Ube kalamay is a chewy rice cake made with glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, and ube. It's cooked in a pan until thick and sticky, then topped with crispy latik.
If you like ube desserts or sticky rice cakes, this one is worth trying. It's easy to make with just a few simple ingredients.
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What is Ube Kalamay?
Ube kalamay is a sticky rice cake made with glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, sugar, and ube. It's cooked in a pan until thick and chewy.
The ube kalamay is then spread on a platter lined with banana leaves. It's usually topped with latik, crispy coconut curds made from coconut cream.
Ingredients You'll Need
Notes and Substitutions
- Coconut cream: This is the thick first extract of coconut milk (kakang gata). It has more fat and less water. You can use regular coconut milk, but it may produce fewer latik.
- Coconut milk: Fresh coconut milk is great if you have it, but canned coconut milk works too. Use full-fat for the best flavor.
- Glutinous rice flour (sweet rice flour): This makes the kalamay chewy and sticky.
- Ube (purple yam): Fresh ube is best, but frozen grated ube works too. You can also use boiled and mashed purple sweet potatoes. If using ube halaya (ube jam), reduce the sugar in the recipe by about ¼ cup.
How to Make Ube Kalamay (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Make the latik
Pour 1 (14-ounce) coconut cream into a pan over medium heat. Let it come to a boil.
Once it starts to thicken, lower the heat to medium-low. Stir and scrape the sides and bottom of the pan from time to time.
Cook until the oil separates and the coconut curds turn golden brown.
Strain the latik and save both the curds and the oil.
For detailed steps on making latik, see my guide on how to make latik.
Step 2: Prepare the platter
Wipe the banana leaves clean and pat them dry.
Line a platter or pan with the banana leaves. Brush lightly with some of the coconut oil from the latik.
Step 3: Mix everything together
In a nonstick pan, combine:
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk (about 1¾ cups)
- 2 cups glutinous rice flour
- 1 cup ube or purple yam (cooked & mashed)
- 1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ube extract or flavoring (add more until you get the color you like)
- A pinch of salt
Mix until smooth as you can.
Step 4: Whisk until thickened
Place the pan over medium heat and keep whisking for about 5 minutes.
As it thickens, the mixture will start to look clumpy and sticky.
Step 5: Cook the kalamay
Switch to a sturdy spatula and lower the heat to medium-low.
Spread the mixture out to smooth any lumps, then fold it back toward the center. Keep doing this while scraping the bottom and sides of the pan.
Cook for about 30 minutes, until the kalamay becomes thicker, darker, and very sticky. The longer it cooks, the chewier it gets.
Step 6: Add the coconut oil
As the kalamay gets thicker and harder to stir, add 2-3 tablespoons of the coconut oil you saved from making the latik.
Keep mixing until the oil is mixed in and the kalamay looks smooth and glossy.
Step 7: Check if it's ready
Try cutting through the kalamay with the spatula. If it cuts through and holds its shape, it's ready.
It should look thick, sticky, and pull away from the pan more easily.
Step 8: Transfer to the platter
While the kalamay is still warm, transfer it to the banana leaf-lined platter.
Spread it out evenly with a spatula while it's still easy to handle.
You can lightly brush the top with some of the coconut oil from the latik if you like.
Step 9: Cut and add the latik
Cut it into small squares or diamond shapes. Top with latik and more on the side if you like.
Serve your ube kalamay warm if you want it soft and chewy.
Let it cool to room temperature if you prefer it a little firmer.
Tips for Making Ube Kalamay
- Cook it long enough. Kalamay takes time to thicken. If you stop too early, it may turn out too soft.
- Keep stirring and scraping the pan. This helps the kalamay cook evenly and prevents it from sticking or burning.
- Lower the heat once it thickens. The mixture gets very thick and can burn if the heat is too high.
- Add the coconut oil near the end. This helps make the kalamay smoother and easier to spread.
How to Store Ube Kalamay
- Room temperature: Keep covered and eat the same day.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 1 month.
