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    Home > Recipes > Cakes

    Ube Cheesecake

    Published: March 21, 2023 | Last Modified: May 4, 2023 by Gail Ng | 3 Comments

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    This creamy ube cheesecake is made with a crunchy oreo cookie crust and heavenly coconut whipped cream on top! It's the perfect decadent dessert full of ube purple yam, vanilla, and coconut flavour.

    A slice of ube cheesecake lifted from the rest of the cheesecake.
    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Tools
    • Ingredients
    • How to make ube cheesecake
    • Storage
    • Freezing
    • Tips & tricks
    • Frequently asked questions
    • More cheesecake recipes to try
    • Recipe

    Ube (purple yam or purple sweet potato) is a popular ingredient and flavour to use for its sweet, nutty, and vanilla-like flavour and its unmistakable vibrant purple colour. We're using ube halaya (purple yam spread or jam) and ube extract or flavouring to get the most that amazing ube in this cheesecake.

    The oreo cookie crust is a fun and yummy way to make a crust that pairs well with all the other flavours. I often prefer it over graham cracker crusts because it tastes so good and makes a striking black crust.

    The coconut cream topping on this cheesecake is essential. Trust me. The strong coconut flavour completely transforms this ube cheesecake and brings out all the flavours of ube even more. It's also incredibly easy to make and just throw on top of an already luxurious cheescake.

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • This ube cheesecake is incredibly rich, creamy, and so delicious!
    • The nutty and vanilla flavours of ube compliment the coconut cream so well.
    • Most other ube cheesecake recipes are made with a graham cracker crust but you have to try the oreo cookie crust in this recipe. It tastes better and pairs better with ube and coconut flavours, in my opinion.
    • I go through this recipe step-by-step with tips on how to prevent your cheesecake from cracking and more!

    Tools

    • 9" springform pan - Use a 9" springform pan with sides that are about 2 ¼" high. Springform pans have a removable bottom so that you can release your cheesecake easily after baking.
    • Electric hand mixer - I use my Kitchenaid hand mixer in the majority of my baking recipes. This cheesecake recipe doesn't need any intense mixing so you don't need to use a stand mixer but you can if you want! You'll mostly need this for mixing the cream cheese so that it's super smooth and creamy.
    A slice of ube cheesecake with a forkful of cheesecake laying next to it.

    Ingredients

    • Oreos - Finely crush whole oreos by whacking them with a rolling pin or blitzing them in a food processor. You'll need almost a whole family size package of oreos. If you only want the crust on the bottom of the cheesecake and not the sides, you can halve the crust recipe.
    • Unsalted butter - Melt the butter in the microwave or on the stovetop before using.
    • Cream cheese - Use cream cheese bricks, not the ones in the tubs meant for spreading. You'll need 4 bricks. Let them soften to room temperature before using.
    • Granulated sugar
    • Greek yogurt - This add more creaminess and a slight tartness to the cheesecake.
    • Vanilla extract - This amplifies the delicious vanilla flavour of ube.
    • Ube halaya - Ube halaya is purple yam puree combined with sugar and other ingredients to make a spread or jam. It comes in a small jar and is usually labelled as ube halaya spread or ube halaya jam. You can typically find it at Asian or Filipino specialty grocery stores.
    • Ube extract - Ube extract is artificial flavouring and colouring that gives ube treats its recognizable smell, flavour, and taste. It's much stronger than ube halaya and is essential when making ube desserts.
    • Eggs - Use large-sized eggs. Take them out of the fridge ahead of time to let them come to room temperature before adding them to the batter.
    • Full-fat coconut milk - Some brands of canned coconut milk work better than others. I recommend using the Aroy-D and Savoy brands of coconut milk/cream. Refrigerate the whole can overnight for the coconut cream to separate and harden.
    • Powdered sugar - This gives the coconut cream some sweetness and also helps thicken it. Adjust the amount to your tastes.
    • Cornstarch - This is optional. Use ½ to 1 teaspoon of cornstarch if your coconut cream is too liquidy.
    • Large coconut flakes - Optional, for garnish.

