The first time I heard of ube cupcakes was from Tubby Nugget, an adorable blob-like cartoon character who spreads love and positivity across the internet. They are Tubby’s favorite snack, as seen in a short video in which Tubby sings “The Ube Cupcake Song.”

Tubby’s love for this purple treat sparked my curiosity and led me to Google. Through my search, I learned that ube is a purple yam native to the Philippines. This root vegetable has a unique flavor — sweet and nutty with hints of vanilla. It is often used in desserts.

Wanting to try it, I searched on Pinterest for “ube cupcake recipes.” I chose this one from maeservesyoufood.com because it seemed pretty simple (I’m lazy when it comes to baking) and linked to an ube cream cheese frosting recipe (Cream cheese? Yes, please!).

I couldn’

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