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Ube and taro are often confused but are two very different root vegetables. Discover what distinguishes them in taste, color, and use, and why ube is so beloved in sweet recipes.

Have you ever seen those beautiful purple lattes, ice creams, and desserts? Chances are they were made with ube. 💜

Ube is a purple yam originally from the Philippines and has been used in Filipino cuisine for generations. You can find ube in traditional treats like ube halaya, cakes, and various desserts.

But you don't need to make a Filipino dessert to enjoy ube. With 100% ube powder, you can easily make ube lattes, smoothies, ice cream, and even pancakes or cake at home.

What is ube powder?

Ube powder is made from purple yam that is processed into a powder. This makes ube easy to store and use whenever you want.

Ubejoy Ube Powder consists of 100% ube, so you can decide for yourself how much ube and sweetness you add to your recipe.

Ube naturally has a soft, subtle flavor with slightly sweet, earthy, and nutty notes. That's precisely why it pairs so well with ingredients like milk, coconut, vanilla, mango, and matcha.

How to use ube powder?

You can incorporate ube powder directly into various recipes. For drinks, you usually get the best result when you first mix the powder with a small amount of warm liquid.

Put the ube powder in a glass or bowl, add a small amount of warm water (80°C) or warm milk, and stir or whisk until smooth.

Then you can add the rest of the ingredients.

Ubejoy tip 💜: start with a small amount of ube and adjust the quantity to your taste and the recipe you are making.

 

Make an Ube Latte 🥛💜

An Ube Latte is one of the easiest ways to get acquainted with ube.

Mix about 5–10 grams of ube powder with a small amount of warm liquid until smooth. Add your favorite milk and sweeten it if desired with honey, agave syrup, or another sweetener.

For an Iced Ube Latte, fill a glass with ice cubes and cold milk, then add the ube mixture.

Even better with coconut milk!

You can vary endlessly. For example, consider:

* Mango Ube Latte
* Coconut Ube Latte
* Ube Matcha
* Strawberry Ube Latte

Ube powder in smoothies

Ube is also delicious in a smoothie.

Add a small amount of ube powder to, for example, banana, milk or plant-based milk, and yogurt. Vanilla and coconut combine particularly well with the subtle taste of ube.

Want a protein version? Add some vanilla protein powder. 

 

Make your own ube ice cream 🍦

Ube ice cream is a well-known Filipino favorite and you can make it at home too.

Mix ube powder with, for example, milk, yogurt, or cream and add a sweetener to taste. Then you can process the mixture in an ice cream machine or Ninja CREAMi.

This way you can make both a traditional creamy version and a lighter one.

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Baking with ube powder 🧁

You can also use ube powder for baking recipes.

Think of ube pancakes, waffles, muffins, cake, cookies, or cheesecake.

You can mix the powder into the batter or smooth it out with some liquid beforehand. Because ube powder can absorb moisture, it may be necessary to slightly adjust the amount of liquid in some recipes.

 

How much ube powder do you need?

There is no single amount that is the same for every recipe. It depends on what you are making and how strong you want the ube flavor to be.

For drinks, for example, you can start with 5 grams and then add more to taste.

For ice cream, cakes, and other larger recipes, you usually need a bit more.

Experimentation is key, and you'll discover how you like ube best. 💜

 

What can you make with ube powder?

The great thing about ube powder is its versatility. One bag can be used for all sorts of creations: from your first Iced Ube Latte to pancakes, smoothies, matcha, and homemade ube ice cream.

At Ubejoy, we want to make it easy to get acquainted with ube at home, while also sharing the Filipino roots of this special ingredient. 🇵🇭

So pull out your favorite glass, grab your ube powder, and start experimenting.

Discover the joy of ube. 💜

*Salamat po! 🇵🇭

Do you love coffee and creamy lattes? Then this Ube Espresso Latte is a drink you definitely want to try. The rich taste of espresso combines perfectly with the subtly sweet, vanilla-like flavor of ube. The result is a creamy iced latte with a tropical Filipino twist.

Perfect as a morning boost or as a luxurious coffee moment throughout the day.

Why you'll want to try this Ube Espresso Latte

• Creamy and smooth in taste
• Perfect balance between espresso and sweet ube
• A beautiful purple latte
• Coffee shop quality, right at home
• Comforting and energizing at the same time

Ingredients

• 5–7 g Ubejoy ube powder
• 1 shot espresso
• 150 ml barista oat milk
• 50 ml coconut milk or whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla syrup
• A small amount of warm water (±80°C)
• Ice cubes

Preparation

1. Mix the ube powder with a small amount of warm water until a smooth paste forms.
2. Add the oat milk, coconut milk, condensed milk, and vanilla syrup.
3. Blend or froth everything until creamy.
4. Fill a glass with ice cubes.
5. First pour the creamy ube milk into the glass.
6. Then slowly pour in the espresso for a beautiful layered effect.