    How to make ube cheesecake

    For the oreo crust

    Prep - Preheat oven to 350℉ and line the bottom of a 9" springform pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

    Crush oreos - Fill a ziploc bag with the oreo cookies and whack them with a rolling pin until they're finely crushed. You can also whiz them in a food processor. Transfer the crushed oreos to a small bowl and pour in melted butter. Stir well until the mixture resembles wet sand.

    Left to right: smacking a bag of oreo cookies with a rolling pin, pouring melted butter into a bowl of oreo cookie crumbs.

    Press crust into pan - Pour this mixture out into your lined springform pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or spatula to firmly press the crumbs into a thin layer on the bottom of the pan and up the sides of the pan.

    Left to right: oreo cookie crumbs in a springform form, oreo cookie crust formed on inside of springform pan.

    Bake - Bake the crust for 10-15 minutes. Let cool completely while you prepare the cheesecake.

    For the ube cheesecake

    Prep - Lower the oven temperature to 325℉.

    Beat cream cheese - In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat cream cheese until very creamy.

    Mix batter - Add sugar, greek yogurt, vanilla extract, ube halaya, and ube extract. Mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Add one egg at a time, mixing in between each addition until smooth and creamy.

    Left to right: bowl full of ingredients for cheesecake, hand mixer beating purple cheesecake batter in a bowl.
    Left to right: egg cracked into ube cheesecake batter, mixing cheesecake batter with a hand mixer.

    Pour over crust - Transfer the batter to your baked crust, filling the pan a bit more than ¾ full. Wrap the bottom edges of the pan with aluminum foil to prevent leaking.

    Bake - Fill a pan with about 1" of boiling water and place it on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake the cheesecake on the middle rack for 65-70 minutes or until the outer 2" of the cheesecake is set but the middle half is still jiggly.

    Left to right: pouring cheesecake batter into pan with crust, sliding an offset spatula around edge of baked cheesecake.

    Cool and chill - Immediately after taking it out of the oven, carefully run an offset spatula around the outer edge of the cheesecake to prevent cracking as it shrinks. Let the cheesecake cool completely at room temperature before covering it with plastic wrap and chilling it in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.

    For the coconut cream topping

    Chill coconut milk - Chill your can of coconut milk in the fridge the day before. After 24 hours, carefully open the can without tilting it or disturbing it too much.

    Scoop - Scoop out the separated and solidified coconut cream from the can into a mixing bowl, avoiding the coconut water. You can drink the coconut water or save it for another recipe.

    Left to right: coconut cream in a bowl, mixing coconut cream with a hand mixer.

    Whip - Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the coconut cream and use a hand mixer to whip the coconut cream for about 1 minute until light peaks form. Don't overmix as it can separate.

    Left to right: coconut cream with sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl, hand mixer whipping coconut cream.

    Chill - If the coconut cream is too liquidy, add a bit of cornstarch to thicken it. Whip for another 30 seconds until combined. You can either use the cream right away or chill it in the fridge for a few hours to thicken it up even more.

    Add to cheesecake - Release the cheesecake from the pan and pile the cream on top of it. Use a spatula to spread it around. Sprinkle with coconut flakes.

    Left to right: hand spreading coconut whipped cream on top of cheesecake with offset spatula, hand sprinkling coconut flakes on top of cheesecake.

    Storage

    This ube cheesecake can be stored in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 5 days. Always keep it refrigerated as it contains a lot of dairy and eggs. You can take it out of the fridge 10-15 minutes before you serve it so that it's not fridge-cold.

    Freezing

    Leftovers of this cheesecake can be stored in an airtight container or wrapped well in plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil and frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.

    Purple yam cheesecake with dollops of coconut cream spread on top.

    Tips & tricks

    Use room temperature ingredients

    The cream cheese and eggs should be at room temperature. Cold cream cheese can be very difficult to beat and you may end up with a chunky batter rather than a smooth one. Room temperature eggs mix seamlessly into the batter and prevent curdling.

    Prevent springform pan from leaking

    I've never met a springform pan that doesn't leak. To prevent a mess on the bottom of your oven that burns and makes your house smoky (speaking from experience), wrap the bottom edges of your pan with aluminum foil. Just crumple it around the edges. You can also place a large baking tray on the bottom rack to catch drips.

