Ube suman with latik is a soft and chewy Filipino rice cake made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, and ube.
It's wrapped in banana leaves, steamed, and topped with latik for extra flavor and texture.
Perfect for merienda, dessert, or anytime you're craving something sweet and chewy.

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Ingredients You'll Need

Notes and Substitutions
- Glutinous rice flour: Also called sticky rice flour or malagkit. It gives suman its soft, chewy texture.
- Ube: You can use fresh or frozen ube, cooked and mashed. You can also use purple sweet potato, like I did. Ube halaya also works, but reduce the sugar by ¼ cup.
How to Make Ube Suman with Latik (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Make the latik
Boil 1 can coconut cream in a pan over medium-high heat.
Once boiling, lower the heat to medium.

Simmer, stirring often, until the oil separates and curds form.
Strain the latik from the oil and save both for later.
For more details, see my post on How to Make Latik.

Step 2: Prepare the banana leaves
Rinse or wipe the banana leaves clean.
Remove the thick center rib, then quickly pass the leaves over a flame to soften.
Cut into 6x8-inch rectangles.

Step 3: Make the ube mixture
In a large bowl, combine:
- 2¼ cups glutinous rice flour
- 1 cup mashed ube
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ube extract
- a pinch of salt
Mix until a thick paste forms. A few small bits of ube are fine.

Step 4: Wrap the suman
Lay a banana leaf flat and grease the area where the mixture will go with the coconut oil from the latik.

Place about 3 tablespoons ube mixture on the lower part of the leaf, leaving space on the sides.
Shape into a 4-inch log, then add some latik on top.

Fold the bottom over the mixture.

Roll snugly, then fold the sides under to seal.
You can also tie them in pairs with banana leaf strips.

Step 5: Steam the suman
Bring the steamer water to a boil.
Arrange the wrapped suman in the basket.
Cover and steam over medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until firm and cooked through.
Check the water level and refill with hot water if low.

Let your ube suman with latik cool slightly before unwrapping.
Sprinkle with more latik, or enjoy as is.

Tips for Making Ube Suman
- Soften the banana leaves: Pass them over a flame so they're easier to fold without tearing.
- Grease the leaves lightly: A little coconut oil helps keep the suman from sticking.
- Don't overfill: Leave space around the edges so the suman is easier to wrap.
- Cool slightly before unwrapping: This helps the suman set and makes it easier to handle.

Recipe FAQs
Ube suman is a Filipino rice cake made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, and ube, then wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.
Yes. Boiled and mashed purple sweet potato works well and is what I used here.
Latik can mean two things. For this recipe, it's the golden coconut curds made by cooking coconut cream until the oil separates.
There's also a syrupy version made with coconut milk and panutsa, which is used as a sweet sauce for kakanin.
More Suman Recipes
- Suman malagkit: Sticky rice cake with coconut milk, wrapped in banana leaves.
- Suman kamoteng kahoy: Cassava suman wrapped and steamed in banana leaves.
- Suman sa ibus: Glutinous rice cooked with coconut milk and wrapped in palm leaves.
- Suman sa lihiya: Glutinous rice with lye water, served with latik sauce.
- Tupig: Grilled sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves.
- Suman moron: Chocolate-flavored sticky rice cake wrapped in banana leaves.
Merienda Recipes You May Like

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📖 Recipe

Ube Suman with Latik
Equipment
- Steamer
- Pan (for the latik)
- Banana leaves (24 6x8-inch pieces)
Ingredients
For the Latik
- 1 (14-ounce) can coconut cream
For the Ube Suman
- 2¼ cups glutinous rice flour
- 1 cup cooked and mashed ube
- 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk (about 1⅔ cups)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ube extract or flavoring or to taste
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Make the latik, then save both the curds and oil.
- Rinse the banana leaves and remove the thick rib. Pass over a flame to soften, then cut into rectangles (6x8-inch).
- Mix the glutinous rice flour, ube, coconut milk, sugar, vanilla extract, ube extract, and salt into a thick paste.
- Lightly grease each banana leaf with the coconut oil from the latik. Add about 3 tablespoons of mixture, then shape into a log. Sprinkle with latik, then roll and fold to seal.
- Steam over medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until firm and cooked through.
- Cool slightly before unwrapping. Top with more latik, or enjoy as is.
Notes
- Glutinous rice flour: Also called sticky rice flour or malagkit; gives suman its chewy texture.
- Ube: Use fresh or frozen ube. Purple sweet potato also works. If using ube halaya, reduce the sugar by ¼ cup.
- Soften the banana leaves: Pass over a flame so they fold easily.
- Grease lightly: A little coconut oil helps prevent sticking.
- Don't overfill: Leave space so they're easier to wrap.
- Cool slightly: Let the suman set before unwrapping.









Liz says
I am making this tonight for my family. We love everything ube!
Nora Reyes says
Glad to hear that. Thank you, Liz!