Kuih Talam Ubi Ungu
This post may contain affiliate links.Kuih Talam Ubi Ungu or Purple Yam Steamed Cake is a popular Indonesian dessert with layers of smooth, creamy coconut and purple sweet potato flavor. Not only is it beautiful, but also perfectly balanced in taste with sweet and slightly savory taste. This soft, bouncy dessert is perfect for any occasion.
Kuih Talam Ubi Ungu is one of my favorite Indonesian snacks. Like many traditional Indonesian desserts, it’s steamed and made with coconut milk and tapioca flour.
This mini layered dessert has a sweet potato base topped with a creamy coconut layer. It has unique color and tempting flavor and texture.
Kuih Talam comes in various flavors—pandan, pumpkin, and cassava—each adding its own twist. They are easy to make and adaptable with different molds, this snack is both simple and beautiful.
If you like purple yam, you can also check other traditional desserst like Purple Bugis Mandi, Purple Yam Ang Ku Kueh or Purple Yam Candil. You can even combine purple sweet potato into Ube Mochi Pancake or make it into Ube Spread.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredients to Note
Purple Sweet Potato / Purple Yam – pick the right purple yam. Wash clean and peel before steaming.
Coconut Milk – Use canned coconut milk. It is easier to process due to its consistency.
Sugar – Regular sugar is okay to use, castor sugar is even better so it is easier to dissolve.
Rice Flour – You can get rice flour from Asian grocery store. Rice flour is the staple ingredient in this recipe. It is gluten-free.
Tapioca Flour – To make the cake bouncy, you will need tapioca flour.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
Variations
There are many variations of this kuih talam. You will see green and white (using pandan extract), orange and white (using pumpkin or sweet potato), brown and white (using cassava).
How To Make Kuih Talam
STEP 1: Prepare the purple yam. Wash the purple yam away from dirt. You may peel it first or later after steaming. Steam for 15 minutes, and check with a fork if they are soft enough to go through. Use a fork or food processor to mash the steamed yam. Try to make it as smooth as you can. You can sieve it later after mixing.
STEP 2: Mixing the ingredients. Add the sugar, rice flour, tapioca flour, salt, purple sweet potato puree, and coconut milk. Mix well using a spatula (Images 1, 2).
STEP 3: Smooth the batter. Sieve it using a fine mesh sieve and a spoon to press the pulp out. You will have a fine mixture of purple color (Images 3, 4). Please note that the purple batter is quite thick.
STEP 4: Mix the coconut layer. Mix coconut milk, sugar, rice flour, tapioca flour, and salt well. Use a spatula to mix it well (Images 5, 6). Sieve the white mixture so it has a smooth white texture (Images 7, 8).
STEP 5: Preheat the steamer. While assembling the cake layers, you can start preheating the steamer. Brush some oil to the pudding mold you want to use. You can use your favorite pudding mold.
STEP 6: Pour the mixture into the mold. Let’s get creative here! You can pour the white and purple mixture layer by layer (Images 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14). You need to steam each layer for at least 5 minutes. When you are done pouring all the mixture, take out the mold from the steamer. Let it cool afterwards.
STEP 7: Take out the cake from the mold. Press the mold a little bit or use a fork to tilt the side of the cake from inside. It should be easy to remove the cake from the mold. Enjoy your mini Kue Talam!
Pro Tips
- You may peel the purple sweet potato skin first or later. Peeling the skin of the sweet potato is easy.
- Mash the steamed sweet potato after steaming with a fork or food processor while still hot. It is easier done when the sweet potato is still hot. Be careful.
- Always sieve the batter before pouring it into the mold. This step will make the cake very soft and smooth.
- Brush a little oil to the mold before pouring the batter. The cake will easily slid out of the mold after steaming.
FAQs about Kuih Talam Ubi Ungu
It is a traditional dessert in South East Asia made from purple sweet potatoes and coconut milk. It has two layers: the bottom is a smooth, sweet purple sweet potato mix, and the top is a creamy coconut milk layer. Steamed together, it creates a soft, chewy texture and a vibrant purple color, perfect as a snack or dessert.
Purple yam has a deep purple skin and flesh. The color is rich and vibrant, and the flesh is firm and starchy.
Taro has a brown, rough, hairy exterior with pale, white or off-white flesh that has a slightly purple or pinkish hue.
Tapioca flour is a crucial ingredient in Talam Ubi Ungu, as it gives the dessert its unique texture. You should use tapioca flour and rice flour for the best results and to achieve the soft and bouncy texture.
Storage and Reheating
This cake is best consumed on the day you make it. If you must keep it for a day or two, please store it in a closed container. You can reheat by steaming it again.
Steamed Purple Sweet Potato Tapioca Cake
Equipment
- 1 potato masher (or food processor)
- 1 whisk
- 1 strainer
- 12 pudding mold size may vary
Ingredients
Purple Layer
- 250 gr purple sweet potatoes
- 200 ml coconut milk
- 100 gr sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp rice flour
- 80 gr tapioca flour
White Layer
- 250 ml coconut milk
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 30 gr rice flour
- 30 gr tapioca flour
Instructions
- Prepare the purple yam. Wash the purple yam away from dirt. You may peel it first or later after steaming. Steam for 15 minutes, and check with a fork if they are soft enough to go through. Use a fork or food processor to mash the steamed yam. Try to make it as smooth as you can. You can sieve it later after mixing.
- Mixing the ingredients. Add the sugar, rice flour, tapioca flour, salt, purple sweet potato puree, and coconut milk. Mix well using a spatula.
- Smooth the batter. Sieve it using a fine mesh sieve and a spoon to press the pulp out. You will have a fine mixture of purple color (Images 3, 4). Please note that the purple batter is quite thick.
- Mix the coconut layer. Mix coconut milk, sugar, rice flour, tapioca flour, and salt well. Use a spatula to mix it well. Sieve the white mixture so it has a smooth white texture.
- Preheat the steamer. While assembling the cake layers, you can start preheating the steamer. Brush some oil to the pudding mold you want to use. You can use your favorite pudding mold.
- In another bowl, put Pour the mixture into the mold. Let's get creative here! You can pour the white and purple mixture layer by layer. You need to steam each layer for at least 5 minutes. When you are done pouring all the mixture, take out the mold from the steamer. Let it cool afterwards.in coconut milk, sugar, salt, rice flour, and tapioca flour. Mix well.
- Take out the cake from the mold. Press the mold a little bit or use a fork to tilt the side of the cake from inside. It should be easy to remove the cake from the mold. Enjoy your mini Kue Talam!
Video
Notes
- You may peel the purple sweet potato skin first or later. Peeling the skin of the sweet potato is easy.
- Mash the steamed sweet potato after steaming with a fork or food processor while still hot. It is easier done when the sweet potato is still hot. Be careful.
- Always sieve the batter before pouring it into the mold. This step will make the cake very soft and smooth.
- Brush a little oil to the mold before pouring the batter. The cake will easily slid out of the mold after steaming.
This has to be the prettiest dish ever! Thanks for the detailed instructions.
These are amazing. They turn out absolutely beautiful, and they’re surprisingly easy to make. I am already cited to make more purple yam steamed cakes!
I love this Southeast Asian dessert! Kuih Talam turns out so easy to make. With purple sweet potato you can make it look more attractive and more flavorful!