    Water bath

    I'm not a fan of water baths since they're messy and water can seep into the pan. I'd recommend filling a separate roasting pan with about 1" of boiling hot water and placing it on the bottom rack of the oven. The steam that comes from the pan of water adds moisture to the cheesecake while it bakes and works in a similar way to a water bath.

    Prevent cheesecake from cracking

    Baking cheesecake with enough moisture in the oven environment is key to preventing cracks. Baking with a pan of hot water in the oven as noted above is perfect for this.

    Overbaked cheesecakes can also crack since more moisture is cooked out of them. Take your cheesecake out of the oven when the outer edges are set but the middle is still jiggly.

    Cheesecake will also shrink as it cools so run an offset spatula or knife around the outer edges of the cheesecake to prevent it from sticking to the pan and let it shrink without any pulling.

    Coconut whipped cream

    Remember to pop a can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight. If you don't chill it for long enough, the coconut cream won't separate from the coconut water and solidify. Don't shake or disturb the can during or after chilling.

    Always use a full-fat coconut milk since it has more cream. I found this guide on making coconut whipped cream to be super helpful if you want more in-depth details about which brands are best for separating out the cream and which ones to avoid.

    Chilling the coconut cream helps to thicken it. You can chill it again after you've scooped it out of the can and whipped it or use a chilled mixing bowl so that the cream stays cold the moment it's added to the bowl.

    A single slice of ube cheesecake on a plate.

    Frequently asked questions

    How do you know when cheesecake is done baking?

    Check on your cheesecake as it gets close to the end of the baking time. With oven mitts, hold both sides of the pan and gently shake it back and forth. It's finished baking when the outer 2" of the cheesecake is set and firm while the middle half is still jiggly.

    Can you make this cheesecake ahead of time?

    Yes! After baking this cheesecake, it needs to be chilled in the fridge for several hours or overnight anyways. This is the perfect time to store the cheesecake in the fridge for 1-2 days until you're ready to add the topping and serve. You could also complete the whole cheesecake (with the coconut cream topping) and chill it in the fridge for 1 day before serving. This gives the coconut whipped cream time to firm up as well.

    How do you make this cheesecake in a different-sized pan?

    To make this cheesecake in a 6" springform pan, halve the recipe (divide all the ingredients by 2).

    More cheesecake recipes to try

    • Passionfruit Cheesecake
    • Strawberry Jelly Cheesecake
    • Apple Crumble Cheesecake
    • Strawberry Cheesecake Macarons

    Recipe

    A slice of ube cheesecake lifted from the rest of the cheesecake.

    Ube Cheesecake

    Author: Gail Ng
    Creamy ube cheesecake with a crunchy oreo crust and coconut cream on top!
    4.94 from 16 votes
    PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE
    Prep Time 40 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins
    Chilling Time 4 hours hrs
    Total Time 6 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
    Yield 1 9" cheesecake
    Category Dessert
    Cuisine Filipino

    Equipment

    • 1 9" springform pan
    • 1 electric hand mixer

    Ingredients
      

    Oreo Crust

    • 420 g whole oreos
    • 140 g unsalted butter, melted

    Ube Cheesecake

    • 920 g cream cheese, softened to room temperature
    • 100 g granulated sugar
    • 150 g greek yogurt
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 125 g ube halaya
    • 1 ½ teaspoon ube extract
    • 3 large eggs, room temperature

    Coconut Cream Topping

    • 1 can full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
    • 30 g powdered sugar
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ½ teaspoon cornstarch, optional
    • large coconut flakes
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    Oreo Crust

    • Preheat oven to 350℉ and line the bottom of an 9" springform pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
    • Fill a ziploc bag with the oreo cookies and whack them with a rolling pin until they're finely crushed. You can also whiz them in a food processor.
    • Transfer the crushed oreos to a small bowl and pour in melted butter. Stir well until the mixture resembles wet sand.
    • Pour this mixture out into your lined springform pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or spatula to firmly press the crumbs into a thin layer on the bottom of the pan and up the sides of the pan.
    • Bake the crust for 10-15 minutes. Let cool completely while you prepare the cheesecake.

