There are few things more cheerful than a stack of ube pancakes on a Sunday morning. Their lavender-purple crumb, their fluffy texture and their subtle vanilla scent turn a classic breakfast into a moment of wonder. Good news: this recipe calls for no special equipment and no rare ingredient. In fifteen minutes, with store-cupboard ingredients and a spoonful of ube powder, you get around ten photogenic and delicious pancakes. At Ubedia, our powder comes from the Kinampay variety grown in the Visayas in the Philippines, cultivated with care and processed without additives. That purity gives the pancakes a deeply natural colour and an authentic taste. In this recipe we share our tested method for ube pancakes that work every time, plus a few variations to explore and our best topping ideas.
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 for about 8 pancakes
- 200 g of T55 plain flour
- 2 heaped tablespoons of Ubedia natural ube powder (about 15 g)
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 1 sachet of baking powder (11 g)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 eggs
- 250 ml of milk (your choice: whole, oat, almond, coconut)
- 50 g of melted butter, lukewarm (or 4 tablespoons of neutral oil)
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- A little butter or oil for the pan
For a more indulgent profile, swap the natural powder for our hazelnut ube powder, which brings an irresistible praline note.
The ube pancake recipe in 6 steps
- In a large bowl, sift the flour, the ube powder, the baking powder, the salt and the sugar. Sifting prevents lumps and guarantees an even colour.
- In another bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, the lukewarm melted butter and the vanilla.
- Pour the wet mixture into the bowl of flour. Whisk in gentle circles until you have a smooth purple batter. Do not overwork it: a few small lumps are fine, they are what keeps the pancakes fluffy.
- Let the batter rest for 5 to 10 minutes. This is the secret to light pancakes: the baking powder has time to work.
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium-low heat (not too hot, to protect the colour). Grease it lightly with butter.
- Pour a ladleful of batter into the centre and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until small bubbles appear on the surface. Flip gently and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
Stack the pancakes as you go under a clean tea towel to keep them warm.
The secrets of a perfect ube pancake
- Do not overmix the batter. Worked too much, it gives tough, flat pancakes. A quick mix, even leaving a few lumps, gives an airy texture.
- Medium-low heat. Heat that is too high burns the surface and dulls the colour of the ube. The cooking should be slow and gentle.
- Resting the batter. A rested batter is lighter. Five minutes minimum, ten is better still.
- Use a ladle of a consistent size. That guarantees even pancakes, easier to stack for the photo.
- Flip them when the bubbles burst. That is the signal for perfect cooking.
Topping ideas for your purple pancakes
A stack of ube pancakes deserves an indulgent topping:
- Pure maple syrup and a little salted butter.
- Greek yoghurt, fresh blueberries and a drizzle of honey.
- Whipped coconut cream and coconut shavings.
- Peanut butter and sliced banana.
- Agave syrup and sliced strawberries.
- Light whipped cream dusted with a little ube powder for decoration.
- Warm homemade red berry compote.
Careful plating makes all the difference: stack three pancakes slightly off-centre, drizzle over the syrup, add the fruit on top. Photogenic and delicious.
Ube pancake variations
Once you have nailed the basic recipe, try:
- Coconut ube pancakes. Use the coconut ube powder and replace the milk with coconut milk.
- Cherry ube pancakes. Our cherry version for a fruity profile, with a few fresh cherries as a topping.
- Vanilla ube pancakes. With our vanilla powder for a very rounded profile, perfect for children.
- Protein ube pancakes. Add a scoop of unflavoured protein powder and 1 mashed banana. Ideal after a workout.
- Vegan ube pancakes. Replace the eggs with 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed and 6 tablespoons of water (leave to swell for 10 min), and use plant-based milk.
Can you make the batter the day before?
Yes, the batter can be made up to 24 hours ahead and kept in the fridge in a sealed container. Take it out 10 minutes before cooking and whisk lightly to bring it back together. You will lose a little rise, but the ube pancakes will still be fluffy. A handy trick for a family brunch.
Can you freeze ube pancakes?
Absolutely. Once cooled, stack them with baking paper between each one and freeze in an airtight bag. They keep for 2 months. To reheat, a few seconds in the toaster or 30 seconds in the microwave.
How many pancakes can I make with one pouch?
With a 100 g pouch of ube powder, you can make about 6 batches of pancakes, so close to 50 pancakes. Enough for several brunches. See our dosage guide to adjust.
The full purple breakfast
Want to push the idea further? Serve your ube pancakes with an iced ube latte or a purple smoothie. The whole table takes on a natural lavender tint. A brunch that is spectacular and tasty at once.
Where to buy ube powder for your pancakes?
For pancakes that are truly fragrant and well coloured, choose a pure powder. At Ubedia, our powders come from the Kinampay variety grown in the Visayas in the Philippines, with no additives. Our natural powder 100 g is the perfect size to start with. Want to add an indulgent twist? Discover our whole shop and its five flavoured versions. For a purple dessert straight afterwards, try our ube cake recipe. Want to use up all your powder? See our guide to 12 ways to use it.
Going further
Find all of our ube recipes. For a regular purple breakfast, the 200 g ube powder is the best-value size.
