Say Ube!

Let’s be honest, who really likes Ube? I don’t. It just doesn’t have that extra yum factor like chocolate or mango does. That’s what I thought, until Ube Brazos happened. Well technically I came across a blogpost circa 2012 about the said cake while I was working on my research paper and I just couldn’t stop myself from trying it. You see it’s Brazos de Mercedes only this time, it’s filled with ube. Now is that not ingenious?

People have been deceived by its looks because it doesn’t exactly pass as Instagrammable (may look like a slab of purple meat) although the taste makes up for it. Ube Brazos has got that light meringue-like covering till you bite its ube halaya-filled center (which they say is “purong-puro”). It’s not too sweet nor is it bland though I would recommend that you prepare a glass of water to accompany you should you plan on eating more than one slice.

Interior of Lapaz Bakeshop where the Ube Brazos is sold.

It’s impossible to miss where this gem comes from since Lapaz Bakeshop is situated in the corner of the Lapaz Market, right smack in front of Iloilo Grand Dame Hotel.  The spot used to occupy the space of Lapaz Kitchenette which is now beside it. The kitchenette and the bakeshop are owned by Concepcion Bayate but a certain Manang Luna actually bakes the special cake! They’ve got nine branches of the bakeshop now scattered around Panay.

A whole order of the cake costs Php 500. A half order is at Php 250 while a slice costs Php 28. I actually went back only to have my mother requesting me to buy a whole cake. When my neighbor saw me carrying the long red Lapaz bakeshop box, she immediately said, “Ah! Ang Ube!” Yes, it’s that popular now. 

Say Ube! (All photos credit to Ed Villaruel)