Ube Milk Bread

This bread combines Japanese milk bread techniques with ube (purple yam) to create a soft, fluffy loaf with beautiful purple swirls. Perfect for breakfast or snacking. I fell in love with ube milk bread during my trip to a small Filipino bakery last summer and couldn't wait to recreate it in my kitchen. This gorgeous purple swirled bread combines the pillowy softness of Japanese milk bread with the gentle sweetness of purple yam. Every time I bake it my kitchen fills with the most amazing aroma and the swirls inside never fail to make me smile. It's become my favorite bread to share with friends who've never tried ube before. What Makes This Bread So Special The moment you pull this bread apart you'll see why I'm obsessed. Those purple swirls aren't just pretty they're delicious too. The texture is incredibly soft like biting into a cloud. I love watching people's faces when they first see it most have never tried anything like it. My favorite way to enjoy it is lightly toasted with a thick spread of ube halaya it's absolutely heavenly. Your Shopping List Ube Powder: This is your star ingredient. Make sure to get pure ube powder I learned the hard way that some brands mix in other ingredients. Ube Extract: A little bottle of magic that gives you that gorgeous purple color and sweet flavor. Bread Flour: Don't skip this one regular flour won't give you that perfect fluffy texture. Milk Powder: Trust me this little addition makes your bread taste amazing. Starter: We'll make something called tangzhong it's the secret to keeping your bread soft for days. Let's Make Our Starter Mix it Up In my favorite saucepan I whisk together flour milk and water until smooth. It looks like thin pancake batter at first. The Magic Happens Keep stirring over medium heat and watch it transform. When it looks like smooth mashed potatoes you're there. This usually takes me about 3 minutes. Cool Down Time I cover it with plastic wrap right on the surface no one likes a skin on their starter. Let it cool while you gather everything else. Creating Your Dough The Dry Team Get your stand mixer ready. I combine all the dry ingredients first it helps everything mix more evenly. Adding the Wet Ingredients Now comes our cooled starter egg and milk. When the dough hook starts working its magic you'll see it come together beautifully. Butter Time Once your butter goes in keep mixing until the dough starts pulling away from the bowl. It'll be so smooth and stretchy. First Rest Pop your dough in a greased bowl cover it and let it do its thing. I use this time to catch up on my favorite baking shows. Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse Creating That Beautiful Purple Dough Mix the Pretty Stuff Now we're making the ube dough. I always get excited watching the color develop as I mix in that gorgeous purple powder. Getting It Together Add your wet ingredients and ube extract. The dough will turn this stunning shade of purple that just makes me happy. Butter Makes It Better Keep kneading until your dough is as smooth as silk. You'll know it's ready when it starts pulling away from the bowl in one beautiful mass. Time to Grow Into another greased bowl it goes. The anticipation of watching it rise is always worth the wait. Creating Those Beautiful Swirls Portioning the Dough This is where the fun begins. I divide both doughs into 8 pieces each like I'm making little pillows. Keep them covered with plastic wrap they dry out fast trust me on this one. Making the Magic Take one piece of each color and roll them into rectangles. Layer them together and watch as they transform into this gorgeous swirled log. It's like making edible art. Filling Your Pans Nestle those pretty logs into your greased pans. I always take a moment to appreciate how beautiful they look even before baking. Another Rest Cover them up and let them get puffy. This is when I start getting really excited about how they'll turn out. Time to Bake Getting Ready When your oven hits 350°F it's showtime. I brush the tops with a little heavy cream it gives them such a beautiful golden finish. The Big Moment Into the oven they go. Your kitchen will smell incredible for the next 35 minutes. I always peek through the oven window watching them turn golden. Worth the Wait Let them rest in the pans for just 5 minutes then move them to a cooling rack. The hardest part is waiting for them to cool before slicing. My Best Baking Tips After making this bread countless times I've learned a few tricks. Always weigh your ingredients my kitchen scale is my best friend here. Keep your dough covered while working or it'll develop a dry skin. I rotate my pans halfway through baking because my oven has a hot spot. And please use a thermometer to check they're done you want that perfect 190°F inside. Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse Enjoying Your Creation The best part about this recipe is that it makes two loaves. I usually keep one out for immediate enjoyment and wrap the other tightly for the freezer. It freezes beautifully for up to a month but honestly it never lasts that long in my house. My absolute favorite way to eat it is toasted with a thick layer of ube halaya spread on top. Pure purple happiness on a plate. A close-up of sliced purple swirled bread on a wooden cutting board, with scattered flour in the background. | Myhomemaderecipe.com Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse Frequently Asked Questions What is ube powder? Ube powder is made from dehydrated purple yam, commonly used in Filipino desserts. Look for 100% purple yam powder without added milk or sugar at Asian markets or online. Can I skip the milk powder? Yes, the milk powder is optional though it adds extra flavor to the bread. The bread will still turn out well without it. Why make a starter for this bread? The cooked flour starter (tangzhong) helps create an extremely soft, fluffy texture that stays fresh longer. This is key to achieving the classic milk bread texture. Where can I find ube extract? Ube extract can be found at Filipino markets or online retailers. It adds both flavor and color, but be careful as it can stain surfaces and hands. How do I store this bread? Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The bread can also be frozen for up to 1 month if wrapped well.