    Ube Cheesecake

    • Lower the oven temperature to 325℉.
    • In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat cream cheese until very creamy.
    • Add sugar, greek yogurt, vanilla extract, ube halaya, and ube extract. Mix on low speed until thoroughly combined.
    • Add one egg at a time, mixing in between each addition until smooth and creamy.
    • Transfer the batter to your baked crust, filling the pan a bit more than ¾ full. Wrap the bottom edges of the pan with aluminum foil to prevent leaking.
    • Fill a pan with about 1" of boiling water and place it on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake the cheesecake on the middle rack for 65-70 minutes or until the outer 2" of the cheesecake is set but the middle half is still jiggly. Immediately after taking it out of the oven, carefully run an offset spatula around the outer edge of the cheesecake to prevent cracking as it shrinks.
    • Let the cheesecake cool completely at room temperature before covering it with plastic wrap and chilling it in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.

    Coconut Cream Topping

    • Chill your can of coconut milk in the fridge the day before. After 24 hours, carefully open the can without tilting it or disturbing it too much.
    • Scoop out the solidified coconut cream from the can into a mixing bowl, avoiding the clear coconut water. You can drink the coconut water or save it for another recipe.
    • Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the coconut cream and use a hand mixer to whip the coconut cream for about 1 minute until light peaks form. Don't overmix as it can separate.
    • If the coconut cream is too liquidy, add a bit of cornstarch to thicken it. Whip for another 30 seconds until combined. You can either use the cream right away or chill it in the fridge for a few hours to thicken it up even more.
    • Release the cheesecake from the pan and pile the cream on top of it. Use a spatula to spread it around. Sprinkle with coconut flakes.

    Video

    Notes

    • Full-fat coconut milk - Some brands work better than others for separating out the coconut cream from the coconut water. I recommend using the Aroy-D or Savoy brands of canned coconut milk. Remember to refrigerate the can overnight ahead of time either before you make the cheesecake or at the same time as you chill your baked cheesecake overnight.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 7869kcal | Carbohydrates: 525g | Protein: 122g | Fat: 605g | Saturated Fat: 358g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 36g | Monounsaturated Fat: 159g | Trans Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 1729mg | Sodium: 4873mg | Potassium: 4085mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 350g | Vitamin A: 40604IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 1374mg | Iron: 68mg
    Keywords purple sweet potato cheesecake, purple yam cheesecake, ube cheesecake
    Tried this recipe?Leave a rating & comment to let us know how it was and tag your Instagram posts with @teakandthyme!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Leona

      September 25, 2023 at 4:51 am

      5 stars
      it’s so good omg!! i halved the recipe and it turned out so well however i would increase more on the ube extract!

      Reply
    2. Natalie

      May 13, 2023 at 8:12 pm

      4 stars
      This cheesecake was definitely a hit! It wasn't too sweet and the whipped coconut complimented the ube.

      My only comment was I had issues with the Oreo crust being way too greasy and butter leaking from it. I ended up baking it on a sheet pan to catch any excess butter (which there was quite a bit...). I'll probably slowly add in the butter until it gets to the right texture to form the crust next time. Are there any other suggestions or reasons why this might have happened?

      Reply
      • DMG

        July 03, 2023 at 11:45 am

        The first time I made this cheesecake, I also had issues with what seemed like too much butter in the crust. I had just crushed the cookies with a rolling pin. The second time I made it, I froze the oreos, crushed them in the food processor to get finer crumbs, and added the melted butter to get the right consistency. I used just about the same amount of butter and it wasn't greasy at all.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Gail! I'm a Chinese-Canadian girl with a major sweet tooth. I make desserts, baked goods, and drinks inspired by my favourite sweets, twists on classics, and flavours from my Asian background. I hope you're hungry!

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    Purple yam cheesecake with dollops of coconut cream spread on top.
    A slice of ube cheesecake lifted from the rest of the cheesecake.
    A slice of ube cheesecake with a forkful of cheesecake laying next to it.
    A single slice of ube cheesecake on a plate.