Purple Yam Cake

I have been craving for this confection for a while now. Particularly the one from my childhood, the old-fashioned kind, simple and nondescript.  We would often bring this cake during excursions or serve it at kiddie parties, not as the main cake itself but as a dessert, although sometimes it could be the main cake.  It is also served at buffets in bite-sized portions.

Though the Purple Yam Cake or Ube Cake is ubiquitous in the country and many versions are available from different pastry shops, I have yet to find one that I truly like.  Most of those sold here in Bacolod are just too sweet or are designer, combined with Macapuno (sweet young coconut).  Still, I held on to the hope that I would find the simple Ube Cake of my childhood and today I just did.

After church this morning, hubby, sons and I drove to The Purple Cake Shop, located at Hi-Strip 1, Circumferential Road.  I ventured inside.  The shop was tiny with only a small couch for the customers.  There are no other seats so I stood in front of the counter where there were already several customers.  I looked at their refrigerator and noticed there was only one kind of product being sold, the Ube Cake in varying shapes and sizes.  There was a large rectangular one, a medium rectangular one, a round one, a heart-shaped one and the smaller sizes in plastic containers.  All of the items in the refrigerator were accounted for.

I have been craving for this confection for a while now. Particularly the one from my childhood, the old-fashioned kind, simple and nondescript.

I looked at the glass display showcase and saw several purple boxes. Unlike the other customers, I had made no reservations for a cake and so I felt daunted.  I asked if there was still a small round cake available and they made me wait.  I didn’t mind waiting after noticing that so many more people were coming in.  The small shop was almost crammed.  I could see their busy kitchen from where I stood and I can say that everything was sanitary.  The staff were mechanical in their baking and icing of the cakes.

It was several more minutes until I finally held my freshly baked cake. It was still really warm when they packed it for me.  My sons, who had waited for too long in the car, looked at the round purple cake and turned away unimpressed.  The cake was simple after all with the icing looking like it was haphazardly slathered on.

But back at home, when I finally got to sink my teeth into the soft chiffon cake and the not-too-sweet purple icing subtly flavored with ube halaya reminiscent of ice cream, nostalgia hit. I finished two slices and knew that though my husband insisted this shop was just a hype, I’ll soon be back.