Ube Donuts

Ingredients

• 160 gplain flour
• 1 teaspoonbaking powder
• 1/4 teaspoonsalt
• 60 g, meltedunsalted butter
• 80 ggranulated sugar
• 1 large, at room temperatureegg
• 75 gube halaya
• 1/2 teaspoonube extract
• 110 g, at room temperaturemilk
• 100 g, roughly choppedwhite chocolate
• 65 gdouble cream
• 1/8 teaspoonube extract
• 20 g, meltedwhite chocolate
• to tastecoconut flakes

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the pan

   Heat the oven to 177°C. Grease a doughnut pan with cooking spray or oil, then use kitchen paper to spread it into a thin, even layer and wipe away any excess. Set aside.

2. 2

   Mix dry ingredients

   Stir the flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. 3

   Whisk butter and sugar

   In a large mixing bowl, whisk the melted butter and sugar until combined. Add the egg and whisk until creamy.

4. 4

   Add ube and milk

   Whisk in the ube halaya and 1/2 teaspoon of ube extract until the batter is smooth and evenly purple. Whisk in the milk until smooth.

5. 5

   Combine the batter

   Add the flour mixture and whisk or fold it in with a spatula until just combined.

6. 6

   Fill the pan

   Transfer the batter to a piping bag and snip off the tip. Pipe it into the greased doughnut pan, filling each cavity about three-quarters full.

7. 7

   Bake the doughnuts

   Bake for 12–14 minutes, until the tops are puffed and spring back when touched. Leave the doughnuts in the pan for about 10–15 minutes, then lift them out and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

8. 8

   Prepare the chocolate

   Put the chopped white chocolate in a bowl wide and deep enough for dipping the doughnuts. Set aside.

9. 9

   Heat the cream

   Heat the double cream in a small pan or microwave until small bubbles appear at the surface and it just begins to simmer. Pour it over the white chocolate and leave undisturbed for 5 minutes.

10. 10

    Make the ganache

    Add the 1/8 teaspoon of ube extract and stir until all the white chocolate has melted.

11. 11

    Cool the glaze

    Let the ganache cool until it is thick enough to coat the doughnuts without running straight off, but still settles back into itself. If it gets too stiff, warm it gently until it melts again.

12. 12

    Dip the doughnuts

    Dip each doughnut in the glaze and shake off any excess. Set it on a wire rack and leave the glaze to set.

13. 13

    Add the toppings

    Finish with drizzles of melted white chocolate or a sprinkle of coconut flakes.

What are ube doughnuts?

Ube is a purple yam widely used in Filipino cooking, often in sweets and desserts. These baked doughnuts take their flavour and colour from ube halaya, a sweet yam jam, and a little ube extract.

The recipe pairs a soft, cake-style doughnut with a white chocolate ganache. Baking them in a doughnut pan keeps the method straightforward, while the glossy glaze adds a rich finish.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 239 calories, 4g protein, 30g carbs, 12g fat.

The flour and sugar provide most of the carbohydrates, while butter, cream and white chocolate contribute much of the fat. The egg, milk and chocolate also provide some protein. For a more balanced plate, enjoy a doughnut alongside plain yoghurt or fresh fruit.

The ingredients that matter

Ube halaya: this brings a sweet, earthy yam flavour as well as colour. Whisk it thoroughly into the butter mixture so it is evenly distributed.

Ube extract: the two small additions are used in different parts of the recipe: the larger amount flavours the doughnut batter, while the smaller one goes into the ganache.

White chocolate: chopped chocolate melts under the hot cream for the glaze, while the separate melted portion is an optional topping.

Mix gently for a tender crumb

Dry ingredients: combine the flour, baking powder and salt before adding them to the wet mixture, so the raising agent is spread through the batter.

Final mixing: stop as soon as the flour is incorporated. Overworking the batter can make the baked doughnuts less tender.

Pipe evenly and check for doneness

Filling: piping the batter gives you control as you fill the doughnut pan. Keep each cavity around three-quarters full to leave room for the batter to rise.

Doneness: begin checking at 12 minutes. The tops should look puffed and spring back when touched; the recipe gives a baking window of 12–14 minutes.

Let the doughnuts cool before glazing

In the pan: leave the baked doughnuts for 10–15 minutes before lifting them out, then cool them completely on a wire rack. Glazing while they are warm can make the ganache run off.

Ganache: give the chocolate and cream 5 minutes together before stirring. Let the mixture cool until it coats a doughnut but still settles back into itself.

Serving and finishing ideas

Toppings: use melted white chocolate for thin drizzles or add coconut flakes for a little texture. Either finish works with the sweet ube and chocolate.

With a drink: serve the doughnuts with coffee, tea or a glass of milk. Their sweet glaze makes them a natural choice for a snack or dessert.

Recipe notes & tips

• Bring the egg and milk to room temperature so they combine more smoothly with the melted butter.
• Grease the pan thoroughly, then spread the oil into a thin layer to help the doughnuts release cleanly.
• Pipe the batter into the pan for more even filling.
• Start checking for doneness at 12 minutes, as the recipe gives a 12–14 minute baking range.
• Cool the doughnuts completely before dipping so the ganache can set on their surface.
• If the ganache becomes too firm to dip into, warm it gently until it melts again.

Variations

• Coconut finish: sprinkle coconut flakes over the dipped doughnuts before the glaze sets.
• Chocolate drizzle: use the melted white chocolate to add fine lines over the ganache.
• More ube flavour: add the specified ube extract to the batter and ganache as directed, rather than putting all of it in one mixture.
• No piping bag: spoon the batter carefully into the pan, filling each cavity about three-quarters full.
• Smaller batches: scale all the ingredients proportionally if making fewer doughnuts.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overmixing the batter: stop as soon as the flour mixture is incorporated to help keep the crumb tender.
• Overfilling the pan: fill each cavity about three-quarters full to leave room for the doughnuts to puff.
• Removing them too soon: leave the doughnuts in the pan for 10–15 minutes before lifting them out.
• Glazing warm doughnuts: cool them completely on a wire rack first so the ganache does not run straight off.
• Stirring the ganache too early: leave the hot cream and chocolate undisturbed for 5 minutes before mixing.
• Using stiff ganache: warm it gently until it melts again and can coat the doughnuts.

How to store

Store the doughnuts in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 3 days. Bring them towards room temperature before serving, or warm briefly without the glaze if you prefer them less chilled.

Frequently asked questions