Go Back
Sliced ube swirl banana bread loaf showing vibrant purple ube marbling inside moist banana bread on a light marble surface.
Print Pin

Ube Swirl Banana Bread

This Ube Swirl Banana Bread combines classic ultra-moist banana bread with a luscious ube swirl for a stunning purple marbled loaf. Earthy vanilla-sweet ube perfectly balances ripe bananas, creating a soft, tender crumb that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American, Filipino-Inspired
Keyword banana ube loaf, purple banana bread, ube baking, ube banana bread, ube swirl bread
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 10 slices
Calories 295kcal
Cost $5.50 per loaf

Equipment

  • 9×5-inch loaf pan
  • Parchment paper
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Rubber spatula
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Toothpick or skewer (for swirling & doneness test)
  • Cooling rack

Ingredients

Banana Bread Batter

  • 3 ripe bananas mashed
  • ½ cup unsalted butter melted
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp cinnamon optional

Ube Swirl

  • ⅓ cup ube halaya ube jam
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream or coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp sugar optional, if ube isn’t sweet
  • ½ tsp ube extract optional, for color & aroma

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line loaf pan with parchment.
  • In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until glossy.
  • Add eggs, vanilla, and mashed bananas. Mix until smooth.
  • Fold in flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon just until combined.
  • In a small bowl, mix ube halaya, cream, sugar (if needed), and ube extract until smooth and spreadable.
  • Pour ⅔ of banana batter into the pan.
  • Spoon ube mixture in ribbons over the batter.
  • Add remaining banana batter on top.
  • Swirl gently with a toothpick—do not overmix.
  • Bake 55–65 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
  • Cool 15 minutes in pan, then transfer to a rack.

Notes

  • Use very ripe bananas with heavy brown spotting for the sweetest flavor and moistest crumb.
  • Do not over-swirl the ube mixture—2–3 gentle passes with a toothpick creates a defined purple ribbon.
  • If your ube halaya is very thick, warm it slightly or add an extra teaspoon of coconut milk to make it swirlable.
  • Ube extract is optional but recommended for a deeper purple color and stronger vanilla-like aroma.
  • Tent loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly during the final 10–15 minutes of baking.
  • Let the loaf cool at least 15 minutes before slicing to set the crumb and preserve the swirl.
  • Flavor improves after resting—this bread tastes even better the next day.
  • Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for 2 days, refrigerate up to 5 days, or freeze for 3 months.