Why this combination is so delicious

Espresso

The espresso provides a deep coffee flavor with slightly nutty notes that perfectly balance the gentle sweetness of ube.

Condensed Milk

This makes the latte extra creamy, gently sweet, and gives it a delightful dessert-like taste.

Coconut Milk

Coconut milk provides a subtle tropical finish that perfectly complements the taste of ube.

Extra creamy tip ☁️

Finish off your latte with:

• Vanilla cold foam
• Ube cream foam
• A pinch of cinnamon or cocoa

This way, you create true coffee shop vibes at home.

Flavor experience

This Ube Espresso Latte is reminiscent of:

• A creamy vanilla latte
• A smooth iced coffee
• A creamy Filipino dessert
• A subtle coconut finish

Try this Ube Espresso Latte yourself and share your creation with @ubejoy. 💜

Ube or matcha, which one suits you? Discover the flavor profiles, best occasions, and how to combine them in a creamy latte.

From creamy purple lattes to aesthetic matcha creations, ube is slowly conquering cafes, TikTok feeds, and homemade drink routines worldwide. But what exactly is ube?

Ube (pronounced oo-beh) is a purple yam from the Philippines. This unique purple root vegetable has been used for generations in Filipino desserts and comfort food. Thanks to its mild flavor, natural purple color, and modern cafe appeal, ube is now also rapidly growing in popularity in the Netherlands.

What once started as a traditional Filipino ingredient has today grown into a beloved cafe-style favorite 💜

How does ube taste?

Ube has a mild, creamy flavor with subtly sweet and slightly nutty notes. Many people compare its taste to vanilla, creamy desserts, and comfort food.

Unlike very sweet flavors, ube remains mild and balanced. This makes it pair perfectly with ingredients like oat milk, coconut milk, vanilla, and ceremonial grade matcha 🍵

It's precisely this mild flavor that makes ube perfect for homemade cafe-style drinks and desserts.

Why is ube so popular?

Besides its striking purple color, ube perfectly aligns with current trends around wellness drinks, self-care routines, and homemade cafe moments.

People love ube because it not only tastes special but also gives a luxurious and comforting feeling. Especially on TikTok and Instagram, ube quickly grew in popularity thanks to its aesthetic purple lattes and modern Asian fusion drinks.

The combination of ube and matcha became one of the biggest trends. The subtle sweetness of ube perfectly matches the earthy taste of matcha, creating the well-known green and purple layers 💜🍵

Ube vs Taro: what's the difference?

Many people confuse ube with taro, but they are completely different ingredients.

Ube is naturally purple and has a milder, creamier, and subtly sweet taste. Taro, on the other hand, is more neutral, starchier, and often used in bubble tea.

This makes ube work better in desserts, lattes, and creamy cafe-style drinks.

Ube in Filipino culture 🇵🇭

In the Philippines, ube is much more than just a trend. It has played an important role in family recipes, holidays, and comfort food for generations.

Well-known Filipino ube dishes include ube halaya, halo-halo, ube ice cream, and ube pandesal. For many Filipinos, the taste of ube evokes feelings of home, nostalgia, and togetherness.

Halo-halo is one of the most famous Filipino desserts. The name literally means "mix-mix" and consists of layers of shaved ice, milk, jelly, fruit, sweet beans, and often a scoop of creamy ube ice cream.

It's precisely this combination of comfort, color, and tradition that makes ube so special.

Why ube works perfectly in cafe-style drinks

Ube is perfect for homemade drinks because it has a mild and creamy taste, beautiful color in lattes, and combines well with milk and matcha.

As a result, you increasingly see iced ube lattes, ube matcha drinks, creamy wellness drinks, and Asian fusion recipes appearing on social media and in modern cafes.

With ube, you can easily create a luxurious coffee shop feeling right at home 💜

The rise of ube in the Netherlands

Just as matcha became hugely popular a few years ago, interest in ube is now also growing in the Netherlands.

More and more people are looking for unique flavors, homemade cafe experiences, and wellness drinks that are not only delicious but also create a moment of peace and self-care.

Ube fits perfectly with this new generation of food & drink trends.

💜 Bring Cafe Moments Home

At Ubejoy, we believe that a drink can be more than just a drink.

Whether you're making a creamy ube latte, an iced matcha drink, or experimenting with new recipes. Ube brings color, comfort, and joy together in every cup.

Discover our favorite cafe-style ube recipes and create your homemade Ubejoy moment 💜

📸 Share your Ubejoy moment and share your homemade Ube Latte with us.