- To reheat: Microwave until warm and soft.
Recipe FAQs
It's made with glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, sugar, and ube.
It's sweet, chewy, and slightly nutty from the coconut milk. The ube gives it the purple color, but the flavor is very mild.
Yes. Boiled and mashed purple sweet potatoes can be used if you don't have ube.
It may need more cooking time. Keep cooking and stirring until it gets thick and sticky.
Cut through it with a spatula. If it holds its shape and doesn't spread, it's ready.
More Rice Cakes to Try
- Ube suman sa latik: Ube-flavored sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves and topped with latik.
- Espasol: Soft rice cake rolled in toasted rice flour, sometimes flavored with ube.
- Bibingkang malagkit: Sticky rice baked with coconut milk and topped with latik.
- Biko: Sweet sticky rice cooked in coconut milk and brown sugar.
- Suman: Sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves and boiled. Suman sa lihiya is a version with lye water and served with latik sauce.
- Kutsinta: Chewy steamed rice cake with annatto and topped with grated coconut.
- Sapin-sapin: Layered sticky rice cake with different flavors and colors.
- Putong bigas: Steamed rice cakes made from fermented rice dough.
Other Merienda Recipes You May Like
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📖 Recipe
Ube Kalamay Recipe (Chewy Ube Rice Cake)
Equipment
- Wide nonstick pan or skillet
- 10 to 12-inch round platter or bilao
Ingredients
For the latik:
- 1 (14-ounce) can coconut cream (about 1¾ cups)
For the ube kalamay:
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk (about 1¾ cups)
- 2 cups glutinous rice flour
- 1 cup mashed ube (or purple sweet potato)
- 1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ube extract or flavoring more to taste
- A pinch of salt
- Banana leaves optional
Instructions
- Make the latik: Cook the coconut cream over medium heat until the oil separates and the curds turn golden. Strain and set aside.
- Prepare the platter: Line a platter with banana leaves if using. Lightly brush with coconut oil.
- Mix the ingredients: In a pan, combine coconut milk, glutinous rice flour, brown sugar, mashed ube, ube extract, vanilla, and salt. Mix until mostly smooth.
- Whisk until thickened: Place over medium heat and whisk for about 5 minutes, until it starts to thicken and become sticky.
- Cook and stir: Switch to a spatula. Lower the heat and keep stirring and scraping the pan for about 30 minutes, until thick and sticky.
- Add the coconut oil: Add 2-3 tablespoons of the coconut oil from the latik. Mix until smooth and glossy.
- Check if it's ready: Cut through the kalamay with a spatula. If it holds its shape, it's ready.
- Transfer and spread: While still warm, transfer to the platter and spread evenly.
- Cut and top: Cut into squares or diamonds. Top with latik.
- Serve: Serve warm for a soft texture or let it cool if you prefer it firmer.
Notes
- Coconut cream: Thick first extract of coconut milk (kakang gata). Regular coconut milk can work but may produce less latik.
- Coconut milk: Fresh or canned works. Use full-fat for better flavor.
- Glutinous rice flour (sweet rice flour): This gives the kalamay its chewy texture.
- Ube: Fresh or frozen grated ube works. Mashed purple sweet potatoes can also be used. If using ube halaya, reduce the sugar by ¼ cup.
- Cook it long enough. It should be thick and sticky, not soft.
- Keep stirring and scraping the pan so it cooks evenly.
- Lower the heat as it thickens to prevent burning.
- Add the coconut oil near the end to make it smoother and easier to spread.
- Room temperature: Keep covered and eat the same day.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 1 month.
- Reheat: Microwave until warm and soft.
Carmela says
I have to make this!!! I didn’t know it was this easy. And thanks for the suggestion about purple sweet potatoes - it’s what i have here. I can never find ube in my local Asian store. Thank you for the recipe.
Nora Reyes says
Hello Carmela, I am glad you found the suggestion helpful. I often use purple sweet potatoes, it's the perfect alternative to ube. Enjoy your Ube Kalamay =)