Few desserts are as spectacular and as easy to get right as a no-bake ube cheesecake. Its lavender-purple colour, its dreamy creaminess and its crisp biscuit base make it the star dessert for a birthday, a dinner with friends or a tropical wedding. All that without turning on the oven. At Ubedia, our powder comes from the Kinampay variety grown in the Visayas in the Philippines, cultivated with care and dried without additives. Its mild, vanilla-like flavour pairs beautifully with creamy soft cheese. In this recipe we share our tested method for an ube cheesecake that works every time: the right amount of powder, the trick to a firm set without too much gelatine, and two options for the biscuit base. It is a dessert you make the day before: perfect for a stress-free serving day.
The ingredient in this recipe: Natural Ube Powder 200 g — 16.90 € (≈50 drinks), 100% Kinampay purple yam, no additives and no added sugar, packed in Aix-en-Provence and shipped within 72 h.
The ingredients (20 cm springform tin, 8 servings)
For the biscuit base:
- 200 g of biscuits such as speculoos or Petit Beurre
- 90 g of melted butter
- 1 pinch of salt
For the ube cream:
- 400 g of soft cheese such as Philadelphia, at room temperature
- 250 ml of very cold whipping cream (at least 30% fat)
- 100 g of icing sugar
- 3 tablespoons of Ubedia ube powder (about 22 g)
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 2 sheets of gelatine (4 g) or 1 teaspoon of agar-agar
- 3 tablespoons of milk
For a fruitier version, use our cherry ube powder.
The no-bake ube cheesecake recipe, step by step
- Prepare the biscuit base. Blitz the biscuits to a fine powder. Add the melted butter and the salt, then mix until you have the texture of damp sand. Tip into a 20 cm springform tin lined with baking paper on the bottom. Press down firmly with the back of a spoon. Chill in the fridge while you prepare the cream.
- Soak the gelatine. Soak the gelatine sheets in a bowl of very cold water for 5 to 10 minutes. (If you are using agar-agar, skip this step and follow the specific instructions further down.)
- Prepare the ube paste. In a small bowl, mix the ube powder with 3 tablespoons of warm milk to form a smooth, glossy paste.
- Melt the gelatine. Squeeze out the gelatine sheets, then melt them in a small pan over very low heat with a tablespoon of milk. The gelatine should turn liquid without ever boiling.
- Whip the cream. In a large, well-chilled bowl, whip the cream until firm. Keep it in the fridge.
- Mix the soft cheese. In another bowl, beat the soft cheese with the icing sugar and the vanilla until smooth. Fold in the ube paste and mix to an even purple. Add the melted gelatine in a thin stream while whisking briskly so it is fully incorporated.
- Fold in the whipped cream. Using a spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the soft cheese and ube mixture, lifting the mixture so as not to knock out the air. You end up with a creamy lavender-purple filling.
- Assemble the cheesecake. Pour the cream over the biscuit base. Smooth the surface with a spatula. Tap the tin lightly on the worktop to remove any bubbles.
- Set in the fridge. Cover with cling film and chill for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.
- Turn out and decorate. Run a warm blade around the tin before releasing the cheesecake. Decorate with red berries, coconut shavings, or a light dusting of ube powder.
Agar-agar version (gelatine-free)
For a strictly vegetarian or vegan version (with plant-based soft cheese):
- Bring 100 ml of milk to the boil with 1 level teaspoon of agar-agar. Let it boil for 30 seconds, whisking.
- Fold it straight into the soft cheese and ube mixture while it is still warm (agar-agar sets as it cools, so you need to work fast).
- Follow the rest of the classic recipe.
Tips for a perfect ube cheesecake
- Soft cheese at room temperature. This is essential for a smooth, lump-free texture.
- Very cold cream. Cream only whips properly when it is well chilled, ideally in a cold bowl.
- Do not skip the setting time. Six hours is a minimum. Overnight guarantees clean slices.
- Sift the ube powder. For an even lavender colour with no darker patches.
- Decorate just before serving. Red berries release water in the fridge; they look better freshly arranged.
Indulgent variations
Once you have mastered the recipe, explore:
- Coconut ube cheesecake. Use the coconut ube powder, add 40 g of desiccated coconut to the cream and decorate with toasted coconut shavings.
- Mango ube cheesecake. Add a layer of mango compote between the base and the cream, using our mango ube powder.
- Two-tone cheesecake. Pour in half the plain cream and half coloured with ube, then marble the two.
- Individual glasses. Divide the base and the cream between small glasses for an elegant individual dessert.
Can you bake an ube cheesecake in the oven?
Yes, a baked version exists, but it is trickier to get right. It calls for a water bath, slow baking and gradual cooling to avoid cracks. The no-bake version is more reliable for beginners and keeps the purple colour of the ube better. If you prefer a baked cake, discover our ube cake recipe.
How long does it keep?
This cheesecake keeps for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, covered with cling film. It does not freeze well (the texture can turn grainy as it thaws). So plan to eat it within the following few days. The colour stays bright throughout that time.
Where to buy ube powder?
For a successful ube cheesecake, a pure, deeply coloured powder makes all the difference. At Ubedia, our powders come from the Kinampay variety grown in the Visayas in the Philippines, with no additives. Our cherry ube powder 100 g is particularly indulgent in a cheesecake, but the natural version remains the most versatile. Discover our whole shop. Want to carry on exploring purple? Our ube pancake recipe is waiting for your next breakfast, as is our guide to 12 ways to use ube powder.
Going further
Browse all our ube recipes. Fancy other desserts? Try the ube ice cream. To make sure you never run out of powder, choose the 200 g ube powder.
