipped cream topping and spread on top.

    Let it Sit in the Fridge

    Ube crunch cake close up with whipped cream

    These get better in the fridge! Once the cake has cooled completely, let it sit in the fridge for a day before cutting and serving. The pieces become more solid making it easier to handle. The flavors are more pronounced and rich!

    Ube crunch cake close up with whipped cream

    Ube Crunch Cake

    This ube crunch cake takes inspiration from the pumpkin crunch cake. It has a creamy filling in the middle and a crunchy, nutty, buttery crust.
    4.89 from 17 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Filipino, Fusion, Hawaii Local
    Servings 12 slices
    Calories 485 kcal
    Disclosure

    The equipment and ingredients sections contain affiliate links to products I love to use as well as items that I personally believe make this recipe the best version of itself.

    Ingredients
     
     

    Filling

    • 2 cups ube halaya
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • ½ cup coconut milk from can
    • 1 teaspoon ube extract or more for preference
    • ½ cup granulated sugar less or more depending on how ube halaya sweetness
    • 3 eggs

    Crust on Top

    • 1 cup chopped nuts options: walnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, hazelnuts
    • 1 box yellow cake mix (1 box)
    • 1 cup unsalted butter melted

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F)
    • In a bowl, add ube halaya, eggs, sugar, heavy cream, ube extract, and coconut milk. Mix until smooth.
      Ube crunch cake ingredients in a glass bowl
    • Pour into a buttered and lined 23x33cm (9x13 inch) baking dish.
      Mixed ube crunch cake batter in a lined baking dish
    • Gently sprinkle the cake mix on top of the filling and then drizzle with the melted butter.
      Dry cake mix on top of raw ube crunch cake batter in baking dish
    • Add the nuts, making sure that the cake mix doesn't sink into the filling. Slowly and gently place into the preheated oven and bake for 60 mins.
      Melted butter with chopped nuts on top of dry cake mix in glass baking dish
    • Once baked, remove from the oven and let it cool completely.
      Baked ube crunch cake in baking dish
    • Flip upside down and release from the baking dish. Top with whipped cream (optional) before serving
      Upside ube crunch cake

    Nutrition

    Calories: 485kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 6gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 393mgPotassium: 137mgFiber: 1gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 824IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 117mgIron: 2mg
    Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated with the Spoonacular Food API and should be used for informational purposes only.
    Keyword cake, ube, ube dessert, ube recipe

    Have You Tried This Recipe?

    Simply rate the recipe by clicking on the ⭐️s on the recipe card. Have something to say? Please leave me a comment down below telling me what you think of this recipe.

    Bonus: Let me and other readers know what you did to make this recipe your own - 💫 let's inspire each other!

    Also, follow me on Instagram [@seesfoodwilltravel] and send me a DM with a picture of what you made. I would love to share and celebrate YOUR creation with our budding community 💞

    Check out Sees Food, Will Travel on Pinterest and Facebook for more delicious updates.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Linda says

      September 18, 2024 at 10:11 pm

      Can you send me an email converting the measurements into cups, tbsps. and tsp’s.? Thank you. I’d really like to try making this dessert…..it looks really good.

      Reply
      • Joanne says

        October 01, 2024 at 4:42 pm

        Hi Linda,

        Thanks for waiting for my reply! The recipe card has two buttons in the ingredients section that says "US Customary" and "Metric." If you click on "US Customary" button, it gives you the US style measurements (cups, tbsp).

        I have a screenshot for you below:
        US Measurements Recipe Card

        Reply
    2. Kim says

      December 12, 2024 at 6:26 pm

      What kind of cake mix flavour did you use?

      Reply
      • Joanne says

        December 13, 2024 at 12:49 pm

        Hi Kim, I used one box of classic yellow cake mix. I added it to the recipe card as well. Thank you for the question!

        Reply
    4.89 from 17 votes (17 ratings without comment)

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    Hi, I'm Joanne!

    Living abroad has taught me how food plays an important role in making connections worldwide. I love pies, Asian food, anything made from potatoes, and wine when it comes to